Calabrian Bishops speak out against mafia

(Vatican Radio) Following the lead of Pope Francis, the Archbishops and Bishops of the Italian region of Calabria have spoken out strongly against the Mafia.

Listen to Christopher Wells' report: 

In a meeting of the Calabrian Bishops’ Conference (Conferenza Episcopale Calabra), the prelates on Thursday attempted to formulate an ecclesial response to problems associated with organized crime. The President of the Conference, Archbishop Salvatore Nunnari, urged the Bishops to give their own reflections on the problems associated with the Mafia in Calabria, and the attitude the Church must take in the face of this “shameful scourge of society” that for too long has disfigured life in Calabria.

The Bishops took as their starting point the “strong words of the Pope against ‘la ‘ndrangheta’” (the name of the local mafia organisation). The Pope’s words, “appeared even more prophetic,” they said, “after some incidents that occurred in some dioceses” which, “sensationally reported by the media, have caused widespread dismay” – referring to several incidents where mafia figures were honoured during religious devotions, in direct defiance of Pope Francis’ words and actions.

In a press release, the Calabrian Bishops said the mafia “is the denial of the Gospel.” They noted their agreement about the attitudes the Church must preserve and promote in dealing with those who pertain to criminal organizations. Further, in light of the abuse of religion by the mafia, the Bishops re-affirmed that traditional popular devotions “are a treasure to guard and to value as a genuine manifestation of faith”, which must nonetheless be purged of “encrustations and deviations” which risk undermining their authenticity.