Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Catholic News

Home

Home
Catholic
Religion News
Here’s what the Church in Pompei is doing about the mafia

Here’s what the Church in Pompei is doing about the mafia

Last updated on: March 15, 2015 at 9:51 pm by CNA Daily News

Here’s what the Church in Pompei is doing about the mafia 2015-03-15T21:51:00+00:00 CNA Daily News

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Pompeii, Italy, Mar 15, 2015 / 03:51 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Archbishop Tommaso Caputo of Pompei said that his diocese has welcomed the Pope’s recent condemnation of organized crime and has several initiatives in place to help affected families.

“The Italian church has always taken into great consideration the problems relating to the South of Italy,” where mafia activity in its various forms is deeply seated, Archbishop Tommaso Caputo told CNA Feb. 28.

Archbishop Caputo oversees the diocese of Pompei, where Pope Francis will stop to visit the city’s sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Holy Rosary for roughly 30 minutes before heading on to Naples Saturday, March 21.

The archbishop alluded to problems the area faces due to mafia activities and violence, and said that the action of those involved in organized crime “offends man, society, every sense of ethics, religion, the very meaning of 'honor,' and backfires, then, against themselves.”

He then recalled Pope Francis’ recent words to members of the diocese of Cassano allo Jonio, who had an audience with the Pope Feb. 21, exactly eight months after the Pope visited the diocese, where he had harsh words for those involved in organized crime.

In his audience, Francis reiterated to attendees that those who love Christ “cannot call themselves Christians and violate the dignity of the person; those who belong to the Christian community cannot program or carry out acts of violence against others and against the environment.”

Pompei is ready to listen to the Pope, Archbishop Caputo said, adding that Francis’ condemnation of the mafia and his call for their public conversion “have fallen on fertile ground.”

The archbishop also noted how the man known as the founder of modern Pompei – Blessed Bartolo Longo – worked fiercely to combat the “painful realities” of his time, including corruption.

A layman, Longo was originally born into a devout Catholic family, but eventually left the Church with the rise of anti-papal sentiments spurred by the push for Italian unification in the 1860s.

With involvement in the Occult also on the rise during that time, Longo joined a Satanist cult and eventually claimed to have been ordained as a Satanist priest. He eventually converted back to Catholicism through the guidance of a Dominican priest, who encouraged him to pray the rosary.

After his conversion, Longo worked tirelessly to evangelize the people of Pompei and to spread devotion to the rosary. He established the Marian sanctuary of Pompei after receiving an image of Mary from his confessor, which is still hanging in the shrine today.

Archbishop Caputo stressed that from the beginning the sanctuary and the Church of Pompei have always been firmly committed in the fight against organized crime, “because everyone was given the opportunity to earn their bread honestly and to promote the dignity of man and woman.”

“Our social works are still numerous” even today, he said, thanks to the generosity of several orders and institutions dedicated to serving those in need.

He gave a special shout-out to the Dominican sisters founded by Bl. Bartolo Longo, the Daughters of the Holy Rosary of Pompei, and the Brothers of the Christian Schools, founded by St. Giovanni Battista de la Salle.

The brothers operate two day centers in Pompei that serve as a type of boarding school which currently assists more than 200 boys and girls between the ages of 6-18. The youth who attend come from neighboring cities, where activities surrounding organized crime are robust.

In addition to receiving food and classes in topics such as basic subjects and computer skills, the children are also provided with the opportunity to participate in activities such as music, ceramics, sports, theater and dance.

Another initiative run by the sisters helps single mothers and women who have escaped situations of domestic violence, who have the option of staying in a special section of their convent for a period of time if needed.

The Brotherhood of Mercy in Pompei helps to organize and run a mother-child clinic for needy families in Pompei, which is an initiative Archbishop Caputo described as “very active.”

He said that the former workers’ lodging has been converted into three houses designed to welcome women, children and teenagers who find themselves in difficult situations.

In addition, the brotherhood also runs a daily soup kitchen for the poor in the area thanks to the help of the Order of Malta.

The archbishop said these are just a few of the charitable activities going on in the diocese, and expressed his hope that the dynamic of criminal activity in the region will change.

However, he cautioned that for that to happen, there is a need for “a change of mentality in people.”

Europe

Previous Post

March 15, 2015

Pope grieves Pakistan bombings, says world hides Christian persecution

Next Post

March 16, 2015 'Family is not a fad': Dolce & Gabbana spark firestorm in backing traditional marriage

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Americas Asia - Pacific Europe Middle East - Africa Uncategorized US Vatican

Select a Month November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

How many "types" of Psalms are often recognized (e.g., praise, lament, wisdom)?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Five or more Fifty Ten only One