During a pre-Christmas address to cardinals, Pope Francis openly criticised the Vatican's top bureaucrats as he pointed out to a list of ailments, including "spiritual Alzheimer's" and "the terrorism of gossip," that the Curia seems to be suffering from.
According to the BBC, the Pope said the Curia - the administrative pinnacle of the Roman Catholic Church - was suffering from 15 "ailments", which he wanted cured in the New Year.
He also criticised the clerics who were obsessed with their own images.
Demanding reform of the curia, the Pope said that some power-hungry clerics were guilty of "cold-bloodedly killing the reputation of their own colleagues and brothers".
The Pope also criticised the church's civil servants for lack of team spirit and urged the elite members to reach out to the poor and needy.
