Pope Francis Scolds Vatican Curia Officials in Unprecedented Harsh Language

Pope Francis giving Christmas message to the Vatican Curia officials on Dec. 23

 Photo courtesy: National Post

This year it will be a bitter-sour Christmas for many Vatican Curia (administrative departments) officials whose behavior was condemned by Pope Francis in his pre-Christmas audience on December 23.

The Curia officials were cardinals, bishops and priests who work for the Vatican. Most of them are Italian, few others are from foreign countries. 

In his speech to the officials, he spoke of ‘15 ailments’ affecting the Curia. These ailments were mentioned in strong words, never hear before publicly in the history of the Catholic Church. The Pope would never use such words if the real situation in the Curia were not in its worst condition. There must have been a deep chasm between what the officials speak, teach and portray in public and how they behave.

Some of the words used in the speech to the cardinals, bishops and priests were: lust for power; spiritual Alzheimer’s; existential schizophrenia; social exhibitionism; orchestra that plays out of tune; sower of discord; rivalry and vainglory; excessive busyness; mental and spiritual petrification; greed; egoism; thinking oneself as immortal, immune and indispensable; need for acting responsibly; excessive planning and functionalism; bad coordination; divinizing directors; sickness of close circles; sickness of accumulating; indifference to others; mournful face; lords of the manor; slave to passions, caprices and manias; possessing a heart of stone and a stiff neck; scandal; double life; hidden and often immoral private life; need for paying a visit to the cemeteries; terrorism of gossip.

To learn more on the Pope’s speech to the Curia officials, please visit the following:

•  Vatican Radio: Pope Francis -- Christmas Greetings to Curia
• Catholic News Agency (CNA): 'You are not lords of the manor': Pope Francis' tough words to Curia
• National Catholic Register: Pope Francis' Fatal 15
• Crux: Francis' 15 'Ailments of the Curia'
• Pope launches scathing attack on Vatican plagued by ills
• National Catholic Reporter: Francis gives Roman Curia officials coal for Christmas
• ZenitOrg: Pope's Address to the Roman Curia

Pope Francis giving his Christmas message to all Vatican employees on Dec. 22

Photo courtesy: National Post

Shortly before noon on Dec. 22, Pope Francis met with employees of the Holy See and of Vatican City State, with their families, for the exchange of Christmas greetings, reports Zenit news agency. Details of his audience are as follows:

• ZenitOrg: Pope Francis' Address to Vatican Employees
• ZenitOrg: Pope Gives 9 Tips to Vatican Employees
• Vatican Radio: Pope Francis to Vatican employees -- Christmas a time to heal