Klaus Vella Bardon
Reforming the Church in Malta?
The recent divorce campaign and the unhappy case of sex abuse have given the opportunity for anti-Catholics, pseudo-Catholics and Philistines to vent their spleen against the Church. Some even seemed to be concerned about the welfare of the Church while working relentlessly to undermine the very values that underpin a Christian society.
Martin Scicluna is a prime example. He gloats over the “debacle” of the Church in the divorce referendum and with pompous arrogance proposes a road map for the renaissance of the Church in Malta. With his predictable style, he flogs the same hackneyed arguments to death and has the temerity to pretend that he is concerned about the welfare of the Church in Malta. It’s a case of the wolf portraying himself as the sheepdog.
He insists on emphasising that it is only now that the Church has been trying to address the issue of sexual abuse by members of the clergy. There were never any impediments to anybody to bring accusations of abuse to the attention of the police and the public authorities. His cheap and unfair attempt to flatter the Archbishop at the expense of his predecessors does not cut any ice with those of us who were not born yesterday.
Both in the secular domain as well as that of the Church, such issues were previously not given publicity. Now we have gone to the other extreme.
Exposing abuse by the media is one thing. Giving us sensational and prurient details of such sensitive cases is nothing less than gutter journalism, irrespective of whether the abuser is a Catholic or otherwise. Unfortunately, the media seems to have failed to distinguish between the principle of “what is in the public interest” and its corrosive counterfeit of “what interests the public”.
Contrary to what Mr Scicluna insists there is no reason that the Church should be held financially liable for failings of individual members unless it is proven that the Church authorities were culpably responsible of mishandling such grave issues.
It is a prerogative of a civilised society that people are entitled to the due process of law when being accused of misdemeanours. Such investigations take their time and I am sure he must be aware that even criminal proceedings in court do not work at the speed of light!
With regard to the Church’s stand on divorce, Mr Scicluna is right to complain that the Church failed to convincingly explain to the public the negative long-term social consequences of divorce legislation, which are not just a Church-related issue. In this, the Church was handicapped by a number of factors.
The media, with few exceptions, even under the guise of so-called debate, canvassed shamelessly in favour of divorce. Worse still, the divorce debate was contaminated by partisan politics. True to form, with the exception of a handful of its MPs, the Labour Party lived up to its anti-Church reputation and promoted divorce for all it was worth. Labour sympathisers even resorted to exorcising the demons of the 1960s in order to stifle the Church from making its views heard in the public sphere.
Unfortunately, public opinion has been brainwashed into swallowing uncritically the PL’s version of that sad chapter in our history. Revisiting that turbulent phase in our recent history is painful. Yet, in order to achieve authentic reconciliation, the Church in Malta has a grave and long neglected obligation to enlighten and inform our society of why events unfolded as they did.
As regards the referendum, the greatest failing of the Church was in its own ranks. The Church does not consist of just the hierarchy and the Curia. This is a puerile concept.
The Church includes all its members and they have been found wanting. The Archbishop has been let down by a flock that is largely indolent, indifferent, uninformed and unprepared to stand up and be counted with too many placing partisan and narrow self-interests above any other consideration.
This was further compounded by the constant sniping at the Church authorities by renegade priests who were more interested to be politically correct and pander to the mood of the media-driven opinion.
These confused messages, even by leading Churchmen, should have been nipped in the bud. With friends like these, who needs enemies? The Church authorities should have pre-empted this manoeuvring and publicly and clearly censored those who refused to be loyal to its teachings. Mgr Anton Gouder, having the thankless task of being the Church’s pro-Vicar, was attacked on both fronts.
As to the welfare of the Church, Mr Scicluna can rest assured that there are still many of us who can make the distinction between wolves and sheepdogs.
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Jackson Levi Said
Sep 5th 2011, 10:06
What a mess of an article. I would like to know where the author gets his facts from, I do agree that there were elements of brainwashing involved in the recent referendum, but the article fails to enumerate any from the IVA side. I would also like to know what were the handicaps of the church during the referendum, from my viewpoint they had a greater amount of the money and political influence in general
Mr Michael Grech
Sep 4th 2011, 13:22
A more appropriate title to the article would have been 'hunting down the infidels'.
George Camilleri
Sep 4th 2011, 12:50
Excellent article, Mr Vella Bardon. Analytical, well reasoned, and characterized by sound judgement. People like Martin Scicluna should be exposed for what they are.
Mr Michael Grech
Sep 4th 2011, 20:41
If this article is 'Analytical, well reasoned and characterised by sound judgement', then I am the King of Portugal.
Narcy Calamatta
Sep 3rd 2011, 19:58
Me thinks the man protests too much. When the lord of the land comes back from abroad he will ask all and sundry to show the results of the application of the the talents he would have left in each one's care. Talk is cheap and seeing is believing. By their fruits you shall know them. When religeon is politicised religeon is always the looser. Leave your faithful in the paddock and go and look for the lost sheep. Let politicians do their political job and pray that the religeous leaders do theirs. For your sheep will know you and trust you because you call them lovingly by their name. Otherwise you will be one of the 9 lepers who did not come back to say their thanks to their healer. The LP has done enough homework for the Malta curia and looked after the sick and the poor and the innocent children. Talk is cheap seeing is believing.
Mr Joseph Calleja
Sep 4th 2011, 19:22
Yes as you say. Talk is cheap. But believe none of what you hear and only half of what you see. How much have you seen?
Mr Andrew Camilleri
Sep 3rd 2011, 18:58
So Mr. Vella Bardon is happy with the Maltese church is behaving. Well can he explain why therefore there are such dwindling numbers in church attendance, church weddings, etc? And pleasee do not tell me that al these people are misguided and the local curch is perfect.
William Flynn
Sep 3rd 2011, 18:53
@Emanuel Muscat
I hope the church listens to your intelligent argument. With the support of people like you, how can it fail?
Oops, sorry; too late! It failed already. And little wonder.
I am sure that the Australian representative in Malta is also paying attention to your comments. Or not!
Hallatt il-hass ma karozza tal-linja.
Mr Ernest Vella
Sep 3rd 2011, 16:59
Ir-Riforma tal-Knisja Maltija trid tibda billi tirriforma l-festi, li issa zgarraw wahda sew u qed jaghmlu iktar hsara milli gid. Iridu jinqataw il-hmerijiet ta' tradizzjonijiet mejta u bla sens ta x'jintrama u ma jintramax bl-indhil kontinwu tal-kazini. Ez. Linef imhollija biex jintramaw biss fil-Milied u fit-titular, imbaghad l-Ghid il-Kbir li skont il-Knisja Kattolika hija l-ikbar festa taghna l-insara, il-linef dejjem armati jithallew moghttija. U allahares il-kappillan johlom li jnizzilhom ghax jinqala l-inkwiet. Dan ezempju zghir li juri l-Knisja bla sinsla.
Ghandhom jaqghu it-tradizzjonijiet kollha u jergghu jigu riformati mill-qiegh, jitnahhew il-hmerijiet u nibdew inkunu tassew Knisja. Jekk imbaghad ikun hemm min ma joghgbux, jista jitlaq...biex ma jitilqux 4 minn nies qed jitilqu 100.
Wenzu Vella
Sep 3rd 2011, 16:04
Mr Vella Bardon, the church has its self to blame because it has been lying to its parishioners for centuries if not the 2 millennium of it’s supposing existence.
Certain sections of the Catholic Church do a lot of good in the community but this does not absolve them from harbouring those who that, by their own actions has harmed and sexually abused children. Taking part in partisan politics alienating many who were good Catholics.
The Catholic Church if it wants to survive in the 21st century has to be more truthful and practice what it teaches. People are better educated and better informed now than ever before.
victor caruana
Sep 3rd 2011, 15:41
I wonder how one can reform something coming directly from God....or is it not????
Mr Joseph Calleja
Sep 3rd 2011, 14:44
Mr Vella Bardon your article although very boring and archaic is simply an attack on Mr Scicluna and the media for exposing the truth to the Maltese people. Mgr Anton Gouder, having the thankless task of being the Church’s pro-Vicar, was attacked on both fronts." I wonder why? Mr Vella Bordon as far as article #2, there cannot be two leaders leading Malta, we have to realize who is in charge, the Government or the church? You say that we are assured that there are still many of us who can make the distinction between wolves and sheepdogs and yet we cannot distinguish the difference between Politics and Religion. You know what they say about having to many cooks in the kitchen? Thanks to the media we are a bit more informed and the people don't jump at every command. The people have the right to question authorities including the church. That is why all the turmoil and uprisings in the world, people are tired of being lied to and being led by the nose by the authorities, most of the time in the name of religion. Those archaic days of do what I say or face eternal condemnation are over, people are allowed to think for themselves even though there are those still willing to be led by the nose, it does not mean we have to. That is nothing but a dictatorship taking advantage of ignorance and sometimes ignorance is bliss. So please Mr Klaus Vella Bardon save your sermon for the pulpit..
Alfred Fenech
Sep 3rd 2011, 14:05
Thats right. throw away 180000 euros away when you know how th touch people's heart biex taghmel
bissima foq halq... Waste of good money to con others for more.
Stefan Limongello
Sep 3rd 2011, 13:39
I agree with Mr Christian Gauci below. The title is one thing, the article another.
Mr Vella Bardon, perhaps you are luckier than me when dealing with the Curia here. Could you please ask the powers-that-be in the Archbishop's Palace in Valletta why the Catholic Church in Malta is keeping mum on the instruction “Universae Ecclesiae” issued by Pope Benedict XVI following comments made by bishops from around the world on the liberalization of the Tridentine Mass? Why they don't want to publish it on their website?
Perhaps they (and you) might also be interested in attending the Tridentine Masses that will be held this month:
- weekly in Sliema and Valletta;
- monthly in Cospicua.
http://old-roman-catholic-church-malta.webs.com/
William Flynn
Sep 3rd 2011, 10:59
Klaus von Bardon: "There are still many of us who can make the distinction between wolves and sheepdogs". That's right. And he ought to know what sheepdogs do. They threaten, they force, they terrorise sheep so that they can be imprisoned in enclosed areas from which they cannot escape.
Eventually, the sheepdog is used to scare the sheep onto a large truck where they are packed. The sheepdog has a little cage underneath the truck and is also taken for that ride.
At the destination, the truckie lets the sheepdog out and then allows the sheep to pour out. The sheepdog herds the sheep into the abattoirs and they end up as lamb chops.
That's what the bishops, the clergy and the Curia have been doing to the Maltese people all these centuries.
On 28 May, the sheep discovered they had teeth and they bit back. And the rest is history; as is any semblance of the power that the church had bluffed the Maltese nation it had with its claim that Mlata is close to 100% Catholic. The babies might be almost 100% Catholic; but they don’t vote and they soon become wise to the infringement of their liberties by the church.
I wish to thank Klaus von Bardon for giving us such a marvellous analogy as to the behaviour of the church towards the people in its pursuit of power in Malta.
What with all the goings on about the child rapist priests and the church being swamped in criticism for that affair, it wasn't hard for the church's other massive defeat in the divorce referendum to be lost in the noise.
The question is, will the church recover its credibility. The answer is, who cares?
I’m more interested in how long it’s going to take for the next two items on the agenda of the secularisation of Malta; the removal of that insult to Maltese intelligence and to our Constitution, Article 2; and the commencement of an enquiry into the behaviour of the church and its officers in the child rape saga.
Susan Spiteri
Sep 3rd 2011, 22:36
I agree that changes are needed in the R C church everywhere, not just Malta. Changes in the heirarchy and other human created systems in the Church. Our Bishops and higher need to be more in touch with congregations, and less involved in politics within and without the church. Church funds should be funnelled to the poor and needy and not to luxury cars and dwellings for biships and higher. However, the Christ established principles of the Church, the word of God in the Bible, the Eucharist, these are perfect the way they are. We all need to get back to the basics of our Christianity and abandon the structures creaated to ensure privilidge and human authority.
Andy Farrugia
Sep 3rd 2011, 10:28
I'm sure Mr Vella Bardon will pardon me for suggesting that HYENAS and JACKALS, rather than wolves, would have been more apposite terms to use in his last sentence.
Emanuel Muscat
Sep 3rd 2011, 16:30
@Mr.Flynn:in Australia,you are experts at sheep and sheepdogs:your government is trying its damnest to commute strong headed muslims with level headed muslims,with malaysia.
The gigantic land mass that is Australia can support more than a hundred million people, yet you just export a lot of raw materials as if you are a third world country, with a population of about 20 million.
That is very miserly!
Why don't you take up the cause of the aborigines?
Now I know why australians are so knowledgeable about sheep,camels,rabbits,and dogs but less about people on small islands.
Andy Farrugia
Sep 3rd 2011, 10:05
"As to the welfare of the Church, Mr Scicluna can rest assured that there are still many of us who can make the distinction between wolves and sheepdogs."
An incontrovertible FACT, Mr Vella Bardon. Problem is that there are too many editors and media junkies willing to provide space to acidic and vitriolic characters who are intent on vilifying the Church; such puerile attempts by such insignificant characters!
Mr Christian Gauci
Sep 3rd 2011, 09:59
Quite a mismatch between the title and the contents of this Article! I thought I was going to read proposals to reform the church and the only thing I read was a scathing attack on Mr. Scicluna and the Labour Party. The Church needs to be reformed to ensure that the message of Christ is lived by the Maltese. What we see now is the decadence of the Maltese society with no true values but sex and money under a Christian Democrat Party!