Scandals over sex abuse and
money have hurt vocations to the priesthood, Pope Francis told
Italian bishops Monday, while urging them to live simply and
poorly and not like "pharaohs".
Francis opened the annual assembly of the Italian Bishops'
Conference (CEI) by saying that the many scandals had weighed on
the Church's crisis in vocations.
He said "the crisis in vocations is concerning" and is "the
poisoned fruit of the cult of the provisory and the dictatorship
of money".
He said "scandals and lukewarm witness" are all factors that
"push young people away from the consecrated life".
The pope said "how many seminaries will be closed for the
lack of vocations? God knows".
Francis told the CEI they should be careful about money and
should be bishops rather than pharaohs.
Saying he was "concerned about money and transparency",
Francis said "it is a counter-testimony to speak about poverty
and live like pharaohs".
"It's very bad to find out that a churchman has been
manipulated or, worse, has managed a widow's pennies in a
dishonest way".
He said the CEI "has done a lot on the path to poverty and
transparency but another step forward can be taken".
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
