Pope Francis: a Mafia untouchable?

Pope Francis is certainly making an impact. During his short time as Pope, he’s made statements and overtures that would have unimaginable before his ascension to the post. From reaching out to atheists, and trying to mend the fractured relationship between gay people and the Church, he seems to be the first Pope to recognise that religion can no longer dictate its views to society.

One of the most important social issues (at least domestically) that he has spoken on is undoubtedly the Mafia and organised crime, his outspoken stance a stark contrast to a Church that has previously been viewed as reluctant to criticise Mafia bosses. From attending an anti-mafia day, to regularly speaking out against them, Francis is one of the most powerful and sincere voices to add to the growing tide of anti-mafia feeling.

Although Francis is virtually a social revolutionary by Papal terms, the recent toddler killings will naturally have affected all of Italy, and are sadly the latest in a long stream of killings and attacks on the people that the Mafia claim to protect. Although the Mafia have been heavily romanticised in Western culture, as a sort of honourable gangster, they are nothing of the sort.

Francis is virtually a social revolutionary by Papal terms

The abuses visited upon Italy and Italians by the 4 organisations that comprise the Italian Mafia are wide-ranging and vast. Although the Cosa Nostra of Sicily are the most well-known, the Camorra of Campania, Sacra Corona Unita of Apulia and the ‘Ndranghetaof Calabria are far more violent. Not that this excuses the former, which rules over Sicily with an iron grip, although this grip shows signs of crumbling.

Described as a State within a State, they have a range of techniques, employing everything from demanding protection money to destroying the spectacular Italian landscape with abuvismo (unlicensed construction) and controlling the European drug market, these are immoral associations with lifetime memberships – you cannot leave the Mafia as you would any job. You either enter the vita blindata (the armoured life) or simply die. However, the myths that surround them were persistent until recently.

The recent killings of children has exploded all myths of the Mafia, showing them for the violent and dangerous gangsters they are. Sadly, they have become almost unstoppable, and it has been predicted that they control almost 10% of the GDP in their home regions. All too often, prominent figures remain quiet for fear of being killed, and those that do speak up often are.

It’s this aspect of the Mafia history that makes Francis’ stance all the more important. His prominence and importance to many ordinary Italians means that he is both powerful and essentially untouchable. Any Mafioso stupid enough to order his death would effectively be ordering the death of the Mafia, meaning Francis’ voice potentially has the power to change the status quo in a country that is held in thrall by a band of disgusting, unprincipled and evil men and women.

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