Pope Francis: Sure, I'd Baptize Martians

If our travelers to Mars encounter any little green men, Pope Francis says the Catholic Church would be happy to make a few converts. In an unusual message about the inclusiveness of Catholicism, Francis went to other-worldly extremes to make his point, reports the Christian Post:

• "If, for example, tomorrow an expedition of Martians came, and some of them came to us, here," he said, as per Vatican Radio. "Martians, right? Green, with that long nose and big ears, just like children paint them. And one says, 'But I want to be baptized!' What would happen?" Well, the pope would baptize the alien, because "who are we to close the doors to the Holy Spirit?"

Francis likened the situation to the early days of the church when Peter took criticism for contacting "unclean" pagans, notes the Independent. (More Mars rover stories.)