Scandals have hurt vocations pope (2)

(ANSA) - Vatican City, May 21 - 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".