President Joe Biden said Wednesday that he “admired” the late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI despite their philosophical differences, acknowledging that his views as a Catholic are more in line with Pope Francis. He also shared why he did not attend the Catholic leader’s funeral.

Shortly before he left the White House to give a speech in Kentucky, EWTN Washington Correspondent Owen Jensen asked Biden, “what did Pope Benedict mean to you as a Catholic?” The president responded by recalling how he “had the opportunity to spend some time with Pope Benedict, a couple hours” in 2011 when he served as vice president. 

“It reminded me of being in theology class,” Biden added. “We spoke about [St. Thomas] Aquinas and about ‘Summa Theologica’ and the whole litany. I found him to be relaxing and very rational.”

Biden acknowledged that “he was a more conservative view within the Catholic realm than I have.” The president identified himself as “closer to the Pope, the present Pope, in terms of his philosophy, his view” without elaborating. He said he “admired” Benedict XVI and described him as a “fine man.”