“‘The Catholic Church is becoming our Soros’ – Growing scandal around Italian Catholic Church funding illegal immigration, pro-refugee activists brag about not having to work due to Church donations,” by Grzegorz Adamczyk, Remix News, December 18, 2023:
A significant scandal has recently shaken the Catholic Church in Italy, as reported by La Verita Italian paper. Investigations by the city of Ragusa prosecutor’s office have exposed the involvement of certain Italian dioceses in funding Mediterranea, an organization responsible for the illegal migration of African immigrants to Europe.
These dioceses have allegedly contributed at least €2 million, with some of the Church’s payments ending up in the personal accounts of pro-immigration activists, according to Polish newspaper wPolityce.
Key figures in this informal network of bishops include Cardinal Matteo Zuppi of Bologna, Archbishop Corrado Lorefice of Palermo and several others, with Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich of Luxembourg also implicated for donating €25,000.
The scandal’s central figure is Luca Casarini, a leftist activist known for his role in the 2001 G8 summit protests in Genoa. He later became involved in transporting illegal immigrants to Lampedusa. Casarini’s relationship with Pope Francis, beginning in December 2019, has raised eyebrows, especially after Francis invited Casarini to participate in the Vatican Synod of Bishops, despite his lack of active involvement in Church life….
The chaplain of the Mare Jonio, Fr. Mattia Ferrari, a priest known for working in pro-refugee circles, said with astonishment: “The Catholic Church is becoming our Soros,” in reference to the funding they were receiving.
Commentators are debating whether these bishops acted independently or under Pope Francis’ direction, with most leaning towards the former. Their actions, aimed at aligning with the pope’s perceived interests, might result in decreased donations from parishioners and damage the bishops’ credibility….