Interview with the Pope: “Pedophilia is a leprosy that there is in the Church and also affects the bishops and cardinals.” “Some priests flying on the Mafia: the public denunciation is rare”
by Eugenio Scalfari
I am 5 pm on Thursday, July 10 and is the third time I meet Pope Francis to converse with him. Of what? Of his pontificate, which began a little over a year, and that in such a short time has already begun to revolutionize the Church; the relationship between the faithful and the Pope who is on the other side of the world; Vatican II ended 50 years ago, only partially implemented in its conclusions; of the modern world and the Christian tradition and especially the figure of Jesus of Nazareth. Finally our life, its sorrows and its joys, its challenges and its destiny, of what one would expect in a hoped afterlife or anything that death brings. these our meetings wanted them because Papa Francesco, among the many people of all walks of life, of all faiths, of all ages that meets in his daily ministry, also wanted to exchange ideas and feelings with a non-believer. And I have this; a non-believer who loves the human figure of Jesus, his preaching, his legend, the myth that he is in the eyes of those who recognize the humanity of great thickness, but no divinity. Pope believes that an interview with a non- Such a believer is mutually stimulating and therefore wants to continue it; I say this because it is he who told me. The fact that I am also a journalist does not interest him at all, I could be an engineer, an elementary school teacher, worker. He is interested in talking to those who do not believe but wants the love of neighbor professed two thousand years ago by the son of Mary and Joseph was the main content of our species, but, unfortunately, this happens very rarely overwhelmed by selfishness, from Francis called “greed for power and the desire to possess.” The defined in our previous conversation, “the shame of the world of which we are all suffering” and the other is the form of our humanity and is the dynamic between these two feelings to build up in good times and bad history of the world. It is present in all of the rest, in the Christian tradition, Lucifer was the angel beloved by God, bringer of light until he rebelled against his Lord tried to take his place and his God rushed into darkness and fire damned. Which things also we speak, but also the interventions of the Pope in the structures of the Church of the adversity he meets. I must say that over the extreme interest of these conversations, was born in me a feeling of affectionate friendship that does not change anything in my way of thinking, but to feel, that is. I do not know whether it is reciprocated, but the spontaneity of this very strange successor of Peter makes me think so. Now I’m waiting for a few minutes in the small room on the ground floor of Santa Marta where the Pope receives his friends and co-workers. He arrives on time with no one to accompany her. He knows that I have had in recent days some health problem and in fact I immediately asked news about it. He puts his hand on the head, a kind of blessing, and then hugs me. System closes the door in his chair in front of me and let’s begin.
*** Pedophilia and the mafia are the two issues on which Francis spoke a few days ago and they have raised a wave of feelings and also of controversy both inside and outside the Church . The Pope is sensitive both to one another that topic and he had already spoken on several occasions, but he had not yet taken as chest especially on points concerning the behavior of a part of the clergy. “Corruption of a Child “he says,” is the most terrible and unclean imaginable especially if, as is clear from the data that I was able to examine directly, most of these facts abominable children in the family or at least of a community of old friendships.’s family should be the shrine where the boy and then the boy and the teenager are lovingly well educated, encouraged the growth stimulated to develop their personality and to meet up with that of his peers. Playing together, study together, learn about the world and the life together. This with peers, but with the relatives who brought them into the world or visas to enter the world as the relationship is to cultivate a flower, flowerbed, to care by bad weather, disinfestandola by parasites, telling tales of life and, as time passes, its reality. This is or should be the education that the school and the full religion placed on the highest plane of thinking and believing in the divine feeling that faces to our souls. Often turns into faith, but still leaves a seed that somehow fruitful soul and turns toward the good. ” While speaking these truths and says the Pope approaches me even more. Talk to me, but is reflected as himself by drawing a picture of his hope that coincides with that of all people of good will. probably – I say – that’s a large part of what is happening. He looks at me with different eyes, suddenly become hard and sad. “No, unfortunately it is not. Education as we understand it almost seems to have deserted the family. Each is taken from their personal tasks, often to the family to ensure a standard of living bearable, sometimes to pursue their own personal success, other times for friendships and loves alternative. The main task of education to the children seem to run away from the houses. This phenomenon is a serious omission, but we are not yet in evil. Not only education but the lack of corruption, vice, disgraceful practices imposed on the child and then practiced and updated more and more seriously as he grows up and becomes a boy and then a teenager. This situation is common in families, practiced by parents, grandparents, uncles, family friends. Often other family members are aware of but do not intervene, ensnared by interest or by other forms of corruption. ” To you, Your Holiness, that the phenomenon is frequent and widespread? “Unfortunately it is, and is accompanied by other defects such as spread of drugs. ” And the Church? What does all this in the Church? “The Church struggle because the habit is eradicated and education recovered. But we also have this leprosy in the house. ” A widespread phenomenon? “Many of my co-workers who struggle with me reassure me with reliable data that assess pedophilia within the Church at the level of two percent. This finding should reassure me but I must tell you that I do not reassuring at all. I consider it very serious indeed. Two percent of pedophiles are priests and even bishops and cardinals. And others, more numerous, they know but they keep silent, punish, but without saying why. I find this situation intolerable and I intend to tackle it with the seriousness it requires. remember the Pope that in our previous interview he told me that Jesus was the example of gentleness and meekness, but sometimes took the stick to drop it on his shoulders of ruffians that fouled morally Temple. “I see you remember very well my words. I quoted the passages in the Gospels of Mark and Matthew. Jesus loved everyone, even sinners who wanted to redeem dispensing forgiveness and mercy, but when he used the stick it appealed to drive away the devil had taken possession of his soul. ” souls – even this she told me in our previous meeting – can repent after a lifetime of sins, even in the last moment of their existence and mercy will be with them. “It’s true This is our doctrine, and this is the way that “Christ has shown us.” But it may be the case that some last-minute repentance to life is concerned. Perhaps unconsciously, but interested in securing a possible afterlife. In that case mercy likely to end up in a trap. “We do not judge, but the Lord knows and judges. His mercy is infinite, it will never fall into the trap. If repentance is not genuine mercy can not exercise its role of redemption. ” you, Holy Father, has, however, pointed out several times that God has endowed us with free will. knows that if we choose evil our religion does not exercise mercy against us. But there is one point I want to emphasize: our consciousness is autonomous and free. It may in perfect good faith to hurt convinced, however, that from that evil will come good. Which is, in the face of such cases , which are very frequent, the attitude of Christians? “Conscience is free. If he chooses evil because it is confident that it will come down from heaven these good intentions and their consequences will be evaluated. We can not say more because I do not know more. The law of the Lord is Lord, to establish it and not creatures. We only know because it is telling us that Christ to the Father knows the creatures that created and nothing is mysterious to him. Moreover, the book of Job delves into this issue. Please remember that we talked about? You should look into the books of the Bible and the Gospel sapienzali when he speaks of Judas Iscariot. There are underlying themes of our theology. “And also of modern culture that you want to fully understand and with which you want to confront.” It’s true is a major point of Vatican II and we will deal with it as soon as possible. ” Your Holiness, there is yet to talk about the topic of the Mafia. you have time? “we’re here for.”
*** “I do not know in depth the problem of the mafia, I know, unfortunately, what they do, the crimes that are committed, the huge interest that the mafias administer. But I’m missing the way you think of the mafia, the leaders, the soldiers. In Argentina there are anywhere as criminals, thieves, murderers, but not the mafia. It is this aspect that I want to examine, and I will read the many books that have been written about it and the many testimonies. She is originally from Calabria, maybe you can help me understand. ” What little I can tell you is this: the Mafia – and Calabria Sicily is both the Neapolitan Camorra – they are not delinquents but acolytes skids are organizations that have their own laws, their codes of behavior, their royalties. States in the state. did not seem strange when I say that they have their own ethics. abnormal and do not appear if I add that they have their own God Is there a God mafia. “I understand what you’re saying is a fact that the majority of women linked to the Mafia by kinship, wives, daughters, sisters, assiduously attending the churches of their countries where the mayor and other local authorities are often mafia. Those women think that God will forgive the horrible misdeeds of their relatives? “. Holiness, the same joint often attend churches, Masses, weddings, funerals. confess I do not believe you but often you communicate and baptize newborns. This the phenomenon. “What you say is clear and the rest do not lack books, surveys, documentation. I must add that some priests tend to gloss over the Mafia. Of course condemn the individual crimes, honoring the victims, how they can help their families, but the public denunciation of the mafia and the constant is rare. The first great Pope who had just talking in those lands was Wojtyla. I must say that his speech was applauded by a huge crowd. ” Do you think that in that crowd cheering there were mafia? far as I know there were many. The Mafia, again, applies its own code and its ethics: the traitors must be killed, to be punished disobedient, sometimes an example is given with the murder of children or women. But these are not the mafia sins are their laws. God has nothing to do, the nor patron saints. has seen the procession of Oppido Mamertina? “There were thousands of participants. Then the statue of Our Lady of Grace stopped in front of the window of the boss who is in custody for a life sentence. In fact, all that is changing and will change. Our denunciation of the mob will not be made once in a while but will be constant. Pedophilia, Mafia: the Church, God’s people, the priests, the Community, will among other tasks these two most principal issues. ” It’s been an hour and I get up. Pope embraces me and wishes me to heal as soon as possible . But I do have one more question: Your Holiness, is working diligently to integrate Catholicism with the Orthodox, the Anglicans … I stop continuing: “With that the Waldensian religious’m top-notch, with the Pentecostals and of course with our Jewish brothers and sisters. ” Well, many of these priests or pastors are regularly married. How will grow over time that problem in the Church of Rome? “Maybe she does not know that celibacy was established in the tenth century, that is, 900 years after the death of our Lord. The Eastern Catholic Church has the power right now that its priests to marry. The problem certainly exists but is not of great magnitude. It takes time but there are solutions and find it. Now we are out of the doorway of Santa Marta. We hug again. I confess that I was moved. Francis caressed my cheek and the car started.
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