Pope Francis has criticised the ‘clericalist’ attitude as “hypocritical” and at odds with Jesus’ example of serving the people of God.
In a homily delivered in Casa Santa Marta on January 10, the Pontiff said the attitude communicated by Christ was that “of a servant, and this gave authority…Jesus did not have an allergy to the people: touching the lepers, the sick, didn’t make Him shudder…this is the authority that the people of God sense.”
On the other hand, however, the Pope went on, the clericalist “Pharisees…had a psychology of princes: ‘We are the masters, the princes, and we teach you. Not service: we command, you obey.’”
The Pope went on to stress that “One who considers himself a prince, who has a clericalist attitude, who is a hypocrite, doesn’t have authority! He speaks the truth, but without authority.”
