Pope Francis appears to side with Kim Davis

Although the pope addressed many politically touchy subjects during his 10-day trip to the U.S. and Cuba, including climate change, abortion, and the migrant crisis, it wasn't until he returned home to the Vatican that he touched on same-sex marriage, which the Catholic church "firmly opposes," Reuters reports.

In a question inspired by the jailing of Kim Davis, the Kentucky clerk who defied the Supreme Court in her refusal to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, a reporter asked the pope if he supported individuals such as Davis, who cited her religious beliefs as her reason for defying the law.

"Conscientious objection must enter into every juridicial structure because it is a right," Pope Francis said. "If someone does not allow others to be a conscientious objector, he denies a right. Otherwise we would end up in a situation where we select what is a right, saying, 'This right has merit, this one does not.'"

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