On September 27, the Pope celebrated Mass for the Vatican's security personnel.

In addition to the more colourful Swiss Guard, the Vatican's other security body is its own police force, the gendarme corps.

The corps of about 130 men is responsible for papal security, crowd control in St Peter's Square and safety, law and order within the Vatican.

In his homily, the Pope said a good guardian, like the archangel, "has the courage to get rid of demons" and has the intelligence to be able to pick them out from the crowd.

He said he knows their job is to be like sentinels, keeping watch and guarding entrances, "doors and windows so no bombs get in".

But, "I want to tell you something a bit sad; there are bombs in here" and it doesn't matter if it's "a homemade bomb or an atomic bomb", every single one is "dangerous" and "there are many".

"The worst bomb inside the Vatican is gossip", which "threatens the life of the Church and the life of [the Vatican] every day", he said, because it "sows destruction" and "destroys the lives of others".

While there are many religious and laypeople in the Vatican who are "sowing good seed", the devil is still getting his way by using others "to sow weeds".

Even the Pope is not immune to this temptation, Francis said; it's a danger "for me, too", because "the devil gives you that yearning".

So in addition to looking for the usual security threats, the Pope told the security force to also crack down on backstabbing and courageously call people out.

Stop them in their tracks and say, "Please sir, please ma'am, please father, please sister, please your Excellency, please your Eminence, please Holy Father, don't gossip; that's not allowed here", the Pope said.

Whatever gripes or problems people have, they should take them directly to the people involved without also complaining to the world, he said.

Source

• National Catholic Reporter
• Image: CBC

"This approach is called fraternal correction: it is not a reaction to injury suffered, but is moved by love for one's brother," said the Pope to pilgrims gathered at his summer residence of Castel Gandolfo.