Pope Francis meets young people in Rome for an open conversation on faith and issues in the church as part of a documentary, "The Pope: Answers," premiering on Disney+ April 5, 2023. (CNS screengrab/Disney+)
Justin McLellan
Catholic News Service
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"It's boring to talk to priest," Pope Francis said with a smile as he began an upfront and informal conversation with 10 young people in Rome on their questions about faith and issues within the church.
The pope spoke with the young adults, Spanish-speakers between the ages of 20 and 25, as part of a documentary titled "The Pope: Answers," which is scheduled to premiere April 5 on the streaming services Disney+ and Hulu.
Among the topics raised by the young people in their conversation were reproductive rights, the abuse crisis in the church, loss of faith among young persons and LGBQT rights, according to a press release from Disney+.
In a trailer for the documentary, the pope fielded questions ranging from "Do you have a cell phone?" to "Do you know what a nonbinary person is?"
One young person asked about feminism and Christianity, and another brought up the subject of the sexual abuse of minors in the church.
"Abortion exists. What do we do with these women in the church, as an institution," asked one of the young people.
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The 10 young people chosen to speak with the pope have "very different lives and experiences," Disney+ said in a statement announcing the film's release.
"The pope speaks unreservedly and the result is an intense and dynamic conversation, founded on empathy, curiosity, respect and mutual learning," said the Disney+ statement.
At the end of the trailer, Francis concludes the conversation by saying: "I learned a lot from you. I thank you for the good you have done to me."
Jordi Évole, the film's director, has previously interviewed Francis for his show "Lo de Évole." He said that this movie is "a unique opportunity to bring together two worlds that normally do not touch," referring to the institutional church and young people.
Disney+ said the film took years to develop. Producciones del Barrio, the Barcelona-based production company behind "The Pope: Answers," has produced documentaries featuring interviews with Nicolás Maduro, president of Venezuela, soccer star Lionel Messi and Bernie Sanders.
