Pope to Bishops: Stop Ordering Faithful around, Fight Graft

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis is giving marching orders to his bishops, telling them to strongly denounce corruption and to act more like pastors than "pilots" ordering the faithful around.

Francis had strong words for members of the Italian bishops' conference, which opened its annual meeting at the Vatican on Monday. Francis, who is also the bishop of Rome, urged bishops to be more like Christ in showing humility, compassion, mercy and wisdom.

He also complained that the Catholic Church often organizes conferences where "the same voices" are heard over and over, an apparent reference to the practice of hosting only like-minded speakers.

Francis said such a practice "drugs the community, homogenizing choices, opinions and people." He urged bishops to instead go "where the Holy Spirit asks them to go."

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