This BBC reel of Pope Francis 'gaffes' probably won't make you think any less of the pope

Pope Francis has said some interesting things — (Image credit: BBC/YouTube)

More than any Supreme Pontiff in the modern era (at least), Pope Francis is comfortable speaking off the cuff in public. That verbal spontaneity has earned the pope fans, "but going off-script has its pitfalls," BBC News says in its 60-second roundup of Franciscan "gaffes." If you follow the pope, you've probably heard about a few of these statements, and one or two of them should probably have remained inside Pope Francis' head ("strawberries on the cake"?). But seriously, who could hold it against a man for sticking up for his mother? —Peter Weber

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.