Concrete, not just verbal, solidarity

Shameful? Dastardly? Despicable? Is there one single word that on its own can describe the vile attack directed last Monday against the Jesuit community in particular and the Church and Maltese society in general?

A coward or a group of them, under the cover of darkness, set fire to seven cars used by the Jesuits in their work in favour of the community. Cowards always find comfort in darkness! In his Gospel, St John mentions that Judas left the Cenacle in the dead of night to perpetrate his cowardly and treacherous act.

All indications so far point to arson. The reason for this has not been proved so far. On the other hand, all indications point to one direction: the Jesuits' stand on illegal immigration and refugees. The attack came days after the Jesuits once more took a public stand on the issue. It was pointed out that last November a similar attack - though on a minor scale - also happened only a few days after the Jesuits had broadcast their views against racism and xenophobia. It could have hardly been a coincidence.

Do the perpetrators of this act believe that because of what they did the Jesuits will change their position or be reduced to silence? Anyone who knows the Jesuits knows that they will do none of this. This formidable society has, in Malta and overseas, always distinguished itself for its determination and courage based on the faith of its members. This is a society of heroes and martyrs, not of half-baked cowards like those who attacked them. What happened will only serve to strengthen the Jesuit's determination to continue their pastoral work in this area.

One can agree or disagree with the Jesuits in principle or on the strategy they are adopting. We happen to agree with both, but have no problem to concede that a different position is legitimate.

Disagreement with someone or something is one thing while an attempt to attack in such a way those with whom one does not agree is totally unacceptable. It clearly shows that such people have no argument to defend their position but to use brute force, which is only the characteristic of brutes.

What happened last Monday reveals a very ugly aspect of our society. It seems that there is a substratum of intolerant and violent people who seek occasions to "celebrate" their violence.

In the Seventies and early Eighties they vented their hate and violence in the political arena under the supportive eye of the police. Some vent their violence during sports or church festas. It seems that now racism is providing them with another venue.

These violent people and their perversion has to be resisted nationally. We augur that the police will not leave any stone unturned in their investigations and will only stop when the culprits are brought to justice.

This is why, at the very beginning of this piece, we said that the attack was directed against the Jesuit community in particular but also at the Church and Maltese society in general. Any violent attack on a section of our society because it exercises its right of free speech is an attack on the whole of society.

No one can rest at peace while these culprits are free. We should be a society that has zero tolerance to violence. Those who resort to these tactics are enemies of our society. Any attack on a section of the Church because of the pastoral work that that section is carrying out is an attack against all the Catholic community in these islands.

In such situations society and the Church should show that they are in total solidarity with the victim. A lot of verbal solidarity was shown by Church, State and civil society. This is right and fitting but not enough.

The destruction of nine cars (seven now and two last November) and the resulting need to replace them will exert a financial burden on the Jesuits. Perhaps their attackers did what they did for this reason. So the Church, the State and civil society must now pass from words to action. The Jesuits should be financially helped to replace their cars.

A Christian Outlook urges readers to send their donations to the Jesuit provincial. It expects similar action from the Church, the State and civil society. Solidarity should move beyond words.