Honest confessions about the past: Pope Francis unpacks about his fiancee and football

Created: 03/23/2022, 19:37

By: Andreas Knobloch

Pope Francis at the foosball table © Grzegorz Galazka via www.imago-images.de

Pope Francis, how was he before?

Did he have a girlfriend?

Was he good at sports?

how much does he earn

He has now answered these questions.

Rome - What did the Pope actually do before his life as Pope?

Are there any sins or funny anecdotes from the pontiff?

Pope Francis answered questions from people all over the world for a book project.

Mainly poor people elicited some surprising confessions from him.

The people came from 80 countries, the AFP cites the slums in Brazil, the homeless in the USA or poor Indians, Iranians or Malagasy as examples.

Pope Francis on his salary: "I earn nothing.

Nothing at all!"

"I don't earn anything.

Nothing at all!

They give me food and when I need something I ask for it,” the Pope said.

At the same time, it pains him when he sees that "churchmen, priests, bishops, cardinals, are traveling in luxury cars, far from being a role model for poverty".

The pontiff confessed that he was a "dreamer" and sometimes fell asleep while praying.

On the other hand, when he gets up at 4 a.m., he looks like a "real zombie," he joked.

Pope Francis on Women and Football: "Had Two Left Feet"

But the pope didn't just talk about money or prayer.

He also laid anything but a cloak of silence over his private past.

Pope Francis had a "fiancée" before he entered the seminary.

Like many of his compatriots, the Argentine is a big fan of football.

If he had worked hard for a professional career, he would probably never have been cheered on as much as when he was Pope.

He said he had "two left feet".

"When I was little, I always had to score because I played so badly."

The book "I carry you in my heart" is scheduled to appear in Germany on March 30th.

It was initiated by the Catholic community Lazare from Nantes, France, which joined forces with around 20 non-governmental organizations from five continents.