Meet “His Holinizz Pimp Francis.”
Pope Francis I returned from a week-long trip to Rio De Janeiro, where he partied and preached on “Popacabana Beach,” upped his number of Twitter followers, and told journalists aboard the papal plane that it’s OK to be a gay priest. Seven days and a 12-hour return flight later, Pope Francis is officially cool.
“Today, we need a church capable of walking at people’s side, of doing more than simply listening to them,” the pope told Brazilian bishops on Saturday. “We need to know how to interpret, with courage, the larger picture.”
The pope travelled to Rio last week for World Youth Day, a week-long church event held every three years that celebrates young Catholics. During the week, gay activists staged “kiss-ins,” or beijaco, throughout the city to call attention to gay rights in his holiness’ presence. Meanwhile, feminist activist groups staged “SlutWalks” in sexy nun costumes to protest sexual abuse and promote female empowerment. The pope gave a significant speech during Sunday mass on Rio’s famous Copacabana Beach, where he issued three decrees in front of three million people: “Go, do not be afraid and serve.”
But it was on his return flight to Vatican City that the pope made his most important announcement of the week: It’s OK to be a gay priest. “If they accept the Lord and have good will, who am I to judge them?” he asked onboard the pope jet. “They shouldn’t be marginalized. The tendency [to homosexuality] is not the problem… They’re our brothers.”
The pope’s welcoming of gay priests stands in sharp contrast to the messages of the previous pope, Pope Benedict XVI, who explained during his rule that the Church would not allow outwardly gay priests, and that priests with gay “tendencies” had to suppress said tendencies “at least three years before ordination to the diaconate.” Pope Francis’ approval of gays in the church comes in the wake of an ongoing rumors of a potential gay lobby within the church.
Alas, he is not that cool. Women will still be barred from becoming priests. (This is both “definitive” and uncool.)
The pope is, however, quickly becoming one of the popular kids. The 77-year-old grandpa-type has over 171,000 likes on Facebook, the majority of whom are between 25 and 34 years old. And he’s, like, totally in touch with the millennial scene. “People today are attracted by things that are faster and faster: rapid Internet connections, speedy cars and planes, instant relationships,” he told his Bishop friends this week. “But at the same time we see a desperate need for calmness—I would even say slowness. Is the church still able to move slowly: to take the time to listen, to have the patience to mend and reassemble? Or is the church herself caught up in the frantic pursuit of efficiency?”
Shortly after the pope’s gay-friendly decree, 328 of his fans took to Twitter to call him out for his “coolness”:
Pope Francisco is like, super cool? 0.o
— Jacobo Solis (@jacosolis) July 29, 2013
This pope is cool
— Max Dunbar (@MaxJDunbar) July 29, 2013
the new pope has cool points
— dalia (@miilku) July 29, 2013
The Pope is just so cool, he's not judging any gays.
— nBm (@BitsofBueno) July 29, 2013
I don't ever say this, but so far the Pope is cool.
— Shannon Park (@GothamGoddess) July 29, 2013
This pope is actually pretty cool.
— Helen Tranter (@heltranter) July 29, 2013
Even his non-Catholics fans offered their praise:
I'm not Catholic,but the Pope seems cool in my book.
— Viva L'Africaine (@bellafrique_) July 29, 2013
Not a Catholic, but man, this is one cool pope.
— Dan C. (@dancpharmd) July 29, 2013
I know I'm Protestant and all. But this pope is kind of cool.
— Katie Baisden (@LadyEleanore) July 29, 2013
When it comes to recruiting a fan base, the stats aren’t in the pope’s favor. The number of Catholic priests in the United States has steadily declined since 1965, and Catholics continue to represent 17 percent of the global population. For now, though, Pope F seems to be totally #killingit.
The post The rainbow Pope: what does Francis’ support of gay priests really mean? appeared first on Vocativ.