Pope Francis visited Hope and Charity Mission in September 2018 on a visit to Palermo for the 25th anniversary of the death of Blessed Pino Puglisi, who was killed by the mafia.
Rossi said that at the end of Conte's most recent period as a hermit, Conte had sent letters and appeals to his organization urging them "to change society for the better, making just laws."
"He has invited us not to fall into negative addictions (alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, betting games, fashions which do not respect the body)," Rossi continued.
"He invites each of us to do our part to radically change this society so as not to leave anyone behind," Rossi said. "Let us not leave Brother Biagio alone in this battle for a better world, let each of us do their part."
Conte's latest appeal to the media decried violence and evil transmitted through television, computers, and cell phones.
"We are bombarded and crushed every day by so much negative news, violence, killings, macabre facts, sexual abuse, terrible and inhuman events," he said.
He expressed concern that the negative images and information were detrimental to children, young people, "and all those who freely and at all times see and consume and fill themselves with this bad and unjust vision and information."
Conte also said that "all this that is negatively transmitted is garbage; it damages every individual and the whole of society."
Hannah Brockhaus is Catholic News Agency's senior Rome correspondent. She grew up in Omaha, Nebraska, and has a degree in English from Truman State University in Missouri.