This week on 60 Minutes, correspondent Norah O’Donnell sat down with Pope Francis for a historic interview. The head of the Catholic Church for greater than a decade, Francis had previously never spoken at length with an English-language American broadcast network.
In a wide-ranging conversation lasting greater than an hour, O’Donnell spoke with the pontiff about such topics because the wars in Ukraine and in Israel and Gaza; the Church’s handling of its sexual abuse scandals; and the conservative backlash against the pope’s more progressive approach.
O’Donnell interviewed Francis at Casa Santa Marta, the Vatican guest house where he has lived since his election in 2013, reasonably than the papal apartments within the Apostolic Palace, where popes have historically resided. Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Argentina, Francis is the primary Jesuit pope in papal history.
- Pope Francis: Interview Transcript
O’Donnell said the pontiff was generous along with his time and asked to greet the entire production crew before starting the interview.
“I feel what you see within the interview with Pope Francis is just how warm he’s, engaging,” O’Donnell said. “He’s funny. He’s very thoughtful on numerous issues.”
One issue Francis stays informed on is the war in Gaza. There is one Catholic church within the Gaza Strip, the Holy Family Church, and the pontiff told O’Donnell he calls there every evening at 7 p.m. and speaks with the priest, Father Youssef Asaad. Some 600 Gazans — Catholic and non-Catholic alike — have taken shelter within the church compound, which is within the north of Gaza City.
“I listen,” the pope told O’Donnell through an interpreter. “The other day they were joyful because they managed to eat some meat. The remainder of the time they eat flour, things product of flour. Sometimes they go hungry. And they tell me things. And the opposite people there also speak to me at times. There is plenty of suffering.”
CBS News’ O’Donnell, who was raised Catholic and attended the Jesuit-founded Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., said her background was helpful in understanding the language, teachings, and doctrine of the Catholic Church, including those which might be controversial or unpopular.
“The Catholic Church is at a crossroads, little question, due to the sex abuse scandal and since many individuals think that the Catholic Church is out of touch with modern times,” O’Donnell said.
During the interview, she asked Francis concerning the state of the Catholic Church and the undeniable fact that many Catholics within the U.S. don’t attend mass anymore often on Sunday.
“I’d tell them that there may be all the time a spot, all the time,” Francis answered. “If in a certain parish, the priest just isn’t accessible, I understand. Let them find one other. But there may be all the time a spot within the Church for each one.”
During his papacy, Francis has tried to be more inclusive while not changing the doctrine of the church. Under his leadership, the church has welcomed same-sex couples and divorced Catholics, a departure from the standard teachings of the church. The pontiff has also spoken out on issues equivalent to climate change.
Because this more progressive approach has created a division with traditionalists, O’Donnell asked him how he saw his legacy.
“Church is the legacy, the Church not only through the pope, but through you, through every Christian, through everyone…” Francis answered. “We all leave a legacy, and institutions leave a legacy. It’s a lovely progression. I get on the bandwagon of the Church’s legacy for everyone.”
The video above was produce by Brit McCandless Farmer and edited by Scott Rosann. Â
