Two years ago I remember reading an article about Pope Francis receiving a call from Italy’s leading atheist, Eugenio Scalfari, co-founder and former editor of La Repubblica. Mr Scalfari had apparently asked for an interview and the Pope called him back himself.
The same article highlighted the Pontiff’s focus on helping the poor, the elderly and children. Simple messages that should resonate with anyone, including famous atheists.
Fast forward to 2015 and the leader of the Catholic Church is hugely popular, as seen during his visit to the US last week. Why so popular? Well, as outlined in this article by PR pro, Careen Winters, it boils down to three things:
- Stay close to the front line
- Don’t ignore the elephant in the room
- A positive message elicits a positive reaction
Simple but true.