Pope Berates Mafia

[ChillDoubt]

http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26693318

That's all very commendable but shouldn't he be concentrating on matters a little closer to home first?
People in glass houses and all that.....

[naomi24]

Indeed.

[douglas9401]

Did you mean pedalos?

[LazyGun]

Could it have been speedos? No one likes seeing an old bloke in a speedo - no one :)

[naomi24]

"Blood-stained money, blood-stained power, you can't bring it with you to your next life. Repent," he said.

I don't think he can be much good at history.

[LazyGun]

Buddha is another religion entirely, surely? :)

[Gromit]

Not sure if you are attacking the Pope of one year, or the whole Catholic Church?

I am not bothered about either, but I think that the Pope denouncing mafia gansterism is on the whole, a good thing.

I doubt anyone will take any notice of him, but at least he is making the right noises.

[wolf63]

Are the Mafia all Catholics? I know that may seem a stupid question to ask but my grasp of world affairs is limited.

[LazyGun]

I think so ,Wolfie. Strongholds and birthplace of the mafia was Sicily and Napoli, so I would imagine the vast majority of those involved would have been brought up Catholic. Whether someone who indulges in serious criminality can continue to think of themselves as a devout catholic is another question entirely, and also suggests a degree of cognitive dissonance amongst those who do.

I think the Catholic Church and the Mafia have long been associated in peoples minds by money - a strong suspicion that Mafia funds have been channelled into the Catholic Church for money laundering purposes.

[LazyGun]

I am already there, Jordy :) I was just having a bit of fun with various plays on words ( peedo/ speedo; budder/buddha ) but you know, feel free to go ballistic and take offence if you want to. It is a free country, after all.

[Gromit]

Isn't the whole Confession, Penance and Absolution thing a bit of an encouragement to wrong-doers?

[ChillDoubt]

Not sure if you are attacking the Pope of one year, or the whole Catholic Church?
---------------
I'm bewildered at the stance of the man who is head of the Catholic Church, renowned and infamous for failing to adequately deal with, how can I put it, errant clergymen nor report them to Police, preferring to deal with matters 'in house' and sweep it under the carpet.
At least the chap before him made some attempt to get the ball rolling:

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jan/17/pope-benedict-defrocked-400-priests-child-abuse

[ummmm]

Pope Benedict is no longer the head of the Catholic church.

[LazyGun]

I think Chill knows that, umm.

Actually, I thought at one point that Ratzinger was considered part of the problem with respect to the manner in which the church handled paedophiles within the priesthood.

He was part of the inquisition or the Churches Internal Affairs department, which was in a large part responsible for shuffling many of these Priests from diocese to diocese, wasn't he? (Before he was Pope, I mean)

[ChillDoubt]

ummmm

Pope Benedict is no longer the head of the Catholic church.
------------
I thought I'd indicated that with the paragraph beginning:
At least the chap before him......

Evidently not.

[emmie]

he should beware of putting the popeship in the spotlight, for fear of horses heads in his beds, or that they will start taking some of the money back, they have been hand in hand for years, time for the clean up in their own backyard before commenting on others