Pope Francis on gossip in religious congregations

Pope Francis on the gossip that goes on in  religious congegrations.

This man is so on the ball. He might be a Jesuit but he seems to have an insight into the nonsense that goes on within religious communities.

How the phones jump with gossip. And how so much of it is nasty. And then all the anonymous comment.

Religious orders and communities must combat "the terrorism of gossip," which is even worse than an occasional physical confrontation, said Pope Francis, a former Jesuit provincial in Argentina.

Meeting today with Italy's superiors of men's orders, which combined have a total of nearly 19,000 members, the pope said the way members of religious orders live should attract people to Christ and the church, and should be a model for other Catholics of creating harmony among a varied group of people thrown together by a common call.

"Please," he told the superiors, "don't let the terrorism of gossip exist among you. Throw it out. Let there be fraternity. And if you have something against your brother, tell him to his face. Sometimes it might end in fisticuffs," he said, causing the superiors to laugh. "That's not a problem. It's always better than the terrorism of gossip."