ROME: Face to face at the Vatican, President Joe Biden held extended and highly personal talks with Pope Francis on Friday and came away saying the pontiff told him he was a 'good Catholic' and should keep receiving Communion, although conservatives have called for him to be denied the sacrament because of his support for abortion rights.

The world's two most prominent Roman Catholics ran overtime in their discussions on climate change, poverty and the coronavirus pandemic, a warm conversation that also touched on the loss of president's adult son and included jokes about aging well.