In a meeting with Jesuits in Mozambique earlier this month, Pope Francis said that clericalism is a direct result of rigidity and linked to a fixation on sexual morality.
“One dimension of clericalism is the exclusive moral fixation on the sixth commandment,” Pope Francis said according to the Jesuit-run journal La Civilta Cattolica transcript published online Sept. 26.
“We focus on sex and then we do not give weight to social injustice, slander, gossip and lies. The Church today needs a profound conversion in this area,” the pope said.
“Once a Jesuit, a great Jesuit, told me to be careful in giving absolution, because the most serious sins are those that are more angelical: pride, arrogance, dominion… And the least serious are those that are less angelical, such as greed and lust,” he explained.
Pope Francis said: “Clericalism has a direct consequence in rigidity. Have you never seen young priests all stiff in black cassocks and hats in the shape of the planet Saturn on their heads? Behind all the rigid clericalism there are serious problems.”
The pope added that he recently had to intervene in three dioceses due to “problems that expressed themselves in these forms of rigidity that concealed moral problems and imbalances.”
“On the other hand, great shepherds give people a lot of freedom. The good shepherd knows how to lead his flock without enslaving it to rules that deaden people,” he said.
Full story at Catholic News Agency.
What? I thought clericalism was when certain members of the clergy thought they were possibly semi-divine, certainly better than us little people.
Projection much, your Holiness?
Wow! As a clergyman, I’m taken aback by that. I acknowledge the problem of a certain clericalism. Yet, I think the grave scandals of the Church have much to do with sexual immorality, not with people, including clergy, following the teachings of Christ. It’s our world which is obsessed with sex. And, the Church must respond. And, those who complain of “rigidity” seem to never define it. We Eastern Catholic clergy are encouraged by our bishops to wear our cassocks. To imply we wear them due to “rigidity” (again, whatever that is) seems unfair. As the Pope previously said, “Who am I to judge?” Yet, he seems to judge clergy, especially young priests, who are simply wearing clerical attire, not necessarily acting with an attitude of clericalism.
What is wrong with this man ? Does he not understand that social injustictice is no where in the 10 commandments ?
Soxial injustice is in 7 of the 10 Commandments.
Our Lady of Fatima said that more souls go to Hell for sexual sins, than for any other! I bet she was correct– as sexual sins are the most common Mortal Sins! Too many clerics– including the Pope– do not have a good Moral Conscience, and respect for God! Too many think they are “little gods!” (clericalism) and do not respect laymen– especially little children!
It is just terrible– very poor manners!– to insult young seminarians, proudly wearing their black cassocks and hats! The Pope should be very proud of them! And to be a seminarian, preparing for a very serious, holy life as a priest– you have to act mature and serious, and everyone must respect you! No one should say that you are “too rigid,” for acting mature and professional, preparing for a very serious, holy vocation, as a future priest! Everyone should respect you– especially, the Pope!
The “cappello romano,” or “saturno,” is a wide-brimmed, black clerical hat, with a round crown, worn by clerics, along with a black cassock, outside of church, on the street– this was worn in Rome and all Italy, and in some Catholic countries (not in the U.S.) before Vatican II. Today, many clerics in Rome have continued this tradition. Our family has always greatly appreciated seeing a priest in his sacred clerical dress, and nuns in their habits, outside of church, on the street– a sign of respect for God! The Pope should praise these wonderful, young seminarians!
She said “sins of the flesh”which would include more than just sexual sins. Galations 5:19-21 lists some as immorality, impurity, licentiousness,
idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, rivalry, jealousy, outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness, dissensions, factions,occasions of envy, drinking bouts, orgies, and the like.
Always consternates me that the Creator placed such an overwhelming innate pleasurable instinctual drive in us…and yet we can easily burn in hell for eternity for letting it get out of control… the sexual immorality of priests, bishops, and Popes has long been known…and grown into our current situation… perhaps the greatest scandal the Church of Roman Catholicism has ever faced.
Good quote from St. Paul! All the typical Mortal Sins which lead souls to Hell, all the time! Especially, sexual sins– tragically rampant, in today’s society! “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God!” (from the Sermon on the Mount)
And how many of the Pope’s pedophile clerics– are now in Hell– or soon going there??
It all started with Moses enslaving the people with the 10 commandments.i hope Pope Francis doesn’t try to defend the golden calf as an underappreciated manifestation of nature
Papa Francisco mocks our men of the cloth. ´”Have you never seen young priests all stiff in black cassocks and hats in the shape of the planet Saturn on their heads?” These Déplorables are the men who have given their lives, celibacy, and families to build the Catholic Church. What Papa Francisco means is that he does not like the Latin Mass permitted by Benedict XVI. Francisco is an ideologue determined to bring the Peronista Church to 1964, the year the disastrous Second Vatican Council ended.
The Pope’s sneer about Saturn-shaped hats seems inexplicable to me, especially coming from a spiritual father. Is he talking about the clergy biretta? How would he feel if others sneered about his papal vestments, including headwear?
If this comment attributed to the pope is true, then it is a sidestepping of the church’s responsibility to deal with serious sin by trying to down play it and to substitute socialism in order to avoid dealing with sexual sin. Bless you, Pope Francis, but God has clearly told us otherwise regarding sexual morality, and Jesus says that not one iota of the law will pass away until everything is fulfilled.
Remember the good days when …Is the pope Catholic? was a rhetorical question?
One dimension of clericalism is the exclusive moral fixation on the sixth commandment.
Does he even care about the sixth commandment?
His correspondence with the Argentine bishops makes that very hard to believe. According to the Argentine guidlines (which he’s approved), it can be infeasible for a civilly divorced person to abstain from sexual relations in a new relationship. But why would people have sexual relations with someone besides their sacramental spouse if they really cared about the sixth commandment?
The Pope’s comments should be read in context. It’s unfair to pick out parts to promote one’s own agenda.
Our Pope is following the teachings and example of Jesus. All of us need to look for and find the truth in what he has said.
Didn’t Our Lord Jesus say to the woman caught in adultery, “Go and sin some more. Don’t worry about the commandments.”
Or, did He tell her the truth while being compassionate and merciful? (And, dealing with the obvious double-standard that the man was not brought before the people for justice.)
There is nothing merciful or compassionate about being silent with those choosing to live in a state of grave sin. It’s about as loving as not warning someone who is about to walk off a cliff.
According to one passage, he also told the woman to go and sin no more lest something worse happen to her. It sounds to me as if he was telling her if she did it again, he would not protect her. That is a warning I would heed.
If the Pope’s comments have been recorded and translated accurately in this article, I agree with his observations and insights about the genesis of clericalism and all of the spin-offs from it.
Sounds like something one would have learned, heard or expressed at Woodstock, man.
So, the Pope thinks as those during the Clinton years who said “it’s only sex…”
St. Michael the Archangel, protect our Catholic Church!
FROM A LIBERAL: Beyond the implications if this were true (!) … This argument is illogical and a bit specious… does not follow well (or at all!) … connecting clericalism with sexuality is quite a stretch… not even good progressive theology, organizational behavior, or human psychology !! Charlie Daschbach (in the pew…way over on the left side of the chapel)
In a separate but related story, the Secretary General of the Society of Jesus said recently that he does not believe there is such a thing as Satan.
Call to Michael the Archangel: You can take the rest of eternity off.
My idea of Clericalism is a Pope that makes his personal opinions a matter of dogma.