Pope Francis denounces pursuit of power as "pure paganism" in Christian life.
Pope Francis said that hierarchical advancement within the Church is "pure paganism" and that everyone in the Church is equal in dignity. He emphasized that being an apostle of Christ is not just a matter for bishops or priests but the call of every baptized person. The pope drew from documents of the Second Vatican Council to illustrate what it means to be an apostle today and encouraged Catholics to consider how they relate to others, both in and outside the Church, in light of apostleship.