Pope Francis used his annual Christmas greetings to inform Vatican bureaucrats on Saturday to stop speaking sick of each other, warning that gossip is an “evil”.
A wheezing and congested sounding Francis, who just turned 88, urged the prelates as a substitute to talk well of each other and undertake a humble examination of their very own consciences within the Christmas holiday season.
“A church community lives in joyful and fraternal harmony to the extent that its members walk within the lifetime of humility, renouncing evil pondering and speaking sick of others,” Francis said. “Gossip is an evil that destroys social life, sickens people’s hearts and results in nothing. The people say it thoroughly: Gossip is zero.”
“Beware of this,” he added.
By now Francis’ annual address to the priests, bishops and cardinals who work within the Vatican Curia has turn into a lesson in humility – and humilitation – as Francis offers a public dressing down of among the sins within the workplace on the headquarters of the Catholic Church.
In probably the most biting edition, in 2014, Francis listed the “15 ailments of the Curia,” by which he accused the prelates of using their Vatican careers to grab power and wealth. He accused them of living “hypocritical” double lives and forgetting — because of “spiritual Alzheimer’s” — that they’re alleged to be joyful men of God.
In 2022, Francis warned them that the devil that lurks amongst them, saying it’s an “elegant demon” that works in individuals who have a rigid, holier-than-thou way of life the Catholic faith.
This 12 months, Francis revisited a theme he has often warned about: gossiping and speaking sick of individuals behind their backs. It was a reference to the sometimes toxic atmosphere in closed environments akin to the Vatican or workplaces where office gossip and criticism flow into.
Francis has long welcomed frank and open debates and even has welcomed criticism of his own work. But he has urged critics to inform it to his face, and never behind his back.
The annual appointment kicks off Francis’ busy Christmas schedule, this 12 months made much more strenuous due to start of the Vatican’s Holy Year on Christmas Eve.
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