Archbishop Baturi warns of 'mute suffering' among young people after Rome school stabbing

Giuseppe Baturi, archbishop of Cagliari, said on September 23, 2026 that he was alarmed by the escalation of violence among young people, after a student stabbed a teacher at a school in Rome. Speaking at a news conference, Baturi said such incidents point to a deep distress that shows itself both in attacks on others and in self-harm.

"Violence among young people speaks to us of a distress that turns into aggression toward others, and often toward oneself," he said. The violence is not confined to schools, he said, but extends to other areas of social life.

Baturi called for a firm response from society, politics and the Church. He said it was essential that "educational settings, and schools in particular, should be central for a country."

Baturi, who is secretary general of the Italian Bishops' Conference (CEI), said: "We must invest as much as possible, with intelligence, resources and people, in this truly important task." He said he trusted in the commitment of the many teachers who work every day for the well-being of their students.

Violence is not fought with hatred, Baturi said, but with forgiveness and a genuine willingness to listen to young people. "There is a sign, a cry, a mute suffering that sometimes reaches us from young people and that awaits sensitive people capable of decoding it," he said. He called for serious attention to the emotional and psychological needs of the young.