PALERMO, Sicily (CWN) and (Zenit) — Father Giuseppi (Pino) Puglisi, who was born in 1937 and slain by the Mafia in 1993, was beatified as a martyr on May 25 in Palermo, Sicily’s capital. Cardinal Salvatore De Giorgi, the archbishop emeritus of Palermo, presided over the beatification Mass, at which 45 bishops, 800 priests, and 80,000 faithful were in attendance.
After reciting the Angelus on May 27 in Rome, the Holy Father commented on the beatification of Fr Puglisi, an Italian priest from Palermo who was murdered in 1993 by the local mafia after converting many youth in the area.
“Teaching them according to the Gospel,” the Pope said of Blessed Puglisi, “he snatched them out of the hands of organized crime, and so they tried to defeat him by killing him. In fact, however, he is the one who won, with the risen Christ.”
The Holy Father lamented the men, women and children who are exploited in slavery and prostitution.
“The mafia is behind this exploitation and slavery,” the Pope said.
“Let us pray to the Lord that he convert the hearts of these people. They cannot do this! They cannot make us, their brothers, slaves! We must pray to the Lord! Let us pray that these mafiosi convert to God and praise God through the shining witness of Don Giuseppe Puglisi, and let us treasure his example!”