Met gay couple on US visit

Francis met with Yayo Grassi, a gay U.S-based Argentine caterer, Grassi’s male partner of 19 years, Iwan Bagus and three other people for 15 minutes at the Vatican Embassy in Washington during his visit to the US on Sept. 23. Grassi has known the pope since Francis taught him literature and psychology at a high school in Argentina in the 1960s and has stayed in touch. Vatican spokesperson:

As noted in the past, the pope, as pastor, has maintained many personal relationships with people in a spirit of kindness, welcome and dialogue

Grassi:

What I can say is that he met with me knowing that I am gay, and we had an extraordinary, very moving conversation.