Pope presents Curia with list of virtues to counter temptations

[Austen Ivereigh] Ending a year in which his attempts to reform the Vatican have met stubborn, sometimes ferocious, resistance, Pope Francis used his third Christmas staff address to lay out a detailed list of “antibiotics” to counter the “diseases” he identified in last year’s speech.

Although he clearly has the Vatican in mind, the Pope this morning made clear that these virtues apply to any organization, whether in the Church or outside it.

Feeling unwell from a cold, and asking to address them seated, Francis made clear he would not be deterred from his objective of changing the culture of the Curia so that it served the mission of the Pope and the needs of the Church.

“The reform will move forward with determination, clarity and firm resolve,” he said, adding the traditional formula Ecclesia semper reformanda, meaning that the Church is always in need of renewal.

He said that some of the…