Pope blasts inner circle for 15 sins

Pope Francis was in no holiday mood when he issued a strong critique Monday of the Vatican bureaucracy that serves him and 1.2 billion members of the Catholic faith worldwide, according to The Associated Press.

In all, Francis listed 15 sins of the Curia – the cardinals, bishops and priests who run the Holy See – in the hopes they could be atoned for the coming year. Through the annual Christmas greeting, the pope seemed focused on a reform agenda that looks to first identify ills within the organization of the church and then move toward solutions.

As part of that greeting – which comes as the church is in the middle of a financial overhaul – the pope blasted how some in the Curia have shown a lust for power and suffer from a kind of spiritual Alzheimer’s that has caused them to forget they should be joyful men of God. Francis also said gossip and cliques among the top administrators threaten the harmony of the church. He said hypocrisy and careerism are among the challenges the Italian-dominated Curia face.

Read more from The Associated Press.