Vatican 'accepted one billion lire' to bury mobster next to former popes

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It seems the media are finding at least two anti-catholic stories a day now, here’s the latest.

belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/world-news/vatican-accepted-one-billion-lire-to-bury-mobster-in-basilica-next-to-former-popes-16151795.html

*The Vatican is facing a deepening controversy over the burial 22 years ago of a notorious crime boss, with reports emerging that the church accepted a one billion lire (£407,000) payment from the mobster’s widow to allow his interment in a basilica.

A source at the Holy See told the Ansa news agency that “despite initial reluctance” the then vicar-general of Rome, Cardinal Ugo Poletti, “in the face of such a conspicuous sum, gave his blessing” to the controversial interment of Enrico De Pedis, the former boss of Rome’s notorious Magliana gang. The money was reportedly used on missions and to restore the Basilica of St Apollinare, where the mobster was laid to rest next to popes and cardinals after his death in 1990.

Read more: belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/world-news/vatican-accepted-one-billion-lire-to-bury-mobster-in-basilica-next-to-former-popes-16151795.html#ixzz1tW76Ywr6*
 
While its not exactly “good news” I don’t really see the big deal.
 
Why was there even a mention of what the money will be used for? A good end can never justify a bad means, so I don’t really want to know how the blood-stained money will be used. I have a special thought for people in days past who were denied a Catholic funeral because they had committed suicide. Money opens doors, if anyone doubted that, they no longer do. What’s the opposite of “edifying”?
 
Really. Who cares? The man’s dead. The Church says it is a good thing to bury the dead. Who cares where they’re buried? I mean, c’mon. Really. Dead is dead. Where is soul is, has already been decided. Same for the Popes.

Clearly, the real story here is why is the secular press making such a big deal out of nothing?
 
Honestly, why is this such a big deal? I could care less where I am buried at. It doesn’t matter to me if I am buried next to Hitler. Where I am buried has no effect on where I will go after death. It is how I live my life that determines where I go after death. If I have faith in God and follow the Church’s rules and die in a state of grace then I will go to Heaven even if I have to go to Purgatory first. It doesn’t matter where I am buried. Even if I am buried in Antarctica God will have no problem resurrecting my body and giving me a new and glorified body after His return.
 
Stylteralmaldo said:
Could it cause scandal to the Church? Was this a prudent action by Church officials?
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Perhaps it wasn’t a good idea or a prudent action. However, I just really don’t think this should be as big of a deal as people are making it out to be.
 
Pressure mounted earlier this month when a prosecuting magistrate, Giancarlo Capaldo, claimed senior officials at the Vatican knew much more than they were letting on about the Magliana gang’s links to the Holy See, and the gang’s suspected kidnap and murder of Emanuela Orlandi, the 15-year-old daughter of a Vatican official, in 1983. “There are people still alive, and still inside the Vatican, who know the truth,” he said. Some believe Emanuela’s father had evidence linking the Vatican Bank, Istituto per le Opere di Religione, to organised crime, and that she was snatched to keep him silent. The theory is that De Pedis, who was shot dead in 1990, organised the kidnapping.
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Read more: belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/world-news/vatican-accepted-one-billion-lire-to-bury-mobster-in-basilica-next-to-former-popes-16151795.html#ixzz1tZTjRV4V
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This isn’t a big deal?

What about the family of the murdered girl, how do you think they’ll view the Church after this?

It’s been the opinion of many anti-catholics, that the Church hierarchy has been in bed with the Mafia for generations.

This story merely helps confirm their beliefs.

Jim
 
Here in the Northeast its not unusual to hear stories about parishes that were heavily contributed to by “mobsters” as well as charitable programs that were kept alive by “unsavory” characters.

Its not something to be proud of, but its not exactly news or overly scandalous.
 
JimR-OCDS said:
It’s been the opinion of many anti-catholics, that the Church hierarchy has been in bed with the Mafia for generations.

This story merely helps confirm their beliefs.
Jim
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And it won’t matter whether stories are true or not, if they confirm what people want to hear.
 
I don’t know the full story of this, true or not time will tell.

I was thinking of the the " potters field " or " field of blood " purchased for the burial of Judas, and does it seem right to take blood money to bury a mobster in high places ?
Judas wasn’t buried in a high place.

The again looking at Sauls life makes me think well anything is possible for God, Saul wasn’t exactly preaching sweetness and light before his conversion…

If the money was given then I probably don’t agree with it, maybe it was bad judgement, it seemed to be used for good.

I wouldn’t get the feel good factor standing in that Church thinking of how it’s refurbishment came about.
As for the girl, well the Vatican are going to let the place of burial be viewed by the appropriate authorities I believe.
I supposed if it was my child I’d resent a mobster being buried there, repent or not.

It’s a whole lot of he says she says at the moment, just have to wait and see…

It doesn’t matter if he was buried at the Vatican or on top of mount Everest if his soul wasn’t right with God…
 
agnes_therese said:
And it won’t matter whether stories are true or not, if they confirm what people want to hear.
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But in this case, the story is true. The Church took a bribe from the family of a notorious mobster in order to have him buried in a place of honor and prestige.

I’m ashamed to read such things happening in the Church established by Jesus Christ.

What do you suppose Jesus reaction would be?

Jim
 
JimR-OCDS said:
But in this case, the story is true. The Church took a bribe from the family of a notorious mobster in order to have him buried in a place of honor and prestige.

I’m ashamed to read such things happening in the Church established by Jesus Christ.

What do you suppose Jesus reaction would be?

Jim
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Judge not your brother, I’d think.
 
BTW, you guys do know that a billion lire is about $350, right?

😃
 
Also, St Peter is buried in St Peter’s tomb. And he denied our Lord in his greatest hour of need. 3 times.

We do not know the state of this man’s soul, or what he may have discussed with the Vatican privately. The Church gets attacked enough from the outside, let’s be careful before we attack her from the inside.
 
Luigi_Daniele said:
Judge not your brother, I’d think.
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I’m not judging per se, but the fact reported is that a notorious mobster, a man responsible for murder and kidnap, was given a burial place which the average Catholic would not get, because the family gave a bribe to a Vatican official.

I can’t see how anyone can defend this and act like it’s no big deal.

It is a big deal, it’s scandalous.

Jim
 
Luigi_Daniele said:
Also, St Peter is buried in St Peter’s tomb. And he denied our Lord in his greatest hour of need. 3 times.

We do not know the state of this man’s soul, or what he may have discussed with the Vatican privately. The Church gets attacked enough from the outside, let’s be careful before we attack her from the inside.
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You’re comparing St. Peter to a mob boss?

No one is judging the man’s soul. For all we know, he repented and died in the state of grace.

It’s not the point. It’s the scandal of giving a mobster a place of honor for his burial, because of a family bribe, and probably prestige that mafia families have in various parts of the world.

BTW, does a burial plot in Rome only cost $350 ?

Jim
 
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