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September 4, 2014

Mafia boss threatens anti-mob activist priest

Father Luigi Ciotti, founder of the Italian anti-Mafia group Libera, attends a prayer service with Pope Francis for victims of the Mafia in Rome in this March 21 file photo. Police in Sicily said they overheard an imprisoned Mafia boss tell a fellow pris oner that Father Ciotti was "a priest to be eliminated."

ROME - The Italian bishops' conference has sent a message of solidarity to Fr. Luigi Ciotti, founder of Libera, a network of Italian anti-Mafia associations, following an apparent threat to his life from a Sicilian Mafia boss.

Published in International
June 24, 2014

Pope condemns mafia, says members are excommunicated

Pope Francis uses incense as he celebrates a Mass attended by 250,000 people in Sibari, in Italy's Calabria region, June 21. During his homily, the pope said "mafiosi" are not in communion with God and are excommunicated. The Calabria region is home of t he 'Ndrangheta crime organization, known for drug trafficking.

VATICAN CITY - In the stronghold of an Italian crime syndicate believed to be richer and more powerful than the Sicilian Mafia, Pope Francis said, "Those who follow the path of evil, like the mafiosi do, are not in communion with God; they are excommunicated!"

Published in Vatican