418. Corpus Christie: Mafia- Excommunicated
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Celebrants: Fr. Luis
Alfonso Tut-Tun, Mexican Priest
in Service at the Congregation of Bishops,
Vatican Rome.
Pasquale Giannini Deacon in Service at Parish
of Cordignano
Monsignor Fabio Dal Cin in Service Vatican,
Rome.
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One may well ask, what
on earth has Corpus Christie to do with the Mafia and in particular Pope
Francis’ declaration: “You are excommunicated!”
Religious processions
in general but the one of Corpus Christie in particular have always been the
prerogative of the Mafia- the Mafia would have complete control over them, put
themselves at the head of such processions as acolytes and bearers of the canopy
which covers the priest holding the monstrance with the Blessed Sacrament. When
you consider these bosses were, are renown killers and oppressors of the
faithful their participation in such ceremonies can only be deemed as a
sacrilege.
These bosses are now
excommunicated and may no longer take part in such processions, not even at the
tail end of them which comes as a welcomed relief to the rest of us. However,
since not participating in the Church’s religious processions signifies a
notable decline in the power of these bosses, at least in appearance, this will
not go down well with them.
One of the things that
may have caused a great deal of perplexity to people is that the Mafia is
steeped in the Church’s symbols. One famous Mafia boss, now behind bars is
infamous for wearing three Crucifixes around his neck. The name of each Mafia
clan are named after sacred names such as The Holy Cross, The United Sacred
Crown, The Holy Rosary... the Divine this, or the Blessed that, not to mention
the numerous niches hosting statues of saints and sacred objects found
scattered all over their hideouts and homes.
The Mafia’s use of
sacred symbols goes back to, but not only, those symbols used in the Spanish
Inquisition, where we have the cut face as a punishment which was inflicted
upon a traitor as a sign of betrayal. Likewise some bodies were found with a
cork thrust in their mouth, the punishment served upon a blasphemer or in the
case of the Mafia, for someone who “talked”.
Fascinating as all
this may seem to an outsider, the horror of it only comes to touch our lives
when such things become a daily occurrence that the Mafia inflict on others,
either another Mafia member or someone who does not comply with their demands
which in most cases consists in paying the “pizzo”, protection money extorted from people to
allow them to work or set up a business.
In comparison, the
Mafia’s participation in religious processions seems to be of a much less
consequence, but let’s not underestimate that more than one town and city within
the last year has had to forgo their religious procession when some boss or
other was not permitted to take part. Now that none of these Mafia bosses can
participate in any religious procession at all because excommunicated will they
try to stop all religious processions in the whole of the south of Italy?
Of course they will-
but there are also more ways than one to kick the Devil in the arse too...
Maybe, those whom it concerns, would be wise to meditate on that in their
“sacred” alcove dedicated to the god of Evil... Yes, better meditate than end up sizzling.
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