God will be judge

In his inimitably colourful way, Pope Francis has challenged Catholic priests to be shepherds “living with the smell of the sheep.”

The question arises, however, whether he also wants them to live with the stench of those who sleep with the fishes.

It’s a question of particular currency here in Montreal after the recent garish funeral at the Church of the Madonna della Difesa for Mafioso kingpin Vito Rizzuto.

To “sleep with the fishes” is, of course, the expression made famous in the fictional Godfather series of books and movies. The Corleone family receives a large dead fish as message that a rival gang has just murdered one of their key enforcers, Luca Brasi.