Editorial

Gozo Bishop Mario Grech's decision to change the parish priests of St George and Santa Maria in Victoria has unleashed a firestorm of protests.

Since his investiture in January 2006, Mgr Grech has displayed vigour and determination in addressing festering sores that have plagued the Gozo diocese. The fact that he is a keen admirer of the heroic Basque Jesuit John Sobrino should be a clear sign that the Bishop of Gozo is a man who is definitely not going to be deterred in his mission of facing up to practices that disfigure Gospel values.

Ironically, while more and more people seem to be abandoning the faith, more and more resources are being devoted to fireworks and outdoor festivities in honour of the parish's patron saint. Too often, the band marches and outdoor celebrations degenerate into exhibitions of noisy and unbecoming behaviour, coupled with an inordinate consumption of junk food and alcoholic beverages that leave a mountain of detritus in their wake.

Worse still, contentious competition between rival band clubs, sometimes compounded by the celebration of secondary feasts in the same locality, are a source of acrimony and fanaticism that at times degenerate into offensive and even violent confrontation.

Such sad realities run counter to the core values of the Gospel and radical reform is long overdue. The village festa should be an occasion for celebration, an occasion for the community to revere the virtues of its patron saint and look up to them as role models who have a message for contemporary society. Christian celebration should be harmonious and inclusive, radiating joy in the community and beyond.

More than ever, in today's world, there is no room for counter witness to the message of the Gospel. The rivalries between the band clubs of St George's, La Stella and the cathedral's Leone have a notoriety of their own. Recently, matters took a turn for the worse when a bitter feud erupted between the two parishes over the Good Friday procession.

This must have been the last straw for the new bishop. He seems to have zero tolerance for such disgraceful behaviour. This should explain why he broke with a 40-year tradition and avoided public consultation over the appointment of new parish priests. No doubt, he must have realised it would have been an exercise in futility. More pertinently, he brought in two new replacements who have spent most of their working life overseas, away from the corrosive hothouse atmosphere of the local scene.

The Church today is facing serious challenges and recent local developments are a strong indication that it intends to face up to them. The deliberations on the implementation of the Synod in Malta show clearly that, at all levels, committed Catholics want to cleanse the festa celebrations from the negative influences that have been afflicting them for years. It is a positive sign that pastors of adjacent parishes within the same district are joining together in each other's celebrations. This gives a clear signal to one and all that our neighbours' happiness is our own.

Undoubtedly, deep-rooted cultural habits are difficult to change, but change they must if the Church wants to have the necessary credibility to spread the Good News. Difficult situations require radical decisions.

Having the Liberation Theologian John Sobrino SJ as a role model indicates why Bishop Grech will not hesitate to take the bull by the horns if this is the only way to uproot parochialism in his diocese.