Corruption has been condemned in no uncertain terms by Pope Francis.
He said that the corrupt should be tied to a rock and thrown into the sea.
In this, he quoted “Jesus says: It would be better for him if a millstone were put around his neck and he be thrown into the sea.” The passage is from the New Testament’s Gospel of St Luke.
The Jesuit Pope has given a number of fire-and-brimstone sermons since his election in March and this was said to be one of his strongest so far.
He pointed to Christians who lead “a double life” by donating money to the Church while at the same time stealing from the state. He called them sinners who deserve punishment.
The Pope described people engaged in corruption as “whitewashed tombs”, explaining that “they appear beautiful from the outside, but inside they are full of dead bones and putrefaction.” A life based on corruption is “varnished putrefaction”, the Pope said.
It was the second time in only a few days that he focussed attention on the evil of corruption.
On Friday he singled out people who grow wealthy from graft and use the tainted money to shower their children with gifts and send them to expensive schools.
“Those who take kickbacks have lost their dignity and give their children dirty bread”, he said.
Corruption was as much of an addiction as taking drugs — “We might start with a small bribe, but it’s like a drug,” he said.
He prayed “that the Lord may change the hearts of those who worship the kickback god”.
