"How many times have we heard — all of us, around the neighbourhood and elsewhere — 'to be a Catholic like that, it's better to be an atheist?'" he asked a morning Mass congregation.

Basing his homily on St Mark's Gospel, Francis quoted Jesus who gave a warning to anyone who 'causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin'.

"Cut off your hand, pluck (your eye) out, but do not scandalise the little ones" - they are the just ones who believe in God, Francis said.

"It is a scandal to say one thing and do another. That is a double life."

Rather than profess Catholicism, Francis said some of these people should also say "my life is not Christian, I don't pay my employees proper salaries, I exploit people, I do dirty business, I launder money, (I lead) a double life."

Since his election in 2013, Francis has often told Catholics, both priests and lay people, to practise what their religion preaches.

He has condemned sexual abuse of children by priests as being tantamount to a "Satanic Mass," has told Mafia Catholics to excommunicate themselves, and has told cardinals not to act as if they were "princes."

Shortly after his election, he also said Christians should see atheists as good people if they do good.

Source

• USA Today
• Newsweek
• Image: Huffington Post