Pope Francis used a visit to the central Italian town of Assisi -- where his namesake Saint Francis of Assisi once lived -- to deliver a message to the whole of the Roman Catholic Church:

Shun vanity, pride and other worldliness, and get back to the important business of helping the world's poor.

(SOUNDBITE) (Italian) POPE FRANCIS, SAYING:

"It is ridiculous that a Christian, a true Christian, that a priest, a nun, a bishop, a cardinal, a pope, would wish to go down the road of worldliness. That would be a murderous attitude. Spiritual worldliness kills, it kills the soul, kills people, kills the Church."

His message, he said, applied to the lowliest priest on up to the pontiff himself.

It comes just one day after more than 300 African migrants drowned, or are feared drowned, when their boat sank off the Italian coast.

Setting aside his prepared speech, a visibly moved Pope referenced the disaster in off the cuff remarks, calling this a "day of sorrow