"Those who in their lives follow this path of evil, as Mafiosi do, are not in communion with God. They are excommunicated," Pope Francis said as cited by Reuters.
"This evil must be fought against, it must be pushed aside. We must say no to it," Francis said, promising that the Vatican would apply all efforts to combat such activity.
Francis condemned 'Ndrangheta as the "adoration of evil and contempt of the common good."
"Repent! There is no time to avoid ending up in hell, which is what awaits you if you do not change course," the Pope stated after holding a vigil as he visited Castrovillari prison in Calabria, a region infested by organized crime, Il Sole 24 Ore reports.
Comment: In this truth-lie sandwich, the Pope offers a fairly accurate assessment of the mafia and the responsibility of humanity (not just Catholics) to fight against this (and related) evil. Unfortunately, it is sandwiched between the absurdity of hell and the blatant omission of the very real evils committed by the Catholic Church and its representatives.
Comment: No matter how many seemingly moral statements the Pope makes, it will be hard to take him seriously until he seriously addresses the elephant in the Vatican: the rampant pedophilia and cover-up of offending priests the world over. And he's got a long way to go before clearing out Catholicism of its rampant corruption. See also: