June 14, 2013 (Unmaskingchoice.ca) – In Palmero, Sicily, the question, “And what if somebody did something?” is spray painted all over the city.
It was a question posed often by Don Giuseppe “Pino” Puglisi, who never tired of asking his congregation to take a stance against organized crime. Cosa Nostra, the local mafia on the Mediterranean island of Sicily, had been tolerated by citizens and the Catholic Church for decades. Some pretended the mob didn’t exist. Others were complicit by not speaking out against it. When the young Puglisi was ordained a priest, he didn’t take long to break the traditional code of silence (omertá).
His first parish was in the tiny village of Godrano. Around the time he was sent there, 15 of the roughly 100 villagers were killed by Cosa Nostra. Instead of advocating for revenge, he preached reconciliation. Don Puglisi visited the villagers and urged them to forgive their enemies.
When transferred to a larger parish in a rough neighborhood of Palermo (choosing this parish over some in better neighborhoods), Don Pino became known for his sermons condemning the mafia and encouraging parishioners to help put an end to their vicious rule. He was very outspoken, and was not afraid to call into question local politicians with alleged ties to the mafia. His trade-mark humor complemented his bold homilies. When Church leaders neglected to speak out against the mafia, he relentlessly pursued them to publicly oppose the mob.
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Besides using his words, Don Pino created an anti-mafia culture in his parish. Youth were often attracted to a life of organized crime because of their poverty, or because of a culture of ignorance and idleness. To combat these problems, he tried to give them structure. He made a soccer field for them, and recruited many young men to serve at Mass. Besides filling their free time with activities, he worked to ensure they finished school.
He refused money from the mafia for his church and wouldn’t allow them to lead traditional religious festivals. Parishioners who were brave enough to follow his example by resisting the mafia were threatened by having their front doors torched.
After 34 years of the priesthood, his courageous stance against organized crime cost him his life. On his 56th birthday, in 1993, he was shot in front of his church in Palermo. His assassin, hired by the mob and currently in jail for the crime, later revealed the priest’s final words: “I’ve been expecting you.”
His murder was followed by an increase in resistance to the mafia in Sicily and across Italy. His influence is still feared by the mobsters– the announcement of his progression towards sainthood in the Catholic Church was followed by the discovery of a bomb outside a centre for underprivileged children he founded.
His life is not just an example for those resisting the mafia to follow. We are all called to defend human dignity in the face of injustice, like Don Pino did, even if that means our efforts will be rewarded with violence. His example also challenges us to ask ourselves some serious questions. Are we turning a blind eye to injustice out of cowardice? Are we ignoring evil out of convenience? Are we complicit by our silence?
What if somebody did something?
Reprinted with permission from UnmaskingChoice.ca.