The sexual left and dissident Catholic groups are loudly complaining about the meeting between Pope Francis and Kim Davis, the Kentucky County Clerk who went to jail rather than issue gay marriage licenses.
The Pope met secretly with Davis last week after his triumphant speech to Congress. During the 15-minute meeting, Francis hugged Davis, gave her Rosaries, encouraged her to carry on, and said he would pray for her.
It wasn’t supposed to be this way. Francis of “who-am-I-to-judge” fame was supposed to usher in a new era of gay-friendly Catholicism. Not unexpectedly, the LGBTs are furious.
The gay Advocate newspaper reports that “LGBT Catholics are frustrated that Pope Francis refused repeated requests to meet with them, but made time for a secret, closed-door meeting with the anti-gay Kentucky clerk who is not Catholic.”
Marianne Dudduy-Burke, who runs the Vatican-rebuked group DignityUSA said, “It put the weight of the Vatican behind the US Catholic bishops’ claims of victimization, and supports those who want to make it more difficult for same-sex couples to exercise their civil right to marriage.”
Frank DeBernardo of New Ways Ministry — another group rebuked by the Church — said, “If it turns out the meeting actually happened, I would be very disappointed in Pope Francis. There were numerous calls for him to meet with LGBT Catholics and families while in the U.S., and the Vatican ignored them all.” DeBernardo also said Pope Francis “speaks out of both sides of his mouth.”
“I fear that this meeting and claims that the Pope told Ms. Davis to ‘stand strong’ will embolden the many US bishops and others who continue to try to turn back support for LGBT people,” said DignityUSA’s Duddy-Burke.
Call to Action, yet another dissident Catholic group is also upset.
“Call to Action is troubled by today’s reports regarding a meeting between the Pope and Kim Davis, a polarizing elected official who has refused to obey the law and issue same-sex marriage licenses. Kim Davis’ understanding of Christianty and her vision of Church is not congruent with Call to Action’s mission to build a Catholic Church of inclusion and justice,” said Jim Fitzgerald, executive director.
Follow Austin Ruse on Twitter @austinruse
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