Saturday, 26th July 2008

Activities Marsascala was unable to hold

Reuben Buttigieg, Tarxien

I refer to the report in The Times (July 24) regarding the Curia intervention in activities organised by the Marsascala Shop Owners Association and the Marsascala local council.

The report gave the impression that Fr Martin Micallef accepted our invitation to talk. When I personally called him last Sunday at 7.30 p.m., Fr Micallef refused to meet and discuss. I asked him to meet for a number of times and I also repeated the comment that "the Church does not want to meet with us". His only answer was to write to the Vicar General.

I was very shocked and disappointed by the tonality and the attitude the parish priest decided to adopt when he realised it was the association on the other side of the phone. My surprise is also due to the fact that both as an association and also myself personally have always collaborated with the ecclesiastical authorities.

Furthermore, on Monday morning, at 9.30, on the suggestion of the parish priest, we delivered a letter to the Vicar General on the matter. In spite of explaining that the matter was urgent and despite the fact that the activities were supposed to be held on Thursday, the Curia has not as yet replied.

As an association, we understand, respect and agree with the aims behind the regulations the Curia has issued. However, such regulations were not aimed at controlling tourism activities but were meant to ensure proper and just entertainment befitting the village feast. The Curia has no right to use the much-loved village feasts to intimidate commercial and tourism organisations and local councils not to hold any activities.

If the Curia had accepted our invitation to talk and discuss, it could have realised that such activities are in no way linked to the village feast. However, the association and myself were simply intimated by its representatives.

The association and the local council have cancelled the activities notwithstanding the financial implications. The decision has been made in view of the respect that the association and the local council have for the residents of Marsascala who look forward to the village feast. However, the association will no longer collaborate or cooperate with the Church or the Archbishop's Curia until circumstances change.

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Article © Allied Newspapers Ltd., printed on Saturday, November 21, 2009. This article is for personal use only, and should not be distributed.

Comments

Jeremy J Camilleri (on 26/7/08)

I guess the residents of M scala can now enjoy their pagan celebrations.

The shop owners will still enjoy their over the top alcohol sales, fuelled by the multitudes of under age drinkers chucking beer around.

I bet they're the ones who set a fine Christian example Mr. Farrugia!

As to clienst severing ties with the shops concerned...Its lovely to see a Christian of Mr.Farrugia's principles reverting back to the eye for an eye mentality! Prosit....lets chuck the turn the other cheek theory back in the gutter were it belongs......

Alfred Grima (on 26/7/08)

This is the last straw. Marsascala residents are fed up with these useless continuous controversies. Last year we had the saga of the illegal Bombay market where the Marsascala Shop Owners Association were up in arms against the Mayor for not being consulted. This year they are hand in hand with the Local Council against the Church's decision. The people of the south of Malta are more civil than what F.Farrugia thinks. I fully support Carmen Debono. The Marsascala community expect a public apology from the Mayor otherwise a petition will be signed asking for a vote of no confidence and his resignation. Unbeknown to all especially Mr. Franco our Mayor is also the Vice President of St. Anne's Band. He is also in the church's choir so he should have known better not to create such animosities during this week or do we now have to bend over backwards to what Mr.Buttigieg says, after all he is not even a resident in this locality.
HAPPY FEAST Franco.

Franco Farrugia (on 26/7/08)

Is this the way we treat discussions down in the South of Malta?
How can one try to explain the hotheadedness and sheer arrogance of these commentators? Goodness me!
I repeat: I respect Fr Martin and his decisions; but certainly I cannot accept the sheer arrogance of some of his parishioners - as I understand they are.
So, Carmen Debono, in her holy quest to protect the parish activities, speaks of 'WAR' while J. Tonna not only agrees with the previous correspondent but also expresses his belief that feast preparations 'should be spiritual and not mundane' - well, that's a big SHOULD for you. He appears to be dropping from the sky only yesterday and chooses to be oblivious to all that goes on in our festas - please, less hypocrisy!!!!
As to his concluding questions, I think that everyone has a right to question, because at the end of the day, the Church (as in Catholic Church) belongs to everyone, and not, if you pardon my saying, to a bunch of people who get their daily share of excitement of life through waging unnecessary and stupid confrontations in the name of a stupid effigy of a saint.

Scicluna Victor (on 26/7/08)

Does Mr Buttigieg think that the Curia has to stop working what it is doing as he steps in it? SHould the vicar general stop what he is doing just because someone wants to ask something there and then? If summer has 13 weeks, the feast is in need of just one of them. Mr Buttigieg can have all the rest.

J. Tonna (on 26/7/08)

@ J.Farrugia - Prosit, well said. I agree with you 100%. What some do not realise is that the church is celebrating the 'feast' of a Saint and not of a pop star. Therefore the preparations for it should be spiritual and not mundane. The church is doing its best to keep our feasts 'spiritual' (although not yet successful), that is why it had decided to fight all mundane intrusions in it.
@ Rueben Buttigieg - What right have you to discuss the church's decisions on ITS OWN affairs?

Carmen Debono (on 26/7/08)

Hands off Fr. Martin. Mr.Buttigieg, may I remind you that the majority of the Marsascala residents minus a handful of shop owners are behind Fr. Martin's decision. There was nothing further to discuss for in the first place your Association together with the Local Council should have sought the church's consent knowing such activities are soley done by the church just that week before the feast. The remaining 51 weeks are all free to boost Marsascala. Unfortunately you all chose to do these things behind Fr. Martin's back and to crown it all your Association declared war against Fr. Martin and the Curia. What cheek and arrogance. Marsascala belongs to us residents and if it's WAR that you want, WAR you shall have. I blame mainly the Local Council for approving and financing these activities with public money for the people who will benefit are obviously the shop owners. Mr. Buttigieg purposely avoided to mention the activity to be held by Where's everybody with the Mayor's consent right opposite St. Annes Church precisely the Friday the statue of San Gwakkin as the tradition goes gets erected onto the pedestal. The least you can do is ask for an apology.

L Galea (on 26/7/08)

Money, Money, Money,
is a rich man's world

Franco Farrugia (on 26/7/08)

In other comments previous to today's, I saw fit to praise Fr Martin because I know him personally and can vouch for his integrity. I still stand by him - a parish priest's job is certainly no easy task. I am therefore not going to enter into the merits of the M'Scala case.

That having been said, however, there is a lot to be said about J Farrugia's shameful and disgusting reaction to the correspondence of Mr Buttigieg.
If Mr Farrugia describes such commercial activities as 'theatrics', ehmmm.... excuse me, but how much more 'theatrics' are the indoor and outdoor celebrations which we hold for our 'precious' saints? Point made, I hope.
I don't think that Mr Farrugia knows what 'catholic faith' is all about, if he uses it in this context.
Indeed, I can never accept and justify Mr Farrugia's vitriolic words in the name of the Christian faith!!!!!!

J Farrugia (on 26/7/08)

No . You have absolutely no right to interfere in Marsascala's festivities in honour of St Anne. You have 358 days when to hold such theatrics, but not in the week of the much awaited feast. You see, this MSA (whatever its is and whatever it harbours) has severed diplomatic ties with the Maltese Curia and with the Church of Malta. Fine christian and a fine example to your children you are giving Mr Buttigieg. Is this your catholic faith? Shame on you and I hope that clients will sever ties with your shops and all those who are backing you. You see it takes two to tango. Insulting the Parish priest for your own pockets is not christian. And Fr Martin certainly needs no Ruebens to certify to his professionalism and character. He's much more important than Mr Ruben Buttigieg.

Activities Marsascala was unable to hold

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