Priest slain by Mafia beatified in Sicily

May 27, 2013

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.

“The Church of Palermo recently commemorated the anniversary of the barbarous assassination of Father Giuseppe Puglisi, who belonged to this presbyterate, killed by the Mafia,” Pope Benedict XVI said during a 2010 pastoral visit to Palermo. “His heart was on fire with authentic pastoral charity; in his zealous ministry he made a lot of room for the education of children and young people and at the same time strove to ensure that every Christian family might live its fundamental vocation as the first teacher of the faith to children.”

“The same people entrusted to his pastoral care were able to quench their thirst with the spiritual riches of this good pastor, the cause of whose beatification is under way,” Pope Benedict continued. “I urge you to keep alive the memory of his fruitful priestly witness, following his heroic example.”

 

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Further information:

• Don Puglisi e' beato, in 80 mila lo acclamano (ANSA)
• Pino Puglisi (Wikipedia)
• Pope Benedict XVI: Meeting with priests, religious people and seminarians (Cathedral of Palermo, 3 October 2010)