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Bishop hits out at 'omerta'

Gozo Bishop Mario Grech has urged the faithful not to be afraid of speaking the truth, for fear that they would be criticised.

He said during the feast of St John the Baptist in Xewkija that society was in a situation where what was said through words and images did not reflect reality but the words of those who should be setting the proper course was absent.

Some, he said, were fearing to speak up because of personal interests.

This omerta' was sometimes becoming comfortable both for individuals as well as institutions.

Some parents had even become mute where their children's behaviour was concerned.

"Why have parents lost their voice when they see the indecent lifestyle which some of their children are adopting? he asked.

No sense of inferiority should cause parents not to speak up, he said.

He said that similarly, most people did not agree with the new forms of the family that were being proposed, but they did not speak up.

"Who was speaking up for the truth on the negative consequences of cohabitation?"

In the economic sphere, there had been institutions which did not say the truth in the past. That led to a deterioration and austerity measures, which hit the poor most.

"Our society needs to avoid a situation where people choose to stay silent to avoid having other people talking about them," Mgr Grech said.

He added that he hoped that the Church too would not fall silent when faced by constructive criticism.

It was the mission of the Church to promote the truth of Christ, he said.

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Steve Pace

Jun 29th 2010, 15:32

eq eq.. careful now ...... you will bring the fires of hell upon to yourself for saying that there is child abuse amongst the maltese priests ..... ;)

Steve Pace

Jun 29th 2010, 15:33

No . It just proves Zammit's statement that

"Mgr Mario Grech, as a real father and shepherd, deserves every praise for his timely advice for our own benefit."

Steve Pace

Jun 29th 2010, 14:40

"and not punishing the evildoer. Being silent when it is our duty to speak out is a sin" .

Smoke them Zammit... Smoke them ! Ride high ...

Steve Pace

Jun 29th 2010, 14:44

"Whenever we think our words may have a good effect, we should not hesitate to admonish the erring prudently."


Live up to your own comments Zammit !

charles caruana

Jun 29th 2010, 12:13

So, Mr. Peters, you have elected yourself as spokesman for Christ have you? And obviously you have a monopoly over Christ’s truth, replacing that of the Church no doubt. And your Christ is a sweet, gentle, mild mannered liberal progressive and secular pal who pats you on the shoulder and shrugs his shoulders whatever sins are committed in the name of that awesome and lawless word LUV, isn’t he?
Are you sure it’s the Gospel Christ you are talking about? For a moment I thought that ‘the reality of Christ in 2010’ was an evolved version of the primitive specimen of year zero.

Joseph A Borg

Jun 29th 2010, 16:30

Care to cite your sources? First citing the Office of National Statistics, UK then refer to "a leading social centre in UK" You spent too much effort in your comment to forget that piece of information out…

Which one?

Jesmond Micallef

Jun 28th 2010, 19:00

History has shown us that rebelious people have either been subdued or "decimated" somehow. We read and speak about "Games people play", indeed, if someone does not play the collective game, he or she is in for it somehow !! Some people or cultures call it "integration", but then again what about the much more interesting social concept of "Image" !!. We seek the truth because we investigate for it. In criminal investigations, we benefit from forensic examinations, psychological profiling, documented evidence, etc etc but when it comes to challenging socially accepted norms, bracing oneself is pretty much order of the day. I do not wonder how people die, but do wonder, HOW PEOPLE LIVE !!! This may be considered to be pure philosophical of course, but then again, philosophical concepts have managed to transform themselves into clearly defined legal principles. So my next question would be, "What does it take for it to happen...., a revolution maybe ?"

Joseph Calleja

Jun 28th 2010, 18:02

Very well said Mr Bonnici. From the looks off the other comments the majority seems to agree with you.

Stephen Spiteri

Jun 28th 2010, 17:59

It is interesting to know within the universal Church there are several sections, the most common one is, of course, the Roman Catholic Church. Then there is the Eastern Catholic Church (not to be confused with the Orthodox which is a different religion). Both of these churches fall under the jurisdiction of the Pope and all believe the same doctrines. In the Eastern Church, priests are allowed to be married. It also happens that occasionally in the Latin Church, pastors from other religions such as the Church of England are allowed to become priests (if they renounce their religion and become Catholic) even though they are married, so married priests can be found in all parts of the Roman Catholic Church.

Joe Xuereb

Jun 29th 2010, 01:15

@ J.Xuereb. I know exactly what you mean man. And I think you understand why this is so. You're not a Xuereb for nothing, after all. And a J. one at that! Welcome on board matey.

Joe Zammit

Jun 29th 2010, 05:26


Joseph, in Maltese we say that the fish stinks in its head. The very first step of cohabitation is sinful that offends God seriously. The continuation of cohabitation is sinful. It separates cohabitants (not their innocent children) from God and puts them on the way to hell. Cohabitants are doing wrong. They are embracing evil. Evil is ALWAYS to their own detriment. That's why cohabitants cannot receive Holy Communion. We must never favour cohabitation.



Joe Zammit

Jun 29th 2010, 05:24


Charles, you are right. The more we draw nearer to God, the more TRUTH will abide in us and the more we speak it out courageously. We can arrive at a state of intimate love and union with God here on earth that the whole of hell can do nothing against us. So we speak truth always and we speak it out in the service of love.


J Farrugia

Jun 28th 2010, 16:13

iddahhakx nies bik jew tahseb li inti biss intelligenti. Din hija l-bluha tal-ghorrief li ghandna ma saqajna. Mhux ta b'xejn ma ssaddux ghax la tafu x'inhi l-vera imhabba, u l-inqas tafu x'inhu moralment tajjeb u x'mhux. Anzi qeghdin naghmlu eroj lil min suppost huwa maqful go habsa tal-perversjonijiet li qed jikkommettu u l-kliem vulgari u oxxen li bih qed niskandalizzaw lit-tfal taghna. Kollha ghorrief hergin it-tfal taghna, kollha jghaddu mill-matrikola fid-dagha!!! U rridu nghallmu lill-isqfijeit taghna. Halluna nghixu. Il-verita tweggaghna. Imma fl-istess waqt, tehlisna.

Joseph Calleja

Jun 28th 2010, 16:15

Why do you think abused children are afraid to speak about their abusers?
Why do you think a lot of gays and lesbians are afraid to come out?
Why do you think that the whistle blower act does not work so good?
We are still living in a cruel world where the victim is considered to be the guilty party.
OMERTA is very alive and well in Malta. It thrives on the oppressed.

Joe Zammit

Jun 29th 2010, 05:23


Ian, that's why all these sound admonitions that are coming regularly from the bishop of Gozo must not be taken in isolation. We must first be one with God to have the power of his grace. His grace is much more powerful than all the 'troubles' that people can pass us through. I said 'troubles' because when we are one with God, God turns those 'troubles' for our own good. He knows how, and no one shall withstand him!

ray sacco

Jun 29th 2010, 15:01

@j.farrugia:
"qeghdin naghmlu eroj lil min suppost hu maqful go habs"l
ghal min qed tirreferi sur farrugia? ghal dawk il membri tal kleru pedofoli li l-isqfijiet ghorief tieghek ghogobhom jostru mil gustizzja?

Joe Zammit

Jun 28th 2010, 16:48


Darren, the truth is one: homosexuality is grave sin. God himself condemns it in the Sixth and Ninth Commandments. The Catholic Church speaks the truth for the service of love. The Church loves homosexuals to the extent that she helps them to come out of their sinful and miserable life to a life of grace and friendship with God.

Mark Attard

Jun 28th 2010, 20:31

@ Joe Zammit: 'sinful and miserable life'???? Int fejn taf x'inhi l-hajja tal-omosesswali? M'ghandekx ideja kemm jien kuntent u ferhan! Ghidli, ghaliex jien daqshekk kuntent u ferhan bhala omosesswali prattikanti????

Kenneth Zammit Tabona

Jun 29th 2010, 00:50

Mr Zammit
Please do desist with this ranting and raving about homosexuals leading sinful and miserable lives. Mr Zammit as unlike you I do not cause such immense hurt by my Radamanthine opinions as you do, and, more importantly, I am, as an openly gay person, most definitely not miserable, far from it. I am surrounded by a plethora of friends men and women, gay, straight, married, separated. you name it, all of whom I love very much and who love me and you may be sure that my good relations with the Good Lord cannot, will not, ever be distorted by people like you whose supposedly Catholic but very un-Christian views are just an excuse to be morbidly sex-obsessed.
Just forget it
And as for Bishop Grech; does he actually wish for the parents of 'erring' youngsters to denounce them in public? Where is he living? As if they care! Everytime the Bishop of Gozo opens his mouth he tries to sow panic. He really is the perfect example of someone trying to bolt the gate after the horses have bolted!

ray sacco

Jun 29th 2010, 14:39

@joe zammit:
you condemn homosexuality as a grave sin......................yet you NEVER, in your numerous religious comments, did you condemn the paedophile clergy members and the way your catholic church concealed (talking about omerta!) and is still concealing these perverts from justice! so how can you ever expect to be credible?

Jesmond Micallef

Jun 28th 2010, 15:30

What about "Mentally Sickness" for political reasons too !!!

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