Pope: Crime and corruption steal hope.
Francis, on a long day trip to the southern Italian city, addressed a crowd in Scampia, a stronghold of the Camorra clan, Naples' version of the Sicilian mafia: "Those who voluntarily take the path of evil steal a piece of hope"; "How much corruption there is in the world. I hope you have the courage... to clean up the city and clean up society so that there is no longer the stench of corruption," he said.
By Philip Pullella
NAPLES, Italy (Reuters) Pope Francis visited one of Naples' most violent and drug-ridden areas on Saturday and urged residents not to let organized crime and political corruption steal their hope.
Francis, on a long day trip to the southern Italian city, addressed a crowd in Scampia, a stronghold of the Camorra clan, Naples' version of the Sicilian mafia.
"See, evil is not the last word. The last word has to be hope," he told a crowd of thousands, surrounded by children who rushed to sit at his feet.
"Those who voluntarily take the path of evil steal a piece of hope. They steal from themselves and from everyone, from society, from many honest and hardworking people; they steal from the good name of the city and its economy."
He also said that members of organized crime had excommunicated themselves from the Church and that they would be welcomed back if they repented and changed their ways.
"There is so much corruption in the world. I hope you have the courage... to clean up the city and clean up society so that there is no longer the stench of corruption," he said.