Pope Francis Excommunicates Members of the Mafia

Since he has assumed the papacy, Pope Francis has made no secret of his disdain for organized crime. This weekend, he informed members of the Italian mafia that they were being formerly thrown out of the church. During a service on Saturday, the pope said, “Those who in their life have gone along the evil ways, as in the case of the mafia, they are not with God, they are excommunicated.” Up to now, no pope has ever excommunicated any members of the mafia. As CNN notes however, his strong anti-crime stances may actually make him a target for mafia leaders. A prosecutor from southern Italy told the news agency, “The strong will of Pope Francis, aiming to disrupt the gangrene power centers, puts him at risk. He disturbs the Mafia very much” …