Aretha Franklin says that her father, Reverend C. L. Franklin, would be "thrilled" that she performed for Pope Francis when he visited the country.

"I think that he would be thrilled,"

"My dad listened every Sunday to other faiths and other churches, other ministers, popes. If it was religious, he was listening.

Speaking of my dad, I'm giving the pope a boxed set of my dad's sermons on CDs — 25 volumes: the 23rd Psalm,

'The Eagle Stirreth Her Nest,' 'Dry Bones in the Valley,' 'Jacob Wrestled With the Angel' and so on."

Franklin also let slip that she plans to release a new album next year, saying

"There's going to be new product coming up and they're all going to be originals. I would say the first of the year."