The rector of the Dominican parish in whose church Giovanni Falcone is buried, where last April 10th a Mass was celebrated for the 25 years of marriage of a couple convicted of mafia, said he was shocked and saddened by the incident and promised new more stringent rules to avoid incidents of this kind. We didn’t know who they were, he explains, underlining that the offering will go to the fight against the mafia
Vatican News
The mafia seeks every opportunity to infiltrate civil society and the Church: for our part, we will monitor rigorously and with new and more stringent rules to prevent similar episodes from repeating in the future.” This was underlined by Dominican Father Sergio Catalano, in reference to what happened in the church of San Domenico in Palermo – of which he is rector – when, last 10 April, a mass was celebrated for the silver wedding of Tommaso Lo Presti and Teresa Marino, both convicted of mafia charges.
No acquiescence towards the mafia
The news, we read in a statement from the rector himself also signed by the prior of the convent of San Domenico in Palermo, “has rightly aroused outcry and indignation both for the excommunication that the Church has imposed on the mafiosi, and for the presence in San Domenico of remains of judge Giovanni Falcone, hero of the fight against the mafia”. It is therefore explained how “there was no choice of acquiescence towards the reality of the mafia or – worse – of connivance with it” and that there was no awareness of the identity of the people “who showed up to ask to celebrate the ritual religious in our Church”.
The Church of Blessed Puglisi and Pope Francis
The Dominican fathers are united and firm in their condemnation of the mafia, underlines Father Catalano, who said he was “shaken and saddened by what happened”, also recalling his role as prior of the Dominican community in 2015, when it was decided to transfer the remains of Giovanni Falcone in the church of San Domenico. “That gesture was intended to be the symbolic recognition of the role of the magistrate for the redemption of Sicily and, from the point of view of the Church, of the very high evangelical value of his work and his sacrifice,” he writes, adding: “We are the Church of Blessed Pino Puglisi and Pope Francis and for us there is no other Church”.
No salvation without repentance and conversion
As regards the value of the rite celebrated, the first letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians is recalled and it is reiterated that “no salvation is possible outside of a perspective of repentance and conversion” and that mafiosi must not believe “that they can access the sacraments with subterfuge of any kind.” Furthermore, the sum of 400 euros donated by the couple will be made available – like all the other offers – for social purposes and in particular will be allocated to initiatives to support the fight against the mafia. “I believe – concludes Father Catalano – that this is the only possible restitution, in analogy with what happens for assets seized from the mafia and destined for civil society”.
