Right decision on divorce

Obviously, as a priest, I do not dream of entering or even merely touching on the frays between Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and his opponents, whoever they may be. But, again as a priest, in no imaginable way would I hesitate to utterly show my total disapproval at accusations that Dr Gonzi should have resigned on the divorce issue. My old friend Lino Spiteri reminds me of these accusations by Dr Gonzi’s opponents (January 30).

Accusing a person for being loyal to God’s laws simply indicates that we have abandoned God and his laws...- Mgr Anton Gauci, Victoria

Apart from what Almighty God has told us on this particular subject of divorce in Sacred Scripture, if I err not, Dr Gonzi is a member of the Catholic Church. As such, like all other believers, he is bound to embrace her dogmatic teachings above all contrary religious assertions. And we know that, according to the Council of Trent, divorce is nothing short of a heresy, marriage’s indissolubility having been defined by the Council in its 24th Session. This not to mention other occasions of the same teaching by the Magisterium.

Where God’s laws come in, nothing can justify a believer sustaining contrary tenets. Before God and the Church, the fact that members of Parliament, even if all of them, voted for the introduction of divorce is absolutely no reason why a Prime Minister should have backed them. It would have made him a heretic no less than those he would have backed!

So Dr Gonzi simply showed that he preferred to be faithful to God rather than to offend Him, deny Him all allegiance and put himself out of the Church. That is all it amounts to, whether we like it or not! And whether, for some human reason or other, we approve of it or not! Accusing a person for being loyal to God’s laws simply indicates that we have abandoned God and His laws for contrary teachings and utterly human interests!

I think it is about time also that we pastors, fearlessly showing ourselves loyal to God’s injunctions in this now particular matter and disregarding all human contrary considerations, show the faithful the seriousness of offending against a Dogma of the Faith! It is not a question of defending Dr Gonzi but of defending God’s laws. And in a most serious matter! A Dogma of the Faith which, yes, makes heretics of those denying it by their assertions, actions and behaviour.