President Biden meets with Pope Francis at the Vatican as domestic agenda hangs in the balance

Rome — Pope Francis met with President Joe Biden at the Vatican Friday, the first meeting between the heads of state since Mr. Biden entered the Oval Office. At the meeting, the two were expected to focus on the issue of climate change, two days before the president travels to Glasgow to attend the COP26 United Nations summit on the topic. 

"The engagement between the two was very warm when the delegation arrived in the room. There was laughter and clear rapport between President Biden and Pope Francis," a White House official said.

But there were questions about how the issue of abortion would be handled. As the first Catholic president since John F. Kennedy, Mr. Biden has been under pressure from conservative bishops in the U.S. over his support for abortion rights, which they argue disqualifies him from receiving communion.