On Monday, Pope Francis seemed to be at war with the Vatican bureaucracy after he strongly criticized them during his traditional Christmas speech. During the pope's annual address, he cautioned about the 15 "ailments and temptations" that weaken church leaders' service to Christ.
During Pope Francis' speech, which may have triggered a war with the Vatican bureaucracy, he said that some cardinals, bishops and priests that are running the Roman Catholic Church are suffering from what he called as "spiritual Alzheimer's." The New York Times reported the pope has warned about lust power, hypocritical double lives and the lack of spiritual empathy among some men serving God.
Pope Francis' Christmas greetings to the Curia, the administration who run the Holy See, was no joyful exchange of holiday cheers. Instead, Yahoo! News reported the pope listed 15 sins that he hoped to be atoned for and cured in the New Year.
"The Curia is called on to always improve itself and grow in communion, holiness and knowledge to fulfill its mission," Francis said. "But even it, as any human body, can suffer from ailments, dysfunctions, illnesses."
In Pope Francis' speech, which suggest he is at war with the Vatican bureaucracy, also described how the "terrorism of gossip" can destroy the image of priests and other church leaders in cold blood. He added how factions can enthrall members and became a "cancer" that threatens the harmony of the body and leading death by "friendly fire."
Pope Francis, 78, additionally described those living hypocritical double lives are "typical of mediocre and progressive spiritual emptiness that no academic degree can fill."
The first Latin-American pope, Francis, has never worked in the Italian-dominated Curia before he was elected. And though his speech suggested that Pope Francis is at war with the Vatican bureaucracy, he has not shied from objecting about the gossiping, careerism and bureaucratic power conspiracies that afflict the Holy See.
And though Pope Francis' Christmas address has raised several eyebrows and left church leaders unamused, the pope appeared to be keener in uncovering what ails the institution.
"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."
Pope Francis may be at war with the Vatican bureaucracy but Religion News said he intended to overhaul and change the church's institutional culture. The pope also seems eager to use his time in setting policies in ways that will outlast his papacy.
