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60 Minutes goes inside the Vatican with Pope Francis
This week on 60 Minutes, correspondent Norah O’Donnell sat down with Pope Francis for a historic interview. The head of the Catholic Church for more than a decade, Francis had previously never spoken at length with an English-language American broadcast network.
In a wide-ranging conversation lasting more than an hour, O’Donnell spoke with the pontiff about such topics as the wars in Ukraine and in Israel and Gaza; the Church’s handling of its sexual abuse scandals; and the conservative backlash against the pope’s more progressive approach.
O’Donnell interviewed Francis at Casa Santa Marta, the Vatican guest house where he has lived since his election in 2013, rather than the papal apartments in the Apostolic Palace, where popes have historically resided. Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Argentina, Francis is the first Jesuit pope in papal history.
O’Donnell said the pontiff was generous with his time and asked to greet the whole production crew before beginning the interview.
“I think what you see in the interview with Pope Francis is just how warm he is, engaging,” O’Donnell said. “He’s funny. He’s very thoughtful on a number of issues.”
One issue Francis stays informed on is the war in Gaza. There is one Catholic church in the Gaza Strip, the Holy Family Church, and the pontiff told O’Donnell he calls there every evening at 7 p.m. and speaks with the priest, Father Youssef Asaad. Some 600 Gazans — Catholic and non-Catholic alike — have taken shelter in the church compound, which is in the north of Gaza City.
“I listen,” the pope told O’Donnell through an interpreter. “The other day they were happy because they managed to eat some meat. The rest of the time they eat flour, things made of flour. Sometimes they go hungry. And they tell me things. And the other people there also speak to me at times. There is a lot of suffering.”
CBS News’ O’Donnell, who was raised Catholic and attended the Jesuit-founded Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., said her background was helpful in understanding the language, teachings, and doctrine of the Catholic Church, including those that are controversial or unpopular.
“The Catholic Church is at a crossroads, no doubt, because of the sex abuse scandal and because many people think that the Catholic Church is out of touch with modern times,” O’Donnell said.
During the interview, she asked Francis about the state of the Catholic Church and the fact that many Catholics in the U.S. don’t attend mass anymore regularly on Sunday.
“I would tell them that there is always a place, always,” Francis answered. “If in a certain parish, the priest is not accessible, I understand. Let them find another. But there is always a place in the Church for each and every one.”
During his papacy, Francis has tried to be more inclusive while not changing the doctrine of the church. Under his leadership, the church has welcomed same-sex couples and divorced Catholics, a departure from the traditional teachings of the church. The pontiff has also spoken out on issues such as climate change.
Because this more progressive approach has created a division with traditionalists, O’Donnell asked him how he saw his legacy.
“Church is the legacy, the Church not only through the pope, but through you, through every Christian, through everyone…” Francis answered. “We all leave a legacy, and institutions leave a legacy. It’s a beautiful progression. I get on the bandwagon of the Church’s legacy for everybody.”
The video above was produce by Brit McCandless Farmer and edited by Scott Rosann.
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A U.S. District judge has halted the merger between the makers of Coach and Michael Kors handbags, saying it would reduce competition and hurt consumers.
In her ruling Thursday, U.S. District Judge Jennifer Rochon noted that Tapestry Inc. and Capri Holdings are “close competitors” and that the merger would result in “the loss of head-to-head competition” and raise prices for shoppers.
The decision followed seven days of testimony.
In after hours trading shares of Capri fell more than 50% while shares of Tapestry rose 12%.
The ruling came six months after the FTC sued to block Tapestry’s $8.5 billion acquisition of Capri, saying that the deal would eliminate direct competition between the fashion companies’ brands like Coach and Michael Kors in the so-called affordable luxury handbag arena.
The agency also said that the deal announced in August 2023 threatens to eliminate the incentive for the two companies to vie for employees and could depress employees’ wages and workplace benefits. The combined Tapestry and Capri would employ roughly 33,000 people worldwide, the agency said.
The two companies’ brands cover a wide array of items from clothing to eyewear to shoes. Tapestry has been on an acquisition binge for the past several years, and already owns Kate Spade New York, Stuart Weitzman and Coach. Capri owns the Versace, Michael Kors and Jimmy Choo brands.
Specifically, Tapestry’s Coach and Kate Spade brands and Capri’s Michael Kors brand are close rivals in the handbag market. The FTC had said that they continuously monitor each other’s handbag brands to determine pricing and performance, and they each use that information to make strategic decisions, including whether to raise or reduce handbag prices.
Tapestry said in an emailed statement to The Associated Press on Thursday that the decision granting the FTC’s request for a preliminary injunction was “disappointing” and “incorrect on the law and the facts.”
“Tapestry and Capri operate in an industry that is intensely competitive and dynamic, constantly expanding, and highly fragmented among both established players and new entrants,'” Tapestry said in a statement. “We face competitive pressures from both lower- and higher-priced products and continue to believe this transaction is pro-competitive and pro-consumer. “
The company said it intends to appeal the decision, consistent with its obligations under the merger agreement.
Capri could not be immediately reached for comment.
Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData, said in a published note that the blocking of Tapestry’s acquisition of Capri will come as a blow to both companies.
“For Tapestry, it puts an end to the goal of becoming a bigger house of brands, and it leaves its plans for future growth in tatters,” he said. He noted that in a slower market, Tapestry will now need to rely on pushing its existing brands harder, which he believes will be challenging. He noted that the group could, in time, also look to make smaller acquisitions.
The ruling leaves Capri “in poor shape and, in betting on being acquired, has neglected the hard work that needs to be done to course correct many of its weak brands,” Saunders said.
Capri will either need to find another party to buy it or it will have to embark on a major reinvention plan, he said.
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