Pope gives interview to Dutch homeless people’s newspaper

DutchNews, November 6, 2015

Pope Franciscus has given his first interview to Dutch journalists, including one from the local homeless people’s paper in Utrecht. 

Two reporters from Trouw and one from the Daklozenkrant – the paper sold by homeless people – interviewed the pope in Rome. According to Trouw journalist Stijn Fens, a pope has never given an interview to Dutch newspapers before. 

Asked if he may visit the Netherlands at some point, the pope said: ‘the door has not been closed. It is not impossible. And now the Netherlands has an Argentine queen, who knows?’ 

The pope is from Argentina and has made the poor and homeless a central part of his work. 

Fens said the pope may have been tempted to talk to the team because the homeless paper was included. In addition, homeless people benefit from the sales of the Daklozenkrant which would also appeal to the pope, he pointed out. 

Fens has been trying to interview a pope for years, he said.

In the interview, the pope talks about growing up in Argentina, his inability to play football and about how the church should be more transparent in its finances. ‘The temptation of corruption is ever present, in both politics and in the church,’ the pope is quoted as saying.

"Our friend in Rome"