(ANSA) - Vatican City, February 20 - Pope Francis said Wednesday that people who constantly accuse the Church of wrongdoing are friends of the Devil. "One cannot live a whole life accusing, accusing, accusing the Church," the Argentine pontiff said during an audience with pilgrims from the Italian diocese of Benevento.
"Whom does the office of the accuser belong to? "Who is he that the Bible calls the great accuser? "I'm sorry, I did not understand... I cannot hear well... the devil! "And those who spend their lives accusing, accusing, and accusing are - I won't say children, because the devil doesn't have any - but they are the friends, cousins and relatives of the devil.
"Well, when things are not right, one has to report the defects to correct, but when you report the defects, you make known the defects, you love the Church".
Friends of Devil spend life accusing Church - pope
Francis stresses that defects must be reported