Pope Francis' private meeting last week with Kim Davis, the county clerk in Kentucky who defied a court order to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, adds another twist to a US tour that saw Francis attract huge crowds and articulate left-leaning positions on poverty, immigration, the environment, and inequality.<br />Vatican officials initially would not confirm that the meeting occurred, finally doing so on Wednesday afternoon, while refusing to discuss any details.<br />Davis, the clerk in Rowan County, has been at the center of a nationwide controversy over whether government employees and private businesses have a legal right to refuse to serve same-sex couples.<br />She spent five days in jail for disobeying a federal court order to issue the licenses.<br />The secretiveness of the meeting, and the Vatican's refusal to give any information, will inevitably raise questions about why Francis chose to meet with Davis - and why he kept the meeting secret.
