It was a touching story: Pope Francis consoling a distraught boy whose dog had died. The pontiff was said to have reassured the boy, telling him that he would one day see his beloved pet again and that "paradise is open to all of God’s creatures."
However, Vatican scholars have deconstructed these reports and it was discovered that Francis' reported comments on November 26, were actually made by a Pope Paul VI several decades ago.
The error appears to have originated from an Italian newspaper, which used a misleading headline on an accurate story.
The story, written for the Italian daily Corriere della Sera, reported the content of the pope's sermon made on November 26, which addressed the topic of the afterlife. The text of the sermon was summarized on the Vatican website.
Paul VI's remarks about animals were mentioned, and properly attributed, but according to The Crux, a Catholic news service, the headline put the words in the Pope’s mouth: "The Pope and animals: 'Paradise is open to all creatures.'"
The story was picked up by the mainstream press and widely circulated on social media. CNN, The New York Times, CTV News and other websites have had to issue corrective stories such as this one.
