Posted on 11/22/2015 8:24:41 AM PST by NKP_Vet
Vatican City (AFP) - Pope Francis on Friday described some Catholic priests as so scary and neurotic he keeps well away from them.
In comments that had his audience chuckling at a conference on training for the priesthood, the 78-year-old pontiff revealed he is instinctively suspicious of overly pious candidates.
"I will tell you sincerely, I'm scared of rigid priests," he said. "I keep away from them. They bite!"
Francis resorted to humour to make a serious point that some people that are drawn to a clerical career are fundamentally unstable -- and that inevitably creates problems for the church if they are not weeded out.
"If you are sick, if you are neurotic, go and see a doctor, spiritual or physical," he added. "The doctor will give you pills. But, please, don't let the faithful pay for neurotic priests."
As well as assessing the spiritual state of candidates, seminaries should also seek to judge their physical and psychological condition, Francis argued.
"There are often young men who are psychologically unstable without knowing it and who look for strong structures to support them. For some it is the police or the army but for others it is the clergy," the pope added, warning that such disorders inevitably resurface at a later date.
"When a youngster is too rigid, too fundamentalist, I don't feel confident (about him). Behind it there is something he himself does not understand. Keep your eyes open!"
Improved selection and training of priests is a priority for the Church in the wake of the huge clerical sex abuse scandals which highlighted how easy it was for totally unsuitable candidates to be ordained.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
"When a youngster is too rigid, too fundamentalist, I don't feel confident (about him) In otherwords do not preach the truth of the gospel, especially any part of Catholic doctrine because it's too rigid.
The Daily Demoralization from George Soros’s sock puppet.
How can a priest be a successful shepherd of his flock if he doesn’t stick to the truth faithfully?The priest isn’t to be like an activities director on a cruise ship,he’s there to steer souls to heaven.
“”When a youngster is too rigid, too fundamentalist, I don’t feel confident (about him). Behind it there is something he himself does not understand. Keep your eyes open!” “
IOW: He’s a Christian right wing extremist! He’s against homosexuality and Mohamed and women Popes! He believes in Satan and Hell! He doesn’t like the UN!
It is up to the indiviual soul to make the decision for Christ and for the faith.
Marxist Popes scare me much more.
In other words, conform or you will be labeled "neurotic" and "anti-social justice" and off you will go to the isolated wastelands of the Vatican Gulag....your lifelong holy career shattered.
Leni
As a Protestant many popes have impressed as fine men of God.
This fellow is not one of them. One would think if he concentrated on the message of Jesus he would be a force for good. Jesus was.
Francis scares me.
Francis should review the sermons of St. John Vianney, the patron saint of priests. I wonder if the Pope would find them too rigid?
JMHo
I think the poor man has a few screws loose. The cardinals all need a psychological test to see if they even have any screws...
Neurotic means non LGBT supporting and unwilling to trim and adjust the Magisterium. Changing the Magisterium crashes the Church. It gives the lie to Christ’s promise that the gates of Hell will not prevail.
So are you saying the sheep don't need shepherds?
If not, why the thoughtless comment?
Means you either accept Jesus as Lord or you reject Jesus as Lord that is what I mean.
Nothing thoughtless there.
It is a thoughtless answer to a legitimate question. I hope you’re not a teacher or an RICA instructor.
It sounds as though JP 2d or Pope Benedict never would have made it into the seminary. Also, his comments about the military were very interesting and revealing.
Sounds to me like the backlash is beginning for him not getting his way with the recent Synod.
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