Pope Francis listed 15 “ailments” of the Vatican Curia

Dear Confreres,

In a few hours time, we shall be celebrating the feast of Christmas. I was wondering why this year I have taken till now without writing something special to you the confreres.

But now I realize that I can as well share or pass on the reflections of Pope Francis with the Roman Curia as they prepare for Christmas. Find in attachment the examination of conscience which Pope Francis used with the Roman Curia yesterday. It is a must read. I have sort of made a summary to make the reading easy for our own use and reflection.

I saw this last night and read up to ailment number two, only to find that it was speaking about me, on my desk around 22 hours! I am sure that many of us will begin by seeing our leaders out there, the Curia, the Generalate and the Provincialate; but looking closely, we soon realize that these 15 ailments are indeed about all of us as a Church.

As we move towards this Joyful day of His birth, let us simply acknowledge our brokenness. As in any ailment acceptance almost immediately brings about healing. Acceptance puts any ailment in place. We have seen how even the worst health condition such as cancer, AIDS, even Ebola can be contained once they are met with acceptance. So too with each of these ailments in our ways of living Church and Faith today.

I wish you all a Happy and Joyful Christmas!

Frateranlly yours,

Christopher Chileshe, M.Afr – Provincial SAP

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis listed 15 “ailments” of the Vatican Curia during his annual Christmas greetings to the cardinals, bishops and priests who run the central administration of the 1.2-billion strong Catholic Church. Here’s the list.

1) Feeling immortal, immune or indispensable. “A Curia that doesn’t criticize itself, that doesn’t update itself, that doesn’t seek to improve itself is a sick body.”

2) Working too hard. “Rest for those who have done their work is necessary, good and should be taken seriously.”

3) Becoming spiritually and mentally hardened. “It’s dangerous to lose that human sensibility that lets you cry with those who are crying, and celebrate those who are joyful.”

4) Planning too much. “Preparing things well is necessary, but don’t fall into the temptation of trying to close or direct the freedom of the Holy Spirit, which is bigger and more generous than any human plan.”

5) Working without coordination, like an orchestra that produces noise. “When the foot tells the hand, ‘I don’t need you’ or the hand tells the head ‘I’m in charge.'”

6) Having ‘spiritual Alzheimer’s.’ “We see it in the people who have forgotten their encounter with the Lord … in those who depend completely on their here and now, on their passions, whims and manias, in those who build walls around themselves and become enslaved to the idols that they have built with their own hands.”

7) Being rivals or boastful. “When one’s appearance, the color of one’s vestments or honorific titles become the primary objective of life.”

8) Suffering from ‘existential schizophrenia.’ “It’s the sickness of those who live a double life, fruit of hypocrisy that is typical of mediocre and progressive spiritual emptiness that academic degrees cannot fill. It’s a sickness that often affects those who, abandoning pastoral service, limit themselves to bureaucratic work, losing contact with reality and concrete people.”

9) Committing the ‘terrorism of gossip.’ “It’s the sickness of cowardly people who, not having the courage to speak directly, talk behind people’s backs.”

10) Glorifying one’s bosses. “It’s the sickness of those who court their superiors, hoping for their benevolence. They are victims of careerism and opportunism, they honor people who aren’t God.”

11) Being indifferent to others. “When, out of jealousy or cunning, one finds joy in seeing another fall rather than helping him up and encouraging him.”

12) Having a ‘funereal face.’ “In reality, theatrical severity and sterile pessimism are often symptoms of fear and insecurity. The apostle must be polite, serene, enthusiastic and happy and transmit joy wherever he goes.”

13) Wanting more. “When the apostle tries to fill an existential emptiness in his heart by accumulating material goods, not because he needs them but because he’ll feel more secure.”

14) Forming ‘closed circles’ that seek to be stronger than the whole. “This sickness always starts with good intentions but as time goes by, it enslaves its members by becoming a cancer that threatens the harmony of the body and causes so much bad — scandals — especially to our younger brothers.”

15) Seeking worldly profit and showing off. “It’s the sickness of those who insatiably try to multiply their powers and to do so are capable of calumny, defamation and discrediting others, even in newspapers and magazines, naturally to show themselves as being more capable than others.”