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 Speaking to reporters as he returned home from a 10-day trip to
the United States and Cuba, Francis also repeated his condemnation
of priests who had sexually abused children, saying the victims had
been "crushed by evil".
Although the Argentine-born pontiff delved into some of the United
States' thorniest political debates during his visit, he never
specifically referred to a controversy over same-sex marriages,
which the Church firmly opposes.
On the flight back to Rome, he was asked if he supported
individuals, including government officials, who refuse to abide by
some laws, such as issuing marriage licenses to gays.
"Conscientious objection must enter into every juridical structure
because it is a right," Francis said.
Earlier this month a city official in the U.S. state of Kentucky,
Kim Davis, went to jail because she refused to issue a marriage
license to a gay couple following a Supreme Court decision to make
homosexual marriage legal.
 Davis's case has taken on national significance in the 2016
presidential campaign, with one Republican contender, Mike Huckabee,
holding rallies in favor of Davis, a Apostolic Christian, who has
since joined the Republican party.
"I can't have in mind all cases that can exist about conscientious
objection but, yes, I can say that conscientious objection is a
right that is a part of every human right," he said, speaking in
Italian.
"And if someone does not allow others to be a conscientious
objector, he denies a right," he added.
Francis said conscientious objection had to be respected in legal
structures. "Otherwise we would end up in a situation where we
select what is a right, saying: 'This right has merit, this one does
not.'"
PRIESTLY BETRAYAL
In the hour-long, freewheeling talk that has become a trademark of
his papacy, the pope returned to the problem of priestly abuse. On
Sunday, he met five victims of sexual abuse and issued his most
comprehensive condemnation of the crime.
On the plane, Francis said sexual abuse was not confined to the
Church but it was worse when committed by men of religion.
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"We know abuses are everywhere, in families, in the neighborhoods,
in the schools, in the gyms, but when a priest abuses it is very
grave because the vocation of the priest is to make that boy, that
girl grow towards the love of God, toward maturity," he said.
"But instead (the victim) is crushed by evil and this is nearly a
sacrilege because the priest has betrayed his vocation, the calling
of the Lord," the pope said.
The pope had been fiercely criticized by abuse victims on Wednesday,
after he initially addressed the scandal but did not utter the words
"sexual abuse", and praised American bishops for their handling of
the crisis.
Asked about barriers being but up in Europe to stop the influx of
migrants, the pope said: "All walls collapse, today, tomorrow or
after 100 years, but they will collapse. Walls are not a solution."
He said that while it was true that Europe was struggling in the
face of a refugee crisis, the solution had to be found through
dialogue. "Barriers last a short time or a long time, but the
problem remains and with it, more hatred."
A reporter said the pope had become a "star" in the United States
following his visit to Washington, New York and Philadelphia, and
asked if this was good for the Church.
"The media uses this term, but there is another truth - how many
stars have we seen go out and fall. It is a fleeting thing. Instead
being a 'servant of the servants of God' does not pass," the pope
said, referring to one of the titles of his office.
(Reporting by Philip Pullella; Editing by Crispian Balmer and Tom
Heneghan)
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