| CNN | - |
(CNN)
-- Using his strongest language to date, Pope Francis told Italian
Mafia members on Saturday that they are excommunicated from the Catholic
Church.
Pope excommunicates Italian Mafia members
updated 3:22 PM EDT, Sat June 21, 2014
Pope Francis excommunicates mobsters
"Those who in their life
have gone along the evil ways, as in the case of the mafia, they are not
with God, they are excommunicated," Francis said in an outdoor Mass in
Piana di Sibari, Calabria.
It is the first time a
Pope has spoken of excommunication for the Mafia. Excommunication, which
excludes Catholics from the church, can be imposed by church
authorities or incurred automatically for certain grave offenses.
The Pope's remarks will
resonate strongly in this part of southern Italy, where the Mafia are
known to attempt to portray themselves as upstanding religious men in
good rapport with the Catholic Church, in order to maintain local
credibility.
During a one-day visit to
Calabria, the Pope denounced the local mafia, called 'Ndrangheta, as an
example of "the adoration of evil and contempt for the common good."
According to reports,
'Ndrangheta is one of the wealthiest international crime organizations,
with an annual turnover of 53 billion euros ($72 billion), much of it
from the global cocaine trade.
Calabria also suffers
from 56% youth unemployment, which the Mafia exploits with promises of
jobs for disillusioned young people.
"They must be told, No!" the Pope said to a crowd of over 100,000 gathered for the outdoor Mass.
Prosecutor: Pope faces threat from the mafia
Earlier during his
visit, Pope Francis met with relatives of a 3-year-old boy, Nicola
Campolongo, who was the victim of an alleged Mafia hit in January.
Nicknamed Coco, the boy was with his grandfather when they were both
shot and their bodies subsequently burned in a car.
It is not the first time
the Pope has spoken out against the Mafia. In March in Rome at a
meeting with families of victims, the Pope called directly on Mafia
bosses to repent, saying "hell ... awaits you if you continue on this
road."
Some anti-mafia
prosecutors have worried that the Mafia may target Pope Francis, who is
also reforming the Vatican, including its scandal-scarred bank, the
Institute for Religious Works.
"The strong will of Pope
Francis, aiming to disrupt the gangrene power centers, puts him at
risk. He disturbs the Mafia very much," Nicola Gratteri, a prosecutor in
Calabria, told CNN in November.
CNN's Daniel Burke contributed to this report.
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