Francis warns Vatican officials that their conflicts polarize the Catholic Church

Rome – Pope Francis on December 21 insisted that the bishops and cardinals leading the bureaucracy of the Vatican should not contradict each other, warning that the Catholic Church might be polarized.

At an annual meeting before Christmas, Francis often used to elevate his high-ranking Vatican officials, the pope acknowledged that the church may be in crisis due to “past and present” scandals, but said the crisis should not be confused with conflict.

“Crisis usually has a positive effect, whereas conflict always creates contradictions and rivalries, which are apparently irreparable animosities that divide others into friends, enemies, love, and enemies to fight,” Pope told the preamble.

“When the church is seen in terms of conflict – right and left, progressive and conservative – she is being torn to pieces and polarized, distorting and betraying her true identity,” Francis said.

“[The church] He should never be in conflict with the winners and losers because in this way he will spread fear and become a harsher and less synod, “said Pope.

Although previous popes used the traditional Christmas meeting led by the Vatican to exchange brief holiday greetings, Francis took them as opportunities to deliver more serious speeches.

For example, in 2014, he told bishops and cardinals about 15 “spiritual diseases.” He said he saw it Of them. In 2016, Francis He slammed the top leaders He opposes his efforts to reform the Vatican and calls them “bad opposition.”

This year, Francis took a gentle step. He first reflected on the difficulties faced by many during the current corona virus epidemics, which provided an opportunity for the church to reflect on the “meaning of a crisis.”

The pope later gave examples of biblical figures who came strong from the crisis, quoting Abraham, Moses, Elijah, St. Paul and Jesus. Their example “warns against urgently judging the church on the basis of crises caused by past and present corruption,” he said.

Francis did not identify the scandal at the church he was referring to. September is a scandal that rocked the Vatican throughout the fall The resignation of Cardinal Angelo Pescio, Who presided over the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, was accused of various financial irregularities in Italian newspapers.

The Vatican has not yet given specific reasons for Peki’s resignation. The Cardinal made no mistake.

Francis told Vatican officials they should not try to hide from the crisis, but should allow the necessary changes to be brought about.

“The coming to light of all that is evil, wrong, weak and unhealthy is a reminder of the need for us to die to a way of life, thought and action that does not reflect the gospel,” the pope said.

Referring to his own seven-year effort to reorganize the Vatican bureaucracy with his advisory board of cardinals, the pope said efforts to renovate the church “could not be like putting a patch on an old robe or creating a new apostolic constitution.” . “

“The church has always been a clay vessel, and what is in it is precious, not the way it appears,” Francis said. “It is clear these days that the clay we make is cut, damaged, and cracked.”

We must try even more so that our weakness may not hinder us from preaching the gospel, without being a testament to the immense love that “a merciful God loves us and will continue to love us,” he said.

Francis’ meeting with Vatican officials usually takes place in the 16th-century Clementine Hall of the Apostolic Palace, but this year it has been relocated to the Greater Ala della Benedictine. Corona virus precaution.

Although the Pope did not wear a mask during the event, everyone in attendance did.

Francis met with Vatican staff in the morning at the Paul VI Auditorium. When the Pope spoke from a chair well away from the others at the event, he then went to some of the participants to offer rosaries and hold a baby.

The pope assured the staff that no one would leave because of the epidemic of damage to the Vatican’s finances, which is known to be substantial. In May, the Vatican’s finance minister estimated a revenue loss of 25% to 45%.