When I was growing up in Mexico, during Holy Week and Easter Week, TV channels were full of religious movies and programs.
I remember the time when my mother used to sit us all around the only TV set my family had back in those days to watch any of the movies or programs available. The choices would go from Ben-Hur, The Robe, King of Kings to more Spanish-speaking productions like The Miracle of Marcelino or something like that.
Since those days, I always enjoyed seeing something more religious around Easter, not only to follow this tradition from my younger years but also to continue immersing myself in the atmosphere of Holy Week and Easter.
This year, trying to follow my own little tradition, I came across something advertised as a movie but more like a documentary. The name drew my attention: The Pope: Answers. What made me even more curious was that this particular program was available on Disney+, a platform, I must say, that to me is not always related to the most religious programs out there but which I subscribed for being a big Star Wars fan and trying to stay updated with what is going on in The Mandalorian.
The Pope: Answers is a movie, or documentary, about a frank and honest conversation of ten young people from different parts of the world – Spain, Senegal, Argentina, the USA, Peru and Colombia – with Pope Francis, who they meet in Rome.
It is a very thought-provoking program where we get to see these young people sharing with the Pope most of the issues many of us consider important. The honest, warm and friendly attitude of the Pope very quickly allows these young people to move from shyness and nervousness to reveal their deepest longings and questions they would like to present to the Church, represented in the person of the Holy Father.
Although they all come from different parts of the world and different backgrounds, they all present questions that young people of our generation share and expect an honest and pastoral answer from the Church: Sexual identity, abortion, feminism, the challenges of migrants, the role of women in the Church, pornography and the loss of faith. All these are dealt with in the most pastoral way and in a language of respect and unconditional love.
The Holy Father manages to navigate with them through these challenging questions with patience, love, understanding and respect.
I was happily surprised with the language he uses that is not dogmatic, but pastoral in every respect, and even the Pope allows the audience to join him in his feelings of surprise at some of the questions, sadness at the journey some of these young people have been through, disappointment at the way the Church has treated some of them. However, at the end, he allows us to join him in his hopeful vision for the future.
After watching the program, people have been asking me if I would recommend it. My answer is constantly yes, very worth watching. Especially if we want to engage and commit to the transformation that is going on in our own time. The transformation of a Church that wants to walk with everyone, who wants to listen and present a response to all the voices, a Church that wants to walk with the marginalised (the Pope prefers to use those at the peripheries).
As we prepare for our Diocesan Synod here in Parramatta, I think it would be a good way to start the conversations and consultations at all levels. We cannot give a proper answer unless we know what the questions are.
Peace in Jesus.
The Pope: Answers can be viewed on Disney+
Fr Fernando Montano-Rodriguez is Parish Priest of St Bernadette’s Parish, Castle Hill and the Episcopal Vicar for Social Welfare in the Diocese of Parramatta.
This article was originally published in the 2023 Ordinary Time | Winter edition of the Catholic Outlook Magazine. You can read the digital version here.
