francis-the-friendly-pope

Pope Francis Blesses Porn Actor's Parrot

Ken Layne · 01/31/14 12:35PM

When an Italian porn star brought his parrot named Amore to see Pope Francis on Wednesday, the pope treated the green bird with the dignity and respect owed to any parrot. The bird received a papal blessing.

Pople Drank: What's Up With Pope Francis and His Pipe Thing?

Ken Layne · 12/04/13 01:44PM

Pope Francis is a different kind of pontiff, a friendly and humble Jesuit who loves to hang out on the corner with his people. But what's that bowl-pipe thing he carries around and frequently takes a hit off? It's a mate cup with a silver straw. And it's how you drink the caffeine-loaded "national infusion" of Francis' homeland, Argentina.

Hopey and Changey: Iran's New President and the Vatican's New Pope

Ken Layne · 09/20/13 02:28PM

A good way to routinely bum yourself out is to set "Google News" as your Internet home page. But last night, something magical happened on that usual grid of gloom: The top stories were good news: Pope Francis and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, the elderly men recently chosen to lead their respective communities, had again made headlines for words of kindness and reconciliation.

New "Nice Pope" Spends Workday Calling Sad People

Ken Layne · 09/06/13 12:16PM

It was fun having a Nazi supervillain as pope, but it wasn't very good for the Catholic Church brand. The new pope, Francis, is working hard at giving the papacy a nicer public image. If you're bummed out about a relationship, for example, he'll call you and talk you through it.