Francis' comments came as he answered a question from U2's lead singer Bono, the co-founder of the anti-poverty organisation ONE.

Bono told the pope that in ONE's "Poverty is Sexist" campaign, girls' education is presented as the "superpower" in fighting extreme poverty.

"Girls' education is a superpower in fighting extreme poverty and I would like to ask His Holiness if he thinks that women and girls play the same powerful role in tackling the climate crisis.

"We always speak of Mother Earth and not Father Earth," drawing laughter from Bono and the whole audience.

"Women know more about harmony than men," added the pope.

On its website, ONE is described as a global movement campaigning to end extreme poverty and preventable disease by 2030, so that everyone, everywhere can lead a life of dignity and opportunity.

Bono, 62, and the 85-year-pope shared star billing at an event organised by Scholas Occurrentes, a worldwide network of schools that promotes virtual and in-person encounters and aims to boost educational opportunities.

The organisation was started by Francis when he was the archbishop of Buenos Aires. It has since spread to more than 70 countries, many in the developing world.

Bono attended the event as one of the "teachers" of the Laudato Si' school, Scholas' latest project.

Laudato Si' is Pope Francis's 2015 document on the environment and the care of God's creation.

The project brings together young people from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Spain, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay and Portugal to develop socio-environmental projects.

The U2 frontman said that he first got involved with Scholas four years ago, "drawn to this idea of a culture of encounter."

In his speech, Bono said he had given students music lessons earlier in the day and called for wider educational opportunities for young people.

The pope told the young people to live lives full of courage and poetry and "to go beyond what is politically correct."

Sources

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The U2 frontman told reporters he met privately with Francis on Wednesday to sign an agreement between his charity, ONE, and the Scholas Occurentes educational charity supported by Francis.

"We haven't figured out what we are going to do together," Bono said, "but we sort of have a crush on each other."

ONE is a campaign and advocacy effort working to end extreme poverty, especially in Africa.

Bono says one of its current focuses is education for girls and young women.

About "130 million girls around the world do not go to school, because they are girls," he said.

"Poverty is sexist" is the ONE campaign slogan.

Scholas began in Francis' Buenos Aires Archdiocese, supporting education in poor neighbourhoods by pairing local schools with private schools and institutions in wealthier neighbourhoods.

The organisation has grown to other countries and supports a variety of exchange programmes aimed at promoting education, encouraging creativity and teaching young people about respect, tolerance and peace.

Besides signing the ONE/Scholas agreement, Bono said hen and Francis also discussed a number of topics including "the wild beast that is capitalism," sustainable development and sex abuse.

Francis is "aghast" about sex abuse in the Catholic Church, Bono said. "I thought he was sincere."

He said when he told Francis that in Ireland "it looks as though the abusers are being more protected than the victims, "you could see the pain in his face."

Source

• America Magazine
• AP News
• Image: KFGO.com