Pope Francis has done his first extended one-on-one interview with a US TV network in the course of his 11-year papacy.
The 87-year-old Pope on 24 April did an interview in Rome with news anchor Norah O’Donnell of <em>CBS</em> (the abbreviation of Columbia Broadcasting System), one of the main commercial broadcast television and radio networks in the United States. <br><br>In the interview the Pope “shared his insights on the state of the world” and spoke about “war, peace, famine and climate change”, O'Donnell says in a short <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/video/pope-francis-says-negotiated-peace-is-better-than-a-war-without-end/#x"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color"><em>CBS</em> promotional video</mark></a>.
Portions of the "<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/video/pope-francis-surprises-the-world-with-groundbreaking-interview/"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color">ground-breaking</mark></a>" interview aired on the <em>CBS</em> Evening News on Wednesday night, while a longer version is scheduled for the famous “60 Minutes” show, followed by an hour-long <em>CBS</em> prime-time special to be aired on May 20.
The <em>CBS</em> interview focuses on the upcoming World Day for Children, <a href="https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2024/04/pope-calls-for-negotiated-peace-blasts-climate-change-skeptics-in-cbs-interview"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color">reports</mark></a> <em>Crux</em>. This is set to take place in the Vatican 25-26 May, and is being organised by Franciscan Father Enzo Fortunato, recently tapped by Francis as the first-ever spokesman for St. Peter’s Basilica.
The Pope spoke about the negative consequences of war on children, referring in particular to Ukraine and repeating a point he’s made often in the past:
“Those kids don’t know how to smile,” the Pope said. “I tell them something, but they forgot how to smile. And this is very hard when a child forgets to smile. That’s really very serious. Very serious.”
After being asked if he had a message for Vladamir Putin in regard to the war in Ukraine, he broadened his answer to apply it to all countries at war, including Gaza, repeating his <a href="https://catholicherald.co.uk/critics-of-the-pope-as-a-meek-white-flag-waving-peacenik-miss-how-victory-can-lie-in-unexpected-places/?swcfpc=1"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color">insistent calls for a cease fire there</mark></a> and saying that “a negotiated peace is better than a war without end”, <em>Crux</em> reports.
Earlier in the conversation, Francis was asked what he thinks about those who describe the violence in Gaza as a “genocide”. The pontiff simply repeated the term, <em>Crux</em> notes, then described how he makes a call to the lone Catholic parish in Gaza every evening at around 7 p.m., Rome time, for an update, adding that recently he’d heard how people are fighting over the limited food supplies that reach the area.
Francis largely brushed off concerns about his physical condition, saying: “My health is good.” He also took on climate change sceptics.
“There are people who are foolish, and foolish even if you show them research, they don’t believe it,” he said. “Why, because they don’t understand the situation, or because of their interest, but climate change exists.”
Questioned about declining numbers for the Catholic Church in the United States, Francis responded with a version of his classic “room for everybody” response.
“I would say that there is always a place, always. If in this parish the priest doesn’t seem welcoming, I understand, but go and look elsewhere, there is always a place,” Francis said.
“Do not run away from the Church. The Church is very big. It’s more than a temple…you shouldn’t run away from her.”<br><br>The Pope also discussed how the Catholic Church must balance its rules about abortion, gay marriage and contraception with the need to be more welcoming, says the <em>CBS</em> website.
During the hour-long interview, the Pope spoke in Spanish with his responses translated into English by an interpreter.<br><br><em>Photo: CBS news anchor Norah O’Donnell meeting with Pope Francis, Rome, Italy, 24 April 2024. (Credit: screen capture/CBS.)</em>
