Pope: Church must not turn priests into 'little monsters'

Pope Francis is calling for a change in the culture of seminaries, saying priests who are taught only to toe the line will become "little monsters."

The pontiff expressed his vision for a more open and joyful religious education system during a three-hour talk with the heads of the orders in November, but his remarks were not published until now in the Jesuit journal Civilta Cattolica.

Taking another swipe at clericalism — a term often used to express a very formal, elitist attitude by some priests — Francis said seminaries and "houses of formation" need to keep up with the cultural times.

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