I can't recall the last time the Vatican so publicly distanced itself from an individual visitor to the Pope.
Francis’ meeting with Kim Davis “should not be considered a form of support of her position in all of its particular and complex aspects,” Vatican spokesman Jesuit Fr. Federico Lombardi said in a statement.
“Pope Francis met with several dozen persons who had been invited by the Nunciature to greet him as he prepared to leave Washington for New York City,” Lombardi said in the statement. “Such brief greetings occur on all papal visits and are due to the Pope’s characteristic kindness and availability.”
It seems that Davis was brought to meet the visiting pope at the invitation of certain other Catholic officials—whether Francis himself was angered by the move depends on
who you believe—it's not going down well with Kim Davis's
publicity hounds lawyers,
who pretty flatly accused Pope Francis of lying. That'll go well.
But the part that makes this especially noteworthy is that the Vatican coupled their refusal to endorse Kim Davis's "position" with the news that Pope Francis did have a private meeting in Washington with an openly gay longtime friend of the pope and that man's partner.
In an exclusive interview with CNN, Grassi declined to disclose details about the short visit, but said it was arranged personally by the Pope via email in the weeks ahead of Francis' highly anticipated visit to the United States.
"Three weeks before the trip, he called me on the phone and said he would love to give me a hug," Grassi said.
Don't read too much into that one, either; the official position of the church is one of opposition to same-sex marriage and anyone hoping for that to change had better park themselves down for a good long wait. But the Vatican distancing itself from Davis and her case is, as I said, an unusual move.