Father Massimo Biancalani, the priest of migrants and reception, was removed by the bishop for "disobedient behavior."

For nearly 10 years, Father Massimo Biancalani welcomed hundreds of migrants into his "home," the parish of Santa Maria Maggiore in Vicofaro, in the province of Pistoia. The guests were mostly young Africans, living on the streets because there were too many of them to accommodate the places provided by the public reception system.

Yesterday, the parish priest was removed by decision of the Bishop of Pistoia, Fausto Tardelli. They say it's a common clerical practice: camouflaging a removal with a promotion. Biancalani was offered a new, prestigious role, that of director of the missionary office. However, this would prevent him from returning to the parish. This is why Biancalani specifies that if that position forced him to abandon his work of welcoming migrants, then " it seems a bit problematic." He adds that " missions and welcoming, while connected, are not exactly the same thing."

The Curia, rather than supporting him, appears concerned about the parish priest's actions: in the decree dismissing Biancalani, the bishop writes of his " disobedient attitude ." Yet the parish priest has done nothing different from what Pope Francis called for when he called for the Church to be a "field hospital." Nothing that conflicts with Leo XIV 's call to welcome migrants " as brothers and sisters." In practice, however, everything changes. Don Massimo's actions have often been opposed. First and foremost, from the right: Salvini criticized Biancalani on social media, but so have FdI, Casapound , and Forza Nuova. Citizens' committees concerned about "decorum" have also often turned up their noses. There were then some problems with the chaos and overcrowding, given that at a certain point the number of migrants hosted had reached 150. But Don Biancalani and the volunteers of the reception centre, which we recall is self-managed and self-financed, always kept the situation under control.

The turning point, however, came in June, when Alessandro Tomasi , a Melonian, former member of CasaPound, and a likely right-wing candidate in Tuscany, was appointed mayor of Pistoia. He issued the eviction order due to the " serious health, safety, and hygiene conditions" of the parish premises. The bishop—who expressed regret at the decision—together with Caritas decided to move the migrants to eight diocesan facilities that had suddenly appeared. Meanwhile, the parish premises were sealed off with wooden panels. Then came the most absurd step: the raid on the parish by riot police, sent by Minister Piantedosi, who also reported the incident on social media, claiming responsibility for the move. The officers then rounded up the few migrants who had refused the transfer (and who now must have returned to the streets, or worse, to some CPR). Then came the very last act in this story: the removal of Father Biancalani.

Zabatta of AVS has clear ideas: "It's legitimate to wonder whether the decision was influenced by pressure from those who, in recent years, have opposed that reception experience." However, the final word on this matter has not yet been written: Don Biancalani 's work will continue in another parish in Pistoia, that of Ramini. " Ramini was my first parish ," explained Don Massimo, " and until now I have managed it along with that of Vicofaro, welcoming migrants there as well, albeit to a lesser extent. Currently, the parish of Ramini hosts about thirty residents, including some young people transferred from Vicofaro." When will the next eviction order be issued?

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Asia Buconi