The New York Times is reporting that Kim Davis, the Kentucky county clerk who refused to issue same-sex marriage licenses for religious reasons, met with the Pope during his visit to the United States. In a telephone interview on Tuesday night, Davis' lawyer said that Pope Francis gave her rosaries and told her to "stay strong" during the meeting.

Ms. Davis and her husband, Joe, were sneaked into the Vatican Embassy by car on Thursday afternoon, according to Ms. Davis’s lawyer, Mathew D. Staver. The couple met for about 15 minutes with the pope, who was accompanied by security, aides and photographers. Mr. Staver said he expected to receive photographs of the meeting from the Vatican soon.

Davis' lawyer Staver said the Vatican had been aware of Ms. Davis and her situation.  The meeting was arranged though the Vatican directly, rather than the United States bishops' conference.

On the Pope's return home, an American reporter asked the Pontiff specifically about government officials who refused to perform their state duties because of religious objections.

The pope said he could not speak specifically about cases but that “conscientious objection is a right that is a part of every human right.”

“It is a right,” he said. “And if a person does not allow others to be a conscientious objector, he denies a right.”

The Pope went on to say, “Conscientious objection must enter into every juridical structure because it is a right, a human right. Otherwise, we would end up in a situation where we select what is a right, saying, ‘This right, that has merit; this one does not.’ ”