Pope Francis in his usual method delivered another criticism of some
members of his own Church on Thursday, suggesting it is better to be an
atheist than one of “many” Catholics who he said lead a hypocritical
double life. In improvised comments in the sermon of his private morning
Mass in his residence, he said: “It is a scandal to say one thing and
do another. That is a double life.”
“There are those who say ‘I am very Catholic, I always go to Mass, I
belong to this and that association’,” the head of the 1.2
billion-member Roman Catholic Church said, according to a Vatican Radio
transcript.
He
said that some of these people should also say “‘my life is not
Christian, I don’t pay my employees proper salaries, I exploit people, I
do dirty business, I launder money, (I lead) a double life’.” There are
many Catholics who are like this and they cause scandal,” he said. “How
many times have we all heard people say ‘if that person is a Catholic,
it is better to be an atheist’.” Since his election in 2013, Francis has
often told Catholics, both priests and lay people, to practice what
their religion preaches.
In his often impromptu sermons, he has condemned sexual abuse of
children by priests as being tantamount to a “Satanic Mass”, said
Catholics in the mafia excommunicate themselves and told his own
cardinals to not act as if they were “princes”. Less than two months
after his election, he said Christians should see atheists as good
people if they do good.
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