Pope Francis has appeared in a new Disney documentary, answering questions from young people. The conversations, which were recorded in late 2022, see at least ten people in their early 20s put the Pontiff under the spotlight, asking about everything from sex and LGBT+ relationships to abortion.
The documentary, titled The Pope Answers, has attracted international attention; some say he provides “watered-down” answers to big questions about Roman Catholic doctrine, while others praise the “candid” way he communicates with his interviewees.
The Pontiff called sex “a beautiful thing”, but repeated his condemnation for masturbation. When asked if he knew what “non-binary” meant, in reference to gender, he confirmed he was aware of the meaning. He also reiterated calls to welcome LGBT+ people into the Roman Catholic Church.
“All persons are the children of God, all persons. God does not reject anybody; God is a father. And I have no right to expel anyone from the Church,” he said.
He then laid out his views on abortion, condemning the act but emphasising the importance of loving women regardless of whether they have chosen to terminate their pregnancy.
“It’s good to call things by their name. It is one thing to accompany the person who had one [abortion], quite another to justify the act,” he said.
However, some of the questions were more unorthodox. Despite not having a mobile phone, the head of the Roman Catholic Church was asked his thoughts on Tinder.
“It’s normal,” he said. “Young people have that eagerness to meet each other, and that’s very good.”
The documentary is available now on Disney+.
