Pope Francis Comments on So-Called Cancel Culture ‘Invading Many Circles and Public Institutions’

Pope Francis is opening up about his thoughts on “cancel culture.”

The religious leader spoke Monday during his annual Vatican’s Diplomatic Corps address, where he talked to 183 reps from countries accredited to the Holy See, calling COVID-19 vaccinations a “moral obligation.” Beyond that, the Pope shared his concerns about “cancel culture,” and people getting in trouble online for being politically incorrect, per Politico.

“Cancel culture is invading many circles and public institutions,” the Pope said. “As a result, agendas are increasingly dictated by a mindset that rejects the natural foundations of humanity and the cultural roots that constitute the identity of many people.”

He continued, sharing that “under the guise of defending diversity, it ends up canceling all sense of identity,” and that “cancel culture” is instead a type of “one-track thinking.” He argued that “any historical situation must be interpreted in accordance with a hermeneutics of that particular time.”

“Diplomacy is called to be truly inclusive, not canceling but cherishing the differences and sensibilities that have historically marked various peoples,” the Pope shared. 

This is arguably not the most eyebrow-raising comment the Pope has made in recent weeks, as just last week he argued that those who adopt animals instead of having kids are “selfish.” His statement came during a speech at the Vatican, per the Guardian, where he argued that people who choose pets over kids show “a denial of fatherhood and motherhood and diminishes us, takes away our humanity.”

“Today…we see a form of selfishness,” he said. “We see that some people do not want to have a child. Sometimes they have one and that’s it, but they have dogs and cats that take the place of children. This may make people laugh but it is a reality.”