“An ecclesial co-mmunity lives in joyful and fraternal harmony to the extent that its members walk in the way of humility, refu-sing to think and speak ill of one another.” In his annual Christmas address to the Roman Curia in the Vatican on 21 December, Pope Francis again caution-ed against the destru-ctive effects of negative rumours and gossip that, he said “poisons hearts and leads now-here.”

Focusing on Saint Paul’s exhortation to “bless and not to curse” (Rm 12, 14), the theme of his address, the Pope en-couraged the members of the Curia to refrain from malicious speak-ing and to instead foster an harmonious and joy-ful working communi-ty. “Gossip damages social bonds, poisons hearts, and leads now-here. As people often say: gossip amounts to nothing.”