Central to the story of Moreno was his book, Pensamientos. It was one of the mandatory reading materials for new recruits into La Familia and the “Bible” of the organization. With a subtitle that reads, “Michoacán is a land of liberty and the home of brave men,” and an acknowledgement for “God: to whom I owe everything that I am,” Pensamientos is 101 pages of aphorisms, pixelated images, short essays, and motivational quotations composed by Moreno.
In his trip to Mexico in February, Pope Francis stopped in Michoacán and chastised Catholic bishops, priests, and other religious leaders for not fighting harder against groups like La Familia that offer a life of violence, extortion, and vice. After receiving a traditional souvenir sombrero, Pope Francis urged the faithful of the terror-stricken Western state to reconsider violent choices. “Jesus would never ask us to be assassins,” he said. “Instead, he calls us to be disciples.”
Read Full Article »