Jesus ‘slaps me upside the head when I make a mistake,’ Pope said in 2021 interview
May 05, 2025
» Continue to this story on Vatican News
CWN Editor's Note: The Vatican has released the unedited text and video of a 2021 interview in which Noel Díaz, from the California-based El Sembrador Nueva Evangelización network, asked Pope Francis about Scripture passages on St. Peter the Apostle.
“When Jesus anoints him bishop, priest, He anoints him because he is a shepherd,” Pope Francis said. “He doesn’t anoint him to promote him, in order for him to be the head of an office. He doesn’t anoint him to organize the country politically. No. He anoints him to be a pastor.”
The Pope also said:
To the Popes, too, if we ever stray from his plan of salvation, Jesus says, “That’s not my way, that’s Satan’s way.” Why? Because we are sinners and we can go astray. History shows us some popes who preferred a different path, but never, never made a mistake in the faith. That’s true: Never, even if they led a worldly life.The above note supplements, highlights, or corrects details in the original source (link above). About CWN news coverage.
But when [Peter] errs in the faith, He says: “No, that is of Satan! The path is the Cross.” That is, my confidence is in the word of Jesus who gives me firmness when He chooses me and who slaps me upside the head when I make a mistake.
For all current news, visit our News home page.
All comments are moderated. To lighten our editing burden, only current donors are allowed to Sound Off. If you are a current donor, log in to see the comment form; otherwise please support our work, and Sound Off!
