Pope Francis rips church new spiritual asshole

[Borgholio]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/worl ... /20752295/

VATICAN CITY (RNS) — Pope Francis launched a blistering attack on the Vatican bureaucracy Monday, outlining a "catalog of illnesses" that plague the church's central administration, including "spiritual Alzheimer's" and gossipy cliques.

The pope's traditional Christmas greeting to the cardinals, bishops and priests who run the Holy See was less an exchange of warm wishes than a laundry list of what the pontiff called the "ailments of the Curia" that he wants to cure.

In a critique that left many of the assembled clerics clearly uncomfortable, the 15 ailments in Francis' "catalog of illnesses" reflected the take-no-prisoners approach he promised when he was elected nearly two years ago as an outsider with little direct experience in Rome.

"The Curia is called upon to improve itself, always improve itself and grow in communion, holiness and knowledge to fully realize its mission," the pope said.

"Yet like every body, like every human body, it is exposed to illnesses, malfunctioning, infirmity. They are illnesses and temptations that weaken our service to God."

In a separate address to Vatican staff later, Francis begged pardon for the "shortcomings" of senior church leaders, as well as the "several scandals" that had "caused so much harm," without specifying which scandals he had in mind.

The pope denounced the lust for power of ladder-climbing clerics, those who indulge in hypocritical double lives, and lamented a sense of "spiritual Alzheimer's" that leads clerics to forget the joy that is supposed to animate their lives.

He also attacked what he called "existential schizophrenia" and the "terrorism of gossip." He was especially critical of cliques that "enslave their members and become a cancer that threatens the harmony of the body," eventually leading to death by "friendly fire."

"These and other maladies and temptations," Francis said, "are a danger for every Christian and for any administrative organization, community, congregation, parish, ecclesial movement, etc., and can strike at both the individual and the corporate level."

The pope signaled early on that he aimed to overhaul and upend the church's institutional culture. Now 78, many had expected Francis to have a relatively short term in office, but he seems intent on using whatever time to set policies in ways that will outlive his papacy.

Francis has previously criticized the careerism and power intrigues that afflict those who work inside the Vatican. In elevating his first round of cardinals earlier this year, he warned the new princes of the church that they should not imagine they had joined a "royal court."

After firing a German bishop who spent $43 million on a grand new residential complex, Francis demoted a leading American conservative, Cardinal Raymond Burke, from the church's highest court. Burke is known for hard-line dogmatism, elaborate vestments and, most importantly, for opposing major aspects of Francis' reform agenda.

As he and senior cardinals press ahead with controversial financial and administrative reforms, the pope seemed even more outspoken as he highlighted his concerns about the institution.

"It's nice to think of the Roman Curia as a little model church, that is a body that every day seeks to become more unified and harmonious," the pope said.

"In reality the Curia is a complex body … with different elements that don't have the same job, but are coordinated to work in an exemplary, disciplined effective way, despite the cultural and linguistic diversity of its members."

Francis, the first pope from Latin America, never worked in the Italian-dominated Curia before he was elected in March 2013 after the shocking resignation of his predecessor, Benedict XVI. The final months of Benedict's pontificate were overshadowed by the so-called "Vatileaks" scandal in which Benedict's personal butler leaked sensitive documents alleging corruption in the Curia.

Francis is also the first Jesuit pope, and his outsiders' critique reflects the sometimes tense relations between Rome and the church's largest religious order, which often chafes at orders from church headquarters.

The pope's address reportedly startled assembled members of the Curia. Few were smiling as Francis ticked off his diagnosis, complete with footnotes and biblical references.

At the end of his speech, he asked the prelates to pray that the "wounds of the sins that each one of us carries are healed" so that the Church and Curia itself are made healthy.

[Joun_Lord]

I'll admit, I like Francis. He's like what Ronulans think Ron Paul actually is, a guy who tells it like it is, does whats right, acts pretty selflessly and even when unpopular follows the code of what he believes in.

Its just refreshing to have such a......simple pope. Not simple as in stupid but simple as in uncluttered by the politics and greed so symptomatic of the church. A person that is more interested in helping people, focuses on the small stuff too often overlooked, and loving his fellow man (and woman) rather then dictating edicts, focusing on headline chasing big unimportant crap, and breeding hate and sin.

[Irbis]

It's nice, but sadly, the further away from the Vatican you are the less bright things look. Hopefully this speeds up change a bit, though.

[Simon_Jester]

If he fixes the Vatican, that will fix things in other places eventually.

All truly effective reforms become effective after the capital is put in order.

[PainRack]

http://news.yahoo.com/list-pope-francis ... 12974.html

1) Feeling immortal, immune or indispensable. "A Curia that doesn't criticize itself, that doesn't update itself, that doesn't seek to improve itself is a sick body."

2) Working too hard. "Rest for those who have done their work is necessary, good and should be taken seriously."

3) Becoming spiritually and mentally hardened. "It's dangerous to lose that human sensibility that lets you cry with those who are crying, and celebrate those who are joyful."

4) Planning too much. "Preparing things well is necessary, but don't fall into the temptation of trying to close or direct the freedom of the Holy Spirit, which is bigger and more generous than any human plan."

5) Working without coordination, like an orchestra that produces noise. "When the foot tells the hand, 'I don't need you' or the hand tells the head 'I'm in charge.'"

6) Having 'spiritual Alzheimer's.' "We see it in the people who have forgotten their encounter with the Lord ... in those who depend completely on their here and now, on their passions, whims and manias, in those who build walls around themselves and become enslaved to the idols that they have built with their own hands."

7) Being rivals or boastful. "When one's appearance, the color of one's vestments or honorific titles become the primary objective of life."

Suffering from 'existential schizophrenia.' "It's the sickness of those who live a double life, fruit of hypocrisy that is typical of mediocre and progressive spiritual emptiness that academic degrees cannot fill. It's a sickness that often affects those who, abandoning pastoral service, limit themselves to bureaucratic work, losing contact with reality and concrete people."

9) Committing the 'terrorism of gossip.' "It's the sickness of cowardly people who, not having the courage to speak directly, talk behind people's backs."

10) Glorifying one's bosses. "It's the sickness of those who court their superiors, hoping for their benevolence. They are victims of careerism and opportunism, they honor people who aren't God."

11) Being indifferent to others. "When, out of jealousy or cunning, one finds joy in seeing another fall rather than helping him up and encouraging him."

12) Having a 'funereal face.' "In reality, theatrical severity and sterile pessimism are often symptoms of fear and insecurity. The apostle must be polite, serene, enthusiastic and happy and transmit joy wherever he goes."

13) Wanting more. "When the apostle tries to fill an existential emptiness in his heart by accumulating material goods, not because he needs them but because he'll feel more secure."

14) Forming 'closed circles' that seek to be stronger than the whole. "This sickness always starts with good intentions but as time goes by, it enslaves its members by becoming a cancer that threatens the harmony of the body and causes so much bad — scandals — especially to our younger brothers."

15) Seeking worldly profit and showing off. "It's the sickness of those who insatiably try to multiply their powers and to do so are capable of calumny, defamation and discrediting others, even in newspapers and magazines, naturally to show themselves as being more capable than others."

Amongst the catalog of 'ills' he mentioned was the inability of the Church to rest and working too hard......

While what he said about rest being needful was true, it sounded odd until one reads this story.


http://afriarslife.blogspot.sg/2013/04/ ... h-for.html

A few days ago, at dawn, the time the Pope wakes up, he came out to the corridor, and he found in front of his door the sentry, a Swiss Guard standing with his halberd at attention.

He asked him: “And what are you doing here? Have you been up all night?”

"Yes," replied the guard with deference and a bit surprised.

"On your feet?"

"Your Holiness, my duty since I took over from my companion."

"And aren’t you tired?"

"It’s my duty Your Holiness; I should watch for your safety."

Pope Francis looked at him again with kindness, went back to his suite and after a minute he came out carrying a chair: "At least sit down and rest."

The guard rolled his eyes and answered: “Santo Padre, forgive me, but I cannot! The regulations do not allow that."

"The regulations?"

"Orders from my captain, Your Holiness."

The Pope smiled, "Oh, really? Well, I'm the Pope and I order you to sit down."

So, caught between the regulations and the Pope, the Swiss Guard (so much for the halberd) chose the chair.

The Pope returned to his apartment.

After a couple of minutes, the Pope came back to the Swiss Guard, still obediently seated on the chair, carrying “panino con marmellata” (Italian bread with jam) which he had prepared. Before the soldier could say anything, the Holy Father, exhibiting his Argentinean smile, told the Swiss Guard, “With all the hours spent standing on guard you must be a bit hungry.” The Swiss Guard had no time to object because the Pope right away wished him a good bite: "Bon appetit, brother."

The original story appears to have been published in Italy Vanity Fair, but while there isn't any official confirmation and much of it has no doubt been embellished, this speech appears to confirm the veracity of that anecdote.................


With all the Pope Palpatine memes floating around, just when are we going to dub Pope Francis Skywalker and canonize him as A New Hope?