Pope tells mafia that they are excommunicated

Pope Francis has told the Italian mafia that they are excommunicated and an example of the adoration of evil.

It is believed to be the first time a pope has used the word excommunication in direct reference to organised crime groups.

“Those who in their lives follow this path of evil, as mafiosi do, are not in communion with God. They are excommunicated,” Pope Francis said during a homily in southern Italy on June 21.

The mafia is an example of the “adoration of evil and contempt of the common good”, he said.

The Pope had been visiting the Calabria region, which is the heartland of the feared ‘Ndrangheta crime group.

Pope Francis said that the Church would use its full force to combat organised crime.

“Our children are asking for it, our young people are asking for it,” he said.

The comments came after the Pope met the family of a three-year-old child who was murdered earlier this year.

Authorities believe that the ‘Ndrangheta are behind the killing, in which two other people died.

A Vatican spokesman said the Pope’s words did not constitute a formal excommunication.

Rather, it was a message that criminal groups had effectively excommunicated themselves, the spokesman said.

But the Pope’s statement is still expected to have a deep impact on members of the mafia, because many see themselves as religious and attend ceremonies.

Many in organised crime in Italy see themselves as part of a religious, cult-like group, take part in sacraments, go to church and in some cases have also had complicity from clergy.

In 1993, Pope John Paul warned members of Sicily’s mafia that they would “one day face the justice of God” and urged Catholics to rise up against them.

The mafia responded several months later with bomb attacks against several churches in Rome.

‘Ndrangheta activities are estimated to amount to at least 3 per cent of Italy’s GDP.

The organisation has spread across the world and has revenues of around NZ$85 billion from drug trafficking, extortion and money laundering.

Sources

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