Have you ever wanted to know what the Pope eats for breakfast? Or what Francis' favourite work of art in the Vatican is? Now you can ask him yourself thanks to a new website that aims to build a dialogue between the social media generation and the Holy See.
Last week, following the conclusion of its annual congress, Scholas Occurrentes, a pontifical foundation based in Argentina launched the website askpopefrancis.org. The organisation that brings together schools and educational networks from different cultures and religious backgrounds is inviting young people from around the world to put their questions directly to the Pope.
The initiative was launched last Sunday (29 May) in Rome and will result in a book published by Milan-based publishing house Mondadori in five languages: Italian, English, Spanish, Portuguese and French. During the meeting the Pope met with young bloggers and vloggers and took questions from the audience.
The first question came from a girl who asked Francis how to make the world a better place. The Pope immediately answered: by “lowering the level of violence”. Taking the example of a Mexican girl harassed at school, the Pope warned the audience that our world “needs to listen, needs gentleness, so we can all walk together”.
In response to another question from a young person, Pope Francis said he has never considered following Benedict XVI into retirement. “I never thought of quitting being pope, or of leaving because of the many responsibilities,” the Pope said.
Tiziana Lupi, an Italian journalist in charge of the project, said: “With this book, along with Scholas Occurrentes and Mondadori, the intent is really to be open to listening and to dialogue: two key instruments, as supported by Pope Francis, to create a different world.”
Given the high number of questions expected, only the best ones will be selected, based on two criteria: variety and originality. ‘Ask. My Answers to Your Questions’ will be the first social-media book endorsed by the Holy See.
A chance for all Catholic youth to ask #PopeFrancis their burning questions. Help spread the word #askpopefrancis https://t.co/xilahdv8O2
— MyCatholicRock Blog (@mycatholicrock) May 31, 2016
The scheme, developed by the start-up eFanswer, has been highly supported by celebrities such as Richard Gere, Salma Hayek, George Clooney and his British-Lebanese wife Amal, who all took part in the congress in the Vatican Synod Hall at the weekend. They were awarded the organisation’s Peace Olive Tree Medal, which recognised their contribution to a Vatican education project.
Following the ceremony, Clooney said: “It was a wonderful experience and it [#askpopefrancis] is a wonderful programme”.
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