An assistant holds an umbrella to shelter Pope Francis from the rain at the end of his Wednesday general audience in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican March 26, 2014. REUTERS/Tony Gentile
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Despite differences on moral issues, U.S. President Barack Obama will find in Pope Francis a welcome ally on issues of poverty and social justice when they meet for the first time at the Vatican on Thursday.
The president has sparred with the Catholic Church hierarchy in the United States over his support for abortion rights, gay marriage and the "contraception mandate" that requires employers to provide health insurance cover for artificial birth control.
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