Diane Sawyer Asks Whether the Pope Has a Christmas Credibility Problem

Pope Benedict XVI recently encouraged Catholics to remember the true meaning of Christmas and to not focus on the shopping aspect. After the speech, the first thing Diane Sawyer thought of was his shoes, his Prada shoes, and how they may represent a credibility problem for the Pope.

At the top of today’s Good Morning America, Sawyer said, "And speaking of shopping, the Pope has now weighed in saying Christmas has simply become too commercial. But we wonder about his own lifestyle. Remember those shoes? We're going to get into that." Robin Roberts, a co-host, responded with, "Yeah, the Prada shoes, the Gucci sunglasses. We'll see."

At 7:16, Sawyer introduced the story that she teased earlier, "Well now, Robin (Roberts), somebody who certainly puts the tremble into the retailers. Pope Benedict XVI urging Catholics to reject consumerism this Christmas. But the question is whether the Pope has a bit of a credibility problem. What about those Prada shoes and the Gucci sunglasses? Is it a mixed message for the holidays. ABC's David Wright reports."

After video of children with a department store Santa Claus, David Wright said, "On Sunday, Pope Benedict blasted what he calls the pollution of consumerism. The Pope said the true spirit of Christmas should be sobriety, a joy that is interior, not exterior."

Wright quoted the Pope, "Assembling a nativity scene at home can be a simple but effective way of presenting the faith to your children," and, 'The message should be one of poverty and simplicity."

Wright then suggested, "But there are those who say poverty and simplicity are not exactly the emblems of this papacy. While Pope John Paul often wore plain brown shoes, Benedict prefers the ruby red slippers that some say are designed by Prada. His watch is said to be Cartier, his pope-mobile a Mercedes, and he's been photographed wearing expensive designer sunglasses."