Pope excommunicates Mafia

[Xamonas Chegwé]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-27956554

I think the most surprising thing about this announcement is not that the pope has done it, but why the fuck has no other pope ever got close to doing it!

I mean, you are running an organisation that proclaims itself to be the sole expression of god's will upon the Earth, supposedly dedicated to everything that is good and wholesome and the enemy of all evil AND there is another organisation in the same country dedicated to making money out of theft, extortion, drug-running, murder and any other criminal activity they can think of. Seems like a no-brainer to me. You disassociate yourself from them, no matter how many Francis Ford Coppola scenes that might ruin.

But no. We had to wait until now for this to happen. Wonder why.


As I have said before, I quite like this pope. He's as batshit crazy as the others but at least he walks the silly walk as well as talking the silly talk. He seems genuinely determined to reform the catlick church into what he believes it ought to be and FAR less inclined to sigh and bow to political expediency than any of his predecessors.


I give him 3 months before he sleeps with Luca Brasi and the fishes...

[Svartalf]

LOL.... see if actual priests in maffia ridden parishes will deny sacraments to notorious made mmen.

[cronus]

This Pope is making himself enemies in all the wrong places. I expect a accident, someday soon.

[Faithfree]

And he has given up bullet-proof Popemobile too. Bad timing?

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world ... 38978.html

[cronus]

And he has given up bullet-proof Popemobile too. Bad timing?

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world ... 38978.html

Martyr me, way to go, eternal fame guaranteed via the dead Kennedy effect.

[klr]

Too little, too late. Still, it would have made for an interesting plot twist in The Godfather.

[JimC]

"Will someone rid me of that turbulent priest!"

[klr]

"Will someone rid me of that turbulent priest!"

What's the New Juisey Italian version of that?

[MrJonno]

Considering there doesnt seem to be (at least publically) known child abuse from the mafia and they are into their honour shit I don't see why the mafia doesnt just disown the church and improve its social standing

[piscator]

"Will someone rid me of that turbulent priest!"

What's the New Juisey Italian version of that?

"Waddayagonnado?"
"Oh fuggetaboutit. They'll whack him like the first John Powl, God rest his soul." [makes sign of the Cross]

[Xamonas Chegwé]

We have a "sign of the cross" smiley. (Looks cross to me)

[mistermack]

Actually, it sounds simple. The mafia are complete bastards. Excommunicate them.

But it's not simple at all. It's not that easy to escape the catholic church.

If you are excommunicated, you are STILL a catholic. You are still obliged to attend mass.
There is no mention of you going to hell because they excommunicated you. You just can't do priestly things (which will upset few mafiosi) or receive communion.

I suppose the only actual effect that excommunication has, that a believer might fear, is that you can't receive the sacraments. Which means that you can't receive absolution for your sins.
So in mafia terms, you can't just kill someone, then go to confession, confess it and get forgiven and start again with a clean sheet.
But of course, if you slip the priest a few Euros, or threaten his family, he'll probably give you all the absolution you want. Most of them have brothers or cousins who are bishops anyway.

God would understand these things. It's business.

[Seabass]

I've always wanted to be excommunicated. Maybe I should join the mafia...

[Azathoth]

When he freezes all the mafia money resting in the Vatican bank then I will take some notice

[MrJonno]

The Mafia are paragon's of virtue compared to the Catholic church, I would rather having the Mafia running schools than priests