In his annual address to the Roman Curia this time last year Pope Francis listed 14 of their “diseases”. These included gossiping, cliques and poor co-ordination. As Christmas presents go it was a bit like handing out pieces of coal.  Although Francis put his finger on the problems in 2014, it was a speech that went down badly among many who work in the Church’s central administration.  Aware that last year might have had a demoralising effect, the Pope this year was in a more generous, festive spirit.  This time he praised their “commitment and dedication” and that “diseases and even scandals cannot obscure the efficiency of the services rendered to the Pope and to the entire Church by the Roman Curia”. Francis added th