(LifeSiteNews) — Arnold Schwarzenegger has said that Pope Leo XIV personally offered to hear his confession, but he refused.
During an event called “Dinner for Climate Change Action” in Tyrol, Austria, the former actor and governor of California recalled his meeting with the Pope in early October last year.
Speaking on stage during the dinner at the Stanglwirt restaruant, he said, “The Pope asked me if we could step aside for a few minutes so that I could confess. I said, ‘You don’t want to do that, it would take three hours.’”
According to German Newspaper BILD, the approximately 170 invited guests erupted in laughter.
Schwarzenegger said he wants to continue working with the Catholic Church and Pope Leo to fight “climate change” and environmental pollution.
“Seven million people die every year around the world because of environmental pollution,” the former body building champion said. “We have to do better. That’s why I met with Pope Leo, and we had a wonderful conversation. The Catholic Church also wants to help. They have 200,000 churches, 400,000 priests, and 650,000 nuns. Think about how much power they have. Together, we can do something big to combat environmental pollution.”
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The Vatican event “Raising Hope for Climate Justice” last year at Castel Gandolfo in Italy sparked controversy when Pope Leo blessed a giant block of melting ice on stage. The bizarre gesture was seen by critics as the Pope signing off on the alarmist climate agenda. Later in October that same year, arch-globalist and former climate alarmist Bill Gates softened his stance on the issue, saying that climate change won’t bring “humanity’s demise.”
Schwarzenegger is Catholic but holds views contrary to Catholic teaching. During his reign as governor of California, he was seen as a “moderate Republican” who was “socially liberal,” supporting abortion and so-called “gay rights.” He even performed a “same-sex wedding” as governor. He and his wife, Maria Shriver, with whom he has four children, separated in 2011 and were divorced in 2021.