The priest who refused to remain silent was murdered 30 years ago

The story of the priest Giuseppe “Pepe” Diana It reads like a contemporary Christian story of passion.

As a young priest, he called on the community of Casale dei Principe north of Naples to resist the “armed dictatorship of the Camorra.” The Mafia has dominated social, political and economic life in the Italian region of Campania as a parallel structure since the 18th century.

During the 1991 Christmas Mass, he read a long statement against the Camorra, the title of which became famous: “For the love of my people, I will not remain silent.”

“Today the Camorra has become a form of terrorism that incites fear, imposes its own laws and wants to be an integral part of society in Campania. … We ask the Church not to abandon its prophetic role and to summon the capacity to generate a new consciousness characterized by justice, solidarity and moral and civic values.

The priest turned his words into action by organizing people against the mafia and supporting politicians and businessmen who were willing to take on the gangs.

The risks were clear to everyone. Another anti-mafia priest, Giuseppe “Pino” PuglisiHe was killed in Palermo in September 1993.

On March 19, 1994, a Camorra hitman entered the sacristy of the Church of Saint Nicholas. He fired five shots at the priest who was preparing to lead the 7:30 a.m. mass. Giuseppe “Pepe” Diana died instantly. He was 36 years old.

The next day the Pope came John Paul II Tribute to Diana in his angelic noon speech.

“I ask the Lord to ensure that the sacrifice of His servant, like the Biblical grain of wheat that fell to the earth, will produce the fruits of complete transformation, devotional harmony, solidarity and peace.”

Bishop said that during the funeral the next day Antonio Riboldi From Acera:

“The priest died, but the people were born.”

He was referring to the twenty thousand people who crowded the streets of Casal dei Principe to participate in the funeral procession. Balcony after balcony was covered with white sheets in a silent gesture of protest.

Thirty years later, Casal di Principe is a different town. Organized crime still exists, but many Camorra properties have been confiscated and converted into community centres, libraries and facilities for local residents. He is no longer silent, but dares to speak.

In 2015, the Diocese of Aversa asked the Department for the Causes of Saints to begin the process of beatification of Diana. There are no results at the moment.

source: essence (English)