Pope Francis says he's 'scared of rigid, fundamentalist' priests because 'they bite'

Pope Francis says, ‘there are often young men who are psychologically unstable without knowing it and who look for strong structures to support them.’ Reuters

Pope Francis says that overly pious priests scare him, and he tries to stay clear of them as much as possible.

According to Raw Story, the well-loved pope said on Friday during a conference on training for the priesthood that he is instinctively suspicious of priests who are hypocritical of their own religiousness.

"I will tell you sincerely, I'm scared of rigid priests," the 78-year-old pope jokingly said. "I keep away from them. They bite!"

Pope Francis used humour to convey his message concerning a serious matter. A lot of unstable individuals seek out a clerical career, he explained, and unless they are weeded out properly by the church, the faithful will suffer.

This is why the pope strongly suggests that seminaries should always assess not just the spiritual state of candidates but also their physical and psychological condition. "There are often young men who are psychologically unstable without knowing it and who look for strong structures to support them. For some it is the police or the army but for others it is the clergy," the pope said.

He warned that these disorders only manifest at a later date, so it will not be easy to spot it from the get-go.

However, the pope said he personally finds it worrisome when a priest takes pride in being extremely devout.

"When a youngster is too rigid, too fundamentalist, I don't feel confident (about him). Behind it there is something he himself does not understand. Keep your eyes open!"

"If you are sick, if you are neurotic, go and see a doctor, spiritual or physical," Pope Francis then suggested to those who might be unfit to join the church. "The doctor will give you pills. But, please, don't let the faithful pay for neurotic priests."

related articles
It\'s \'blasphemy\' to carry out violent acts in name of God; signs of \'end times\' are here — Pope Francis
It's 'blasphemy' to carry out violent acts in name of God; signs of 'end times' are here — Pope Francis

It's 'blasphemy' to carry out violent acts in name of God; signs of 'end times' are here — Pope Francis

Pope tells non-Catholic woman to decide for herself over receiving communion

Pope tells non-Catholic woman to decide for herself over receiving communion

Church doors must always remain open despite terrorism fears, says Pope Francis
Church doors must always remain open despite terrorism fears, says Pope Francis

Church doors must always remain open despite terrorism fears, says Pope Francis

Vatileaks: Arrest of another whistleblower could be imminent

Vatileaks: Arrest of another whistleblower could be imminent

Pope Francis: \'Jesus weeps for a world at war\'
Pope Francis: 'Jesus weeps for a world at war'

Pope Francis: 'Jesus weeps for a world at war'

News
Calls for prayer as final verdict approaches in trial of ex-gay Christian
Calls for prayer as final verdict approaches in trial of ex-gay Christian

Grech, a Maltese Christian and former finalist on the X Factor Malta TV show, is being prosecuted for allegedly advertising ‘conversion practices’.

New guidance on sex education gets mixed reaction from Christians
New guidance on sex education gets mixed reaction from Christians

Updated guidance on relationships and sex education (RSE) from the Department for Education has received a mixed reaction from Christians.

Tory MP calls for revival of Christian politics
Tory MP calls for revival of Christian politics

“Our democracy is founded on Christian faith.”

Abortion buffer zones are a threat to freedom - report
Abortion buffer zones are a threat to freedom - report

If the authorities can ban speech and even prayer in certain places, what can they not do?