“God is Father and does not deny any of his children. And God's style is closeness, mercy and tenderness. heart is open to each and every one. He is Father. Love does not divide, but unites".
The Pope says this when speaking of gay people in the book "Fear as a gift" (with Salvo Noé, Edizioni San Paolo), due out next week.
Bringing psychology into seminaries "is very useful in my opinion. Everything that has happened, the sexual abuse of minors by the clergy has dramatically highlighted this problem. Before ordination to the priesthood, we need to realize if there are inclinations towards abuse", says the Pope according to what we read in the book.
"If not recognized, these problems can have devastating effects. The seminary - underlines Pope Francis - is not a refuge for the many limitations we may have, nor a refuge for psychological failings".
In addition to the scourge of abuse, "today the greatest perversion in the Church is that of climbing priests and worldliness. Worldliness that leads to vanity, arrogance, pride. Worldliness kills, as I once said, a worldly priest is a clericalized pagan", says Francis again in the book.
The Pope admits that he too is afraid of making mistakes.
"Sometimes yes, when I have to make a decision, I say to myself: 'If I do this like this...?'. It's a bit scared of making a mistake, isn't it?! And fear in this case helps me, because it leads me to weigh carefully the decisions to make, how to do it and all the rest. It's not fear that destroys me, no no... it's a feeling that makes me attentive: fear is like a mother who warns you".
Francis says so in the book in dialogue with Salvo Noè "Fear as a gift" (San Paolo editions), due out next week.