Pope Francis sharply criticises Vatican bureaucracy

The Pope delivered his tough message in the Vatican's Clementine Hall

 { SOURCE :BBC}

Pope Francis has sharply criticised the Vatican bureaucracy in a pre-Christmas address to cardinals, complaining of "spiritual Alzheimer's" and "the terrorism of gossip".

He said the Curia - the administrative pinnacle of the Roman Catholic Church - was suffering from 15 "ailments", which he wanted cured in the New Year.

Pope Francis - the first Latin American pontiff - also criticised "those who look obsessively at their own image".
He has demanded reform of the Curia.

There was silence at the end of the Pope's speech.

 Bigger say
Addressing the Curia on Monday, Pope Francis said some power-hungry clerics were guilty of "cold-bloodedly killing the reputation of their own colleagues and brothers".

 He compared the performance of the church's civil servants to that of an orchestra playing "out of tune" because they fail to collaborate and have no team spiri

The Pope says the Church elite must reach out to poor and vulnerable worshippers