Pope Francis Terms It a Scandal for Turning Churches into 'Businesses'

Pope Francis in a Mass at St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican , in Oct., 2014

 Photo courtesy: CNA

Pope Francis, speaking to Mass attendees in the Vatican's Santa Marta (Saint Martha) guesthouse on November 21, expressed his disapproval of priests and laity who turn their parishes into a 'business' by charging for items like baptisms, blessings and Mass intentions -- calling it a scandal that's hard to forgive, reports Catholic News Agency/EWTN News.

 “It is interesting: the people of God can forgive their priests, when they are weak; when they slip on a sin, the people know how to forgive them,” the Pope said.  “But there are two things that the people of God cannot forgive: a priest attached to money and a priest who mistreats people. This they cannot forgive! It is scandalous…”

His Mass homily was based on Luke's gospel where Jesus turns over tables and drives out those who were selling animals and items inside the temple, which, he said was meant for prayer and not for business.

For more on this news, please read: 

• Turning Churches into 'businesses' is  a scandal
• Pope at Santa Marta: Keeping God's temple clean