At a Friday meeting and prayer vigil with families of mafia victims, Pope Francis shared his sympathy with them, and then forcefully exhorted mafiosi to convert and change their lives.

“I wish to share with you a hope, and it is this: that the sense of responsibility will slowly, slowly win out over corruption, in every part of the world,” the Roman Pontiff said March 21 to members of the Libera Foundation, an organization dedicated to fighting organized crime across Italy.

“This must begin from within, from the conscience, and from there restore, restore behaviors, relationships, choices, the social fabric, so that justice will flourish, take root, and take the place of iniquity,” he said at Rome’s St. Gregory VII parish to some 700 family members of mafia victims.

He continued, saying, “I know you feel this hope strongly, and I want to share it with you, to tell you I’ll be with you again, this night and tomorrow … even if I cannot physically come, I’ll be with you in this way, which requires tenacity, and perseverance.”

The Pope thanked the participants for their openness, “for telling your story of pain, and hope. This is very important, especially for the young!”

“I wish to pray with you – and I do this from my heart – for all the victims of the mafia.”

He referred to Tuesday’s killing of a family in Taranto, in which a convicted murderer, his girlfriend, and her 2-year-old son, were forced off the road by gunmen who riddled their car with bullets. He called it “a crime that has no mercy, not even for a baby.”

“But at the same time we pray together, all of us, asking for the strength to keep going,  to not be discouraged, but to continue to fight against corruption.”

Turning to those involved in organized crime, Pope Francis said, “I feel that I cannot conclude without saying a word to the protagonists who are absent today -- the men and women mafiosi. Please change your lives, convert yourselves, stop perpetrating evil!”

“And we pray for you. I ask this on my knees. It is for your good … the power and money that you have now from many dirty dealings, from many mafia crimes – blood money, power gained with blood – you cannot bring them with you to the next life.”

He urged them: “Be converted, you still have time, so as not to end up in hell. That is what is waiting for you if you continue on this path.”

“You have a father and a mother: think of them. Cry a little, and be converted.”

Concluding, he led the participants in praying a Hail Mary.

The Libera Foundation was established in 1995 with the goal of encouraging society to fight against organized crime and to promote justice, and is chaired by Fr. Luigi Ciotti.

According to the Transcrime research center, the mafia has its strongest presence in the North-Western and central regions of Italy, and is responsible for the majority of the illegal activity in the country, the most important of which include sɛҳuąƖ exploitation, firearms trafficking, drugs, counterfeiting, gambling, illegal waste trafficking, illegal tobacco trafficking, usury, and extortion.


http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/pope-francis-expresses-solidarity-with-victims-of-mafia-violence/

It's about time someone contemporary condemned the mafia.  I'm so sick of how it's been glamorized, especially by the film industry.

The pope was telling the Mafia to give up their sin or go to Hell.

It would have been nice if Pope Francis had sent the same message to Galtieri, the military dictator of Argentina before he invaded the Falkland Islands and thousands of people were killed.

Quote from: Ladislaus

I'll be honest that there's a lot that I like about Francis.  He's someone I'd want to go to Confession to (if I felt 100% about the validity of his ordination of course).

I get tired of reading all the bitter Drolesky articles.

Some of his criticisms of Traditional Catholics ring true.

Only problem I have with him is his denial of EENS.  But then again his root theology is identical to that of most Traditional Catholics.

According to Francis, Jesus became a sinner for us and Mary called God a liar.

So you might have to wait behind our Lord and His Mother in line while waiting for Pope Francis to hear your confession.

Hey, but he told Mafioso they'll be going to Hell if they don't repent!!  So ALL'S GOOD!!

Honestly, I don't know how any Trad would want to go to Francis for confession.  It sounds sacrilegious to me.