Another surprise call from the Pope: journalist in Argentina stunned

April 16, 2015

Pope Francis has once again made headlines with an unexpected phone call, this time to a journalist in his native Argentina.

Alfredo Leuco, who writes for Clarin in Buenos Aires, penned an open letter to the Pontiff, urging him not to grant another photo opportunity to the country’s President Cristina de Fernandez Kirchner. With elections approaching in Argentina, Leuco wrote told the Pontiff, “A lot of people, perhaps a majority of my fellow Argentinians, think that you’re about to make a mistake.”

To Leuco’s surprise, Pope Francis responded with a personal phone call. Although he did not disclose details of the conversation, the journalist said that he had promised to try to pray. He said that the phone call was “the greatest accomplishment of my life as a journalist.”

Leuco’s open letter to the Pontiff was prompted by a report that President Kirchner would meet with the Pope on June 7. Vatican officials said that no meeting is currently on the papal schedule.

 

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Further information:

• The 'cold call' Pope rings again (CNN)