By Merdie Nzanga and Julio-Cesar Chavez

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – President Joe Biden and Pope Francis will meet at the Vatican Friday to discuss climate change and poverty. They also hope to clarify the controversial issue of abortion.

Biden is a great Roman Catholic convert who regularly attends weekly Mass and keeps a photograph of the Pope in his Oval Office Desk.

“It’s great for the last world superpower to meet up with the head of the pre-eminent global moral power, to discuss what they could do together in order to improve the common good,” stated Professor John Carr, Georgetown University.

Biden is a Democrat. He has stated that he opposes abortion personally, however, as an elected leader he can’t impose his views. He also called on the Supreme Court not to interfere with abortion rights.

However, some conservative Christians as well as leaders of the Catholic faith have criticized his position. They say that he shouldn’t receive communion. He should not receive communion from conservative Christians or leaders of the Catholic faith.

Ryan Taylor (20 years old) said that he would be glad if Pope Francis raised the topic of abortion. He is a college student at a Catholic University in Washington.

“That is something that I care deeply about and can be discussed more often, particularly since Biden is Catholic but does not hold the Catholic position regarding abortion. It’s something I want to see addressed.

At a time of political division in America, the meeting between the Pope and the President is considered crucial. Reuters/Ipsos polling results after 2020 U.S. elections showed that Catholics were nearly evenly divided in choosing between Donald Trump and Biden. 50% voted to elect Biden, while 49% voted Trump.

Julia St. John (23-year-old Catholic Missionary) said she wanted to talk with the men about abortion. But, politics today is complex and no party represents the Catholic Church fully.

Carr also agrees.

For some, politics is their religion. Carr stated that the political divisions and politics have entered our Catholic faith, while Biden got fewer Catholic votes than John F. Kennedy.

Carr stated that John Kennedy’s election was not a time when economic issues or ideological differences were as prevalent.