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Pope Francis: 'If you're unstable, see a doctor - don't become a priest'

“I’m scared of rigid priests. I keep away from them. They bite!”

Vatican Pope Associated Press Associated Press

POPE FRANCIS TODAY described some Catholic priests as so scary and neurotic he keeps well away from them.

In comments at a conference on training for the priesthood, the 78-year-old pontiff revealed he is instinctively suspicious of overly pious candidates.

I will tell you sincerely, I’m scared of rigid priests. I keep away from them. They bite!

His remarks drew laughs from the audience, but Francis was making the serious point that some people drawn to a clerical career are fundamentally unstable, and that this inevitably creates problems for the church if they are not weeded out.

If you are sick, if you are neurotic, go and see a doctor, spiritual or physical. The doctor will give you pills. But, please, don’t let the faithful pay for neurotic priests.

As well as assessing the spiritual state of candidates, seminaries should also seek to judge their physical and psychological condition, the Pope argued.

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.
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!”

Improved selection and training of priests is a priority for the Church in the wake of the huge clerical sex abuse scandals which highlighted how easy it was for totally unsuitable candidates to be ordained.

Contains reporting by AFP.

Read: Pope Francis asks for forgiveness after first meeting with abuse survivors>

Read: Pope Francis – War and hatred mean Christmas lights and parties are “all a charade”>

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75 Comments
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    Mute Mattress Dick
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    Aug 4th 2020, 1:05 PM

    I’ve a 1970s bottle of power’s topped up with cidona

    284
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    Mute William O'Rourke
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    Aug 4th 2020, 7:29 PM

    @Mattress Dick: is there any house in Ireland with teenagers that doesn’t have that ! No rarity value Mattress Dick

    14
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    Mute Pat Kelly
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    Aug 4th 2020, 1:07 PM

    Iv a bottle of that McGregor muck.. so called proper 12… lucky if it’s worth €12

    180
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    Mute Kenneth Hayden
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    Aug 4th 2020, 1:08 PM

    @Pat Kelly:
    How much will you give me to take it off your hands.

    116
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    Mute Dermot McL
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    Aug 4th 2020, 2:30 PM

    @Pat Kelly: I hear it packs a punch.

    40
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    Mute Andrew English
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    Aug 4th 2020, 3:30 PM

    @Pat Kelly: would you drink Bushmills? Same product if so.

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    Mute Kevin O' Brien
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    Aug 4th 2020, 5:02 PM

    @Andrew English: it absolutely is not.

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    Mute Michael Carr
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    Aug 4th 2020, 5:51 PM

    @Kevin O’ Brien: absolutely is.

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    Mute james mccarthy
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    Aug 4th 2020, 1:13 PM

    How come @irishwhiskeyauctions don’t get any coverage ? They regularly sell bottles for more then that on a monthly basis

    68
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    Mute Dave Barrett
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    Aug 4th 2020, 1:40 PM

    I used top up my dads powers bottle with water when I was young. He used to mark the bottle.
    Jameson! Now that’s a nice whisky.

    39
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    Mute Joe Toner
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    Aug 4th 2020, 1:11 PM

    €12000…. and it probably tastes like hamsters pIss!!

    66
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    Mute Garreth mc mahon
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    Aug 4th 2020, 1:59 PM

    @Joe Toner: not gonna ask how you know

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    Mute Mick Scanlan
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    Aug 4th 2020, 2:06 PM

    @Joe Toner: hamsters piss worth a go ?

    38
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    Mute Premier Fitters
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    Aug 4th 2020, 1:55 PM

    But whiskey does not age in a glass bottle. It’s aged in casks! So your buying an overpriced probably 10 to 13 year old whiskey in essence. Maybe enjoy your €12k purchase and refill with TK red lemonade lol

    31
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    Mute Martin
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    Aug 4th 2020, 1:59 PM

    @Premier Fitters: 16 years aged if you read it

    46
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    Mute Premier Fitters
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    Aug 4th 2020, 2:00 PM

    @Martin: opps lol

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    Mute Craic_a_tower
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    Aug 4th 2020, 4:56 PM

    @Premier Fitters: yes but you can’t get the taste of this whiskey from that time anywhere else as it hasn’t been made for so long

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    Mute Peter Cavey
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    Aug 4th 2020, 1:32 PM

    I might be shopping here in future. Cheaper than a supermarket by far!
    https://www.whisky-online.com/auctions/auction/view/0320/126172

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    Mute Bunny Johnson
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    Aug 4th 2020, 1:38 PM

    @Peter Cavey: Do you know how Auctions work? Commission/Delivery /Vat on delivery and commission etc.

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    Mute Peter Cavey
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    Aug 4th 2020, 4:06 PM

    @Bunny Johnson: thanks for the very passive aggressive response. It’s appreciated.

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    Mute Glenn Halpin
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    Aug 5th 2020, 7:48 AM

    @Peter Cavey: when hiding behind an alias the anonymity must be soothingly enjoyable for these trolls. Perhaps in some way makes the tears less salty in the attic of mom and dads house.

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    Mute thesaltyurchin
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    Aug 4th 2020, 4:44 PM

    Where did our home grown booze industries go?.. oh right Diageo bought them and closed them down.

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    Mute Michael McCambridge
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    Aug 4th 2020, 5:39 PM

    @thesaltyurchin: Wrong. We lost our export market for booze when we left the commonwealth. Access to the British Empire’s market disappeared .
    Scottish whisky filled the gap. Irish Whiskey distillers lost out.

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    Mute thesaltyurchin
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    Aug 4th 2020, 8:40 PM

    @Michael McCambridge: … and then Diageo bought all the distilleries and breweries.

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    Mute Glenn Halpin
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    Aug 5th 2020, 7:51 AM

    @Michael McCambridge: a whole lot more complicated than that… Involving world war, prohibition, technological developments etc.

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    Mute classic
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    Aug 4th 2020, 6:01 PM

    Jameson is the best

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    Mute Ewan O'Doherty
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    Aug 4th 2020, 4:29 PM

    If I win the Lotto in the meantime I’ll consider bidding

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