On October 26, Pope Francis talked about the dangers of digital pornography during a convention with seminarians in the Vatican. The Pope said that just like everyone else, nuns and priests watch pornographic content online.

Pope Francis urges priests and nuns to stop watching pornography https://t.co/TsGQHZ8jrd

— The Independent (@Independent) October 28, 2022

Pope Francis, 85 years old, said that watching porn "is a vice that many people have, many laymen, many laywomen, and also priests and nuns."

This came after the Pope questioned how the new generation of the clergy could navigate social media to share their happiness as Christians while maintaining their individuality and chastity. He warned about pornography, explaining, "The devil enters from there."

Pope Francis admits nuns and priests watch porn, says “The devil gets in from there” https://t.co/mEMv8CxBUj

— OpIndia.com (@OpIndia_com) October 27, 2022

He said that just as social media and the digital world can be used for communication and progress, it also comes with a fair share of risks. He warned them of the "dangers" they were exposed to.

"The pure heart, the one that Jesus receives every day, cannot receive this pornographic information," said Pope Francis. "The Devil gets in that way. And I'm not just talking about criminal pornography like that involving the abuse of children; that is already degeneration, but pornography that is a little 'normal.'"

The Pope advised his flock to remove that from their phones so they could resist the temptation in their hands. According to a report, the Pope also said that watching porn "weakens" the soul and pointed out that social media and the digital world are showing signs of advance in science, although "It's not my world."

Pornography is seen as an offense against chastity according to Church teachings.

Nuns and priests from the Catholic Church were mandated to live celibacy imposed upon the clergy in 1123. Following the vow of celibacy, the nuns and priests must lead an unmarried life, forbidding themselves from engaging in any act of sexual fulfillment. One of the reasons why they can't have a family is that after entering into the service of God, the church becomes their utmost priority, and having a family might hold them back from performing their spiritual duties.

However, the vow of celibacy was challenged by a group of 11 retired high-ranking Catholic priests from Germany with the demand to put an end to it in 2017. "We believe that requiring that every man who becomes a priest to remain celibate is not acceptable. We think every Catholic should be allowed to choose if they would rather be celibate or not, regardless of whether they want to work as priests or not – just like in the Protestant Church or the Orthodox church, really, every church but the Catholic Church.", said one of the priests.

The Catholic Church in Germany is at a point where serious debate -- including on priestly celibacy and the role of women -- and openness to doing things in a new way must be encouraged, said the president of the German bishops' conference. https://t.co/7IDiRi0rUT

— Crux (@Crux) March 16, 2019