Love of God and of neighbour (5)

What the Judicial Vicar Mgr Arthur Said Pullicino was quoted to have said (October 8) about the possible introduction of a divorce law in Malta was simply shocking!

This monsignor, who presides over the Ecclesiastical Tribunal that hears and decides petitions for marriage annulments (some describe such annulments as “divorce the Catholic Church’s way!”) went so far as to warn judges not to apply the law if and when a case for divorce comes before them to decide. Mgr Said Pullicino also told lawyers to desist from taking part in divorce proceedings and be “conscientious objectors”!

Despite the fact that the Archbishop had clearly stated that it was not a question of “sin” if someone votes in favour of a divorce law but that “convinced Catholics” were expected to abide by the Church’s teachings, Mgr Said Pullicino sort of pulled the Archbishop’s ear by stating that “the Archbishop cannot say anything different from what I am saying”. Which means that once Mgr Said Pullicino has said that all those who “cooperate” in the introduction of divorce, including judges who apply the law, “would be committing a grave sin”, Archbishop Paul Cremona has to say the same thing, even if he had spoken differently!

One now waits to see whether the Bishops will allow the Judicial Vicar to relaunch the “crusade” – which the Archbishop had said the Church did not want – to take the Church and the country back to the infamous 1960s when the Church had imposed mortal sin on those who voted for the Labour Party and about which the Church in Malta had apologised after many years.

The question now arises as to who is actually leading the Church in Malta: the Bishops or the Judicial Vicar and the Pro-Vicar of the Curia, Mgr Anton Gouder?