Pope Francis is seen meeting with Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his fiancée, Lauren Sánchez, at the Vatican in this Aug. 19, 2024, screengrab of an Instagram post by Sánchez. (CNS screengrab/Instagram)VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis met with Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his fiancée, Lauren Sánchez, vice chair of the Bezos Earth Fund, at the Vatican to discuss climate change.
Sánchez posted photos of the meeting at the Domus Sanctae Marthae, the residence where Pope Francis lives, in an Instagram post Aug. 15, saying that the pope's "wisdom, warmth, and humor were deeply touching."
"He reminded us not to take life too seriously, a simple yet powerful reminder to keep lightness in our hearts," she wrote.
The meeting was not listed on the pope's official agenda nor publicized through the Vatican's media channels.
Sánchez wrote that the three of them discussed the "urgent need for climate action," a passion she said she shares with the pope as vice-chair of the Bezos Earth Fund.
Pope Francis' "belief in finding beauty and meaning in everything we do resonated deeply with me," she wrote on Instagram, adding, "I love that he encourages priests to read poetry and literature to stay connected with the human spirit."
"Grateful for this incredible blessing and the gentle wisdom he shared with us," she wrote.
In March, Sánchez announced the Bezos Earth Fund would invest $60 million in centers focused on biomanufacturing and creating alternative proteins. Bezos has committed to spending $10 billion on fighting climate change through the fund.
According to Forbes, Bezos is the second wealthiest man in the world with a net worth of $196.3 billion.
— Justin McLellan, Catholic News Service