Pope Francis met with many people during his visit to Washington, but it turns out his only private audience was with a gay man and his friends. Washington Bureau reporter Michael Scotto sat down for a special interview with that man and has the story.
Washington caterer Yayo Grassi grew up in Argentina, where 50 years ago he was a high school student of Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the man who later become Pope Francis.
"When I listen to him speaking on TV, if I close my eyes, I think I'm still in the same classroom and I think he's giving us a lecture," Grassi said.
So, several months ago, when Grassi, an atheist, heard the leader of the Catholic Church was coming to town, he asked to meet with his former teacher.
"He said, I would really like to give you a hug,'" Grassi said.
The meeting - all captured on video - lasted 15 minutes. it included Grassi, his boyfriend, and four friends.
Grassi's meeting with the pope happened at the Vatican Embassy. It happened just one day before he met with Kim Davis, the Kentucky clerk who had been jailed for refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.
News of Davis' meeting sparked a firestorm, one the Vatican tried to tame by issuing a statement saying the pope did not endorse Davis' views and that she was one of many people in a general meeting. The Vatican added the only real audience Francis gave was to Grassi.
News of both meetings only emerged after the pope had left the country after being bombarded with media calls Friday, Grassi decided to speak out.
"My God, this is the best chance to give my friend a fair image," Grassi said.
Grassi says he believes Francis met Davis without knowing her entire story.
Grassi comes to this conclusion based on an exchange he had with Francis several years ago after Francis, then a cardinal, had reportedly spoken out against legislation to legalize same-sex marriage in Argentina.
"He finished the letter saying I can assure you that in my pastoral work, there is no place for homophobia," Grassi said.
That said, Francis is still an opponent of same-sex marriage. But Grassi says in the two meetings he and his boyfriend have had with the Pope, their sexual orientation never came up.
"It really says mountains about him. It says mountains about the fact that fact of his inclusiveness," Grassi noted.
Inclusiveness that has some gay Catholics optimistic about their future in the church.