The local media recently published several write-ups on Pope Francis to mark the first anniversary of his pontificate. None of them mentioned his most controversial statements, most of which sent shock waves among the Catholic faithful. 

In an interview with Civilta Cattolica, Pope Francis said that the Church had locked itself up in “small things, in small-minded rules”, and that the Church should not be “obsessed with the transmission of a disjointed multitude of doctrines to be imposed insistently”.

Such words, coming from the Pope, are indeed unprecedented. If a non-Catholic had used these words, he would have been accused of being disrespectful towards the Catholic Church.

In an interview with La Repubblica, Francis observed that too many Popes in the Church’s long history had been “narcissists” who let themselves be flattered by “courtier” aides in the Curia.

During a meeting with superiors of religious orders, the Pope said that men studying for the Roman Catholic priesthood should be properly trained or the Church could risk “creating little monsters” more concerned with their careers than serving people.

Catholics were not flattered when Pope Francis told them: “Inconsistency on the part of pastors and the faithful between what they say and what they do is undermining the Church’s credibility.”

Nor were they pleased to hear the Pope acknowledging “the existence of a gay lobby and a stream of corruption in the Vatican”.

John Guillaumier

St Julian’s