The Catechism of the Catholic Church has this to say with reference to relics: “The religious sense of the Christian people has always found expression in various forms of piety surrounding the Church’s sacramental life, such as the veneration of relics, visits to sanctuaries, pilgrimages, processions, the stations of the Cross, the rosary, etc. These expressions of piety extend the liturgical life of the Church but do not replace it.”

Following Fr Renè Camilleri’s letter (July 23) regarding the reliquary containing relics of St Sebastian and regarding local feasts, it is clear that a worrying phenomenon is (and has been for quite some time) establishing itself in the local Maltese Church.

There are a number of priests, some quite learned, who are giving the impression that they are gradually distancing themselves from the official teachings of the Catholic Church about matters of great importance and, as in this particular case, in matters of lesser importance. This distancing is sometimes expressed in clear terms and sometimes in a more nuanced and subtle manner.

The end result is, however, the same, that is, confusion among the faithful and the nibbling away at the faith of the “little ones”, that is those whose faith is not strong and is largely uninformed about what the Church officially teaches concerning certain matters. One can never emphasise enough that those Catholics whose faith only pays lip service to the teachings of Christ and the Church delight in agreeing with what they perceive as priests who can confirm them in their thoughts and beliefs and sadly sometimes also in their sins. This is, of course, beside the fact that they can use them for certain ends and even political ones at that!

This phenomenon of members of the clergy expressing opinions that differ from official Church teachings has been with the Church since the very beginning of her existence. What should a local Maltese Catholic who takes his faith seriously and who considers himself or herself a member of the universal Church do in such a situation? The answer can only be one, that is, a good knowledge of scripture both of the Old and of the New Testament and of Church teachings as found in official Church documents, encyclicals and in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Lastly, let us pray for these priests who perhaps, without realising the damage they are causing, wreak havoc in the hearts and souls of many.