Pope Francis issues dire warning to followers at Vatican Mass: Satan is real

The pontiff warned his followers to look out for the devil’s temptations. On the same day, he asked forgiveness from victims of sex abuse who were betrayed by pedophile priests.

BY Carol Kuruvilla

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Saturday, April 12, 2014, 1:25 PM

Domenico Stinellis/ASSOCIATED PRESS Pope Francis’ Friday homily spoke about the evil that is present in the world. “Some of you might say: ‘But Father, how old fashioned you are to speak about the devil in the 21st century!’ But look out because the devil is present! The devil is here… even in the 21st century!” Francis said.

Beware the devil!

Pope Francis warned followers during a Friday homily that Satan is alive and kicking in the 21st century and that Catholics should always be on guard.

“Look out because the devil is present! The devil is here...” the Pope said during a Mass recorded by Vatican Radio. “And we mustn’t be naïve, right?”

The Pope drew from the Biblical story of Jesus’ temptation while speaking to assembled congregants at his Santa Marta residence, just outside of the Vatican.

Although some may think it’s “old fashioned” of him to talk about the spirit world in the 21st century, Pope Francis said it’s important to be vigilant.

Hulton Archive/Getty Images According to the Bible, Satan tempted Jesus while the Christian deity was praying in the wilderness.

According to the pontiff, one of the temptations the devil sends is the urge to gossip. He acknowledged that he’s plagued by this temptation every day.

“I too have been tempted to gossip!” Francis said. “It begins in this way, discreetly, like a trickle of water. It grows by infecting others and in the end it justifies itself.”

That same day, Pope Francis took responsibility for the sins of priests who had given in to the devil’s temptations.

Francis begged forgiveness from the thousands of children who were molested by priests over the decades.

ANDREAS SOLARO/AFP/Getty Images Pope Francis (in white) meets with the Pontifical Gregorian University, at Paul VI audience hall on April 10, 2014 at the Vatican.

"The church is aware of this damage," he continued. "We don't want to take a step back in dealing with this problem and the sanctions that must be imposed. On the contrary, I think we must be even stronger! You don't play around with the lives of children."

The off-the-cuff remarks came as a surprise, since no pope has ever taken personal responsibility for the church’s sex abuse scandals.

In March, Francis started putting together a commission of survivors and activists to combat sexual abuse in the church.

But the church has yet to punish any bishop for protecting an abusive priest. Some bishops reportedly covered up the attacks by moving priests from parish to parish. The church has yet to discipline bishops for their actions.e Francis Asks For Forgiveess For Sex Abuse By Priests

In the U.S. the Survivors’ Network of Those Abused By Priests said it is waiting for action.

"We beg the world's Catholics: Be impressed by deeds, not words," said SNAP's outreach director Barbara Dorris in a statement. "Until the Pope takes decisive action that protects kids, be skeptical and vigilant."

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