Holy shamer: Pope Francis admits bullying classmate for being overweight
Pope said his father made him apologise to the boy when came to know about it
September 29, 2023
Pope Francis, in a recent video conference with Indian, Pakistani and Nepalese Christian students, admitted to bullying a young boy for being overweight when he was a boy, adding that his father made him apologise to the boy afterwards.
The 86-year-old pontiff, known for hearing the confessions of Catholics, took a unique turn by confessing his own childhood transgression.
In the conversation, Pope Francis discussed various contemporary issues, including the prevalence of "body shaming" and the impact of social media on societal beauty standards.
During the conversation, a young woman named Merlin from India shared her personal experience of being bullied due to her weight. She described how she endured relentless taunts, which led to tears and distress.
Pope Francis empathised with her and expressed concern about the culture of pursuing "artificial beauty" and the increase in "fat shaming" driven by social media.
It was during this discussion that the pontiff made a candid admission. He confessed that in his school years, he had been a part of a group that bullied a classmate for being overweight.
However, Pope Francis's story didn't end there. When his father learned about his actions, he reacted with anger and took his son to the bullied classmate's house to apologise. This incident from his childhood remained with him throughout his career.
Years later, as a priest, Pope Francis reached out to his former classmate, who had become an Evangelical pastor and had overcome the trauma and shame associated with his childhood bullying. Although the man has since passed away, the Pope described their reconnection as "beautiful."
Pope Francis emphasised the importance of recognising the beauty and harmony within individuals regardless of their physical appearance. He encouraged everyone to live in harmony with their own unique beauty and cautioned against the pursuit of cosmetic surgery, noting that physical beauty inevitably fades with time.
