Kim Davis: Pope Endorsed My Struggle! Pope: Nah

Kim Davis, a famously ineffective Kentucky county clerk, has been strutting all over the fucking media, being like “I am a true Christian because I took a meeting with the Pope.” It turns out that meeting was really more like a late-night text conversation, in which Davis wrote, “Hey babe, wanna cum over?” and the Pope was like, “New phone, who dis?” And Davis was like, “Kim :),” and The Pope was like, “Kim who.”

On Wednesday, the Vatican did not deny that the meeting took place, but wouldn’t confirm any details about it either. This morning, it released a statement clarifying what actually happened.

“Pope Francis met with several dozen persons who had been invited by the Nunciature [the Vatican’s diplomatic office in Washington] to greet him as he prepared to leave Washington for New York City. Such brief greetings occur on all papal visits and are due to the Pope’s characteristic kindness and availability. The only real audience granted by the Pope at the Nunciature was with one of his former students and his family,” said spokesperson Rev. Federico Lombardi.

“The Pope did not enter into the details of the situation of Mrs. Davis and his meeting with her should not be considered a form of support of her position in all of its particular and complex aspects.”

NPR reports that another Vatican spokesperson, Father Thomas Rossica, said that the Pope may not have fully grasped “the impact” meeting Davis would have.

“I never thought I would meet the pope,” Davis said. “Who am I to have this rare opportunity? I am just a county clerk who loves Jesus and desires with all my heart to serve him. Pope Francis was kind, genuinely caring and very personable.”

Still, we can’t gloss over the fact that someone at the Nunciature (or someone the Nunciature put faith in) seemingly did invite Davis to greet the leader of Catholicism. While many Christians are outraged by Davis’ bigotry, the Vatican has done little but furtively support her right to be a conscientious objector. Pope Francis may be the coolest of the Popes, but he is still the Pope.