Francis stressed that it was not his place to give permission for Protestants to receive Catholic Communion, and that differences on doctrine remain.

Archbishop Blase Cupich of Chicago, named by Pope Francis to that high-profile post a year ago, has issued a powerful call for tougher gun control laws in a move that may push the volatile issue further up the Catholic hierarchy’s agenda than it has been before.

The meeting with Davis took place on Thursday (Sept. 24), just before Francis left Washington for New York, Davis’ lawyer said late Tuesday.

In the wake of the landmark Supreme Court decision legalizing gay marriage, a favorite talking point among social conservatives was that even if they lost a battle, they could still win the war: The ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges was akin to the 1973 Roe v. Wade verdict legalizing abortion, they argued, and opponents would continue to fight, and steadily work their way back to victory.

Pope Francis celebrates a mass in Plebiscito square during his pastoral visit in Naples on March 21, 2015. Photo courtesy of REUTERS/Stefano Rellandini

When Pope Francis pays a visit to Naples this Saturday (March 21) he will have lunch with some 90 inmates at a local prison, a contingent that will reportedly include 10 from a section reserved for gay and transgendered prisoners, and those infected with the virus that causes AIDS.