Frances on Tuesday asked God to transform rigid, judgemental "hearts of stone" into softer ones made "of flesh" that "know how to listen".
"May the Lord soften the rigid hearts of those who always follow rules and condemn anything outside these norms," Francis said in a sermon as he celebrated mass at the Vatican's Santa Marta hotel where he lives.
"These people don't know that God's tenderness can replace a heart of stone with one made of flesh," Francis went on.
Those with "closed, stubborn, pagan hearts" who only judge but don't know how to listen "make the whole Church suffer," Francis said.
"They only know how to condemn, but don't know how to say 'explain that to me'. "
"They are closed off, they know everything already and don't need explanations."
