Pope Francis hosts President Obama for ‘cordial’ talks

c. 2014 Religion News Service

VATICAN CITY (RNS) Pope Francis met with President Obama for the first time on Thursday (March 27) in a meeting heavy in symbolism that reportedly touched on some hot-button disputes between the White House and the U.S. Catholic bishops.

The highly touted 52-minute meeting was friendly and cordial, with polite niceties exchanged—Obama told Francis he was “a great admirer” of his papacy—before the formal session got underway. According to White House press reports, the overall mood before the meeting was lighthearted, with Obama injecting some humor before the two men began their private discussions.