Pope Francis Plans Big Roman Catholic Church Changes

Pope Francis has confirmed that he plans to make big changes to the Roman Catholic Church. He also indicated that this will go all the way to the very top of the churches’ hierarchy, and that it could prove to be a messy business.

The Pope released a statement on Tuesday unearthing this revelation, which read, “I prefer a Church which is bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather than a Church which is unhealthy from being confined and from clinging to its own security.”

He went on to add, “I do not want a Church concerned with being at the center and then ends by being caught up in a web of obsessions and procedures.”

Pope Francis noted that the church should rethink various traditions that have been held in long stead by the religion. “In her ongoing discernment, the Church can also come to see that certain customs not directly connected to the heart of the Gospel, even some which have deep historical roots, are no longer properly understood and appreciated,” stated the hugely enamoured papal.

He then added, “Some of these customs may be beautiful, but they no longer serve as means of communicating the Gospel. We should not be afraid to re-examine them. At the same time, the Church has rules or precepts which may have been quite effective in their time, but no longer have the same usefulness for directing and shaping people’s lives.”

Francis wants the church to “get its shoes soiled by the mud of the street,” while he also believes that “everyone can share” some part of their life with the Church. The Pope has also called for an end to the “wafer wars” that have seen some parishioners denied Holy Communion because they support various abortion rights.

Regarding this subject, Francis noted, “The Eucharist, although it is the fullness of sacramental life, is not a prize for the perfect but a powerful medicine and nourishment for the weak.”

Pope Francis wants Catholics to embrace his new way of thinking, and he hopes that they “will be moved by the fear of remaining shut up within structures which give [a] false sense of security, within rules which make us harsh judges, within habits which make us feel safe,” which is taking place within the church “while at [the] door people are starving.”

Francis didn’t actually mention any specific changes, or when this adjustments might take place, but his brazen comments have been received warmly by people around the world.

[Image via Philip Chidell/Shutterstock]