Pope Francis on Thursday warned Catholics against "excessively rigid attitudes which sadden the Holy Spirit," Vatican Radio reports.
"Attachment to rule-following makes us ignore the Holy Spirit," Francis said as he celebrated mass at the Vatican's Santa Marta residence.
It doesn't allow the power of Christ's redemption to come to the fore with the Holy Spirit," he stated.
''We can ask ourselves at any moment shall I ignore the Holy Spirit today? And do I know that if I go to mass on Sunday, this is enough?"
"But this is a tepid, half-hearted existence that saddens the Holy Spirit," Francis stated.
He urged Catholics to learn to continuously open themselves up to God through prayer.
"In this way, you won't become bewitched fools or men and women who sadden the Holy Spirit," the pontiff stressed.
