‘Francis effect’ inspires boom in sales of papal merchandise

Retailers in Britain and America are reporting a boom in sales of Pope Francis T-shirts on the back of the so-called “Francis effect”.

Sales of hooded tops and T-shirts supporting the papacy have shot up by about 20 per cent since the election of the new Holy Father, according to one firm.

Catholics With Attitude, which has offices in London and Glasgow, said its bestselling items were garments bearing quotes from Pope Francis. The strongest selling of all of them carries the words: “Rebel Against This Culture.”

The slogan comes from the Argentine Pontiff’s address at Copacabana Beach, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, during the 2013 World Youth Day in July when he effectively called three million young pilgrims to a sexual counter revolution, telling them to reject transient hedonism for the commitment of marriage and family life.

“I ask you, instead, to be revolutionaries, I ask you to swim against the tide,” he said at the time. Continue reading

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