Pope Francis insisted Tuesday that the Catholic Church shun all temptations of power, prestige and money as he pressed his reform agenda amid a new scandal at the Vatican.
Francis outlined his vision of the church in a lengthy speech to Italian bishops gathered in Florence, leaving behind a Vatican reeling from revelations of internal resistance to his reform agenda.
The Argentine Jesuit told the bishops he wanted a church that was humble and poor, and not obsessed with preaching doctrine or acquiring power.
"May God protect the Italian church from every pretense of power, image and money," he told them.
He said Christians shouldn't be obsessed with power "even when it takes the shape of a power that is useful to the social image of the church."
The Argentine Jesuit pope has frequently spoken out about the scourge of human trafficking and the need for dignified work for all.