Attacks on the family
Rarely have I seen such a vicious attack on the family as was reported recently coming from Gozo Bishop Mario Grech. In his attempt to redefine the word “family” to refer exclusively to his own preferred definition, he was attacking the families of all single parents and their children, all unmarried couples and their children, all childless couples, all same-sex couples with or without children.
In fact, since according to him, a necessary attribute of families is procreation between the couple, not even Joseph, Mary and Jesus were a family.
Could it be that while declaring that “nobody spoke directly against the family” he didn’t realise that this is precisely what he was doing with his own words?
Advert
Popular Stories
In Discussion
Advert
32 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
Gerry Cowie
Jun 2nd 2012, 10:53
This is the piece de resistance coming from a confirmed humanist who has no time for the Church!
It is absolutely laughable for Ramon Casha to accuse Bishop Grech of "attacking the family". All reasonable people will just see this and laugh it off!
As usual he has carefully selected (carefully?) quotes from what the Bishop said in order to try to discredit his opinion. It is just not good enough, Ramon. Rather like the quotes you lift from the Bible every now and then to try to reinforce your poor opinion of the Church!
Exploiting the word "family" by applying "multiple meanings" in order to suit one's own definition of the word is poor spin indeed!
I think you will find that "lots of people" (David Seychell,what do you mean by lots of people?) support Bishop Grech's view.
David Seychell
Jun 2nd 2012, 19:54
"David Seychell,what do you mean by lots of people?"
I already explained that. I was referring to and I quote: "opinion/letter-writers" writing on the the Times online. Specifically I was referring to people like Fr Joe Borg, Ranier Fsadni, Ramon Casha and Alison Bezzina.
David Seychell
May 30th 2012, 19:42
Lots of people having been criticizing Mgr Grech's definition lately, and I think rightly so but what bothers me is that none of these opinion/letter-writers have put their money where their mouth is and actually provide us with the correct definition of "family".
Andy Farrugia
May 30th 2012, 19:53
They cannot do so as even within the human /sociological context the term has multiple meanings.
Ramon Casha
May 30th 2012, 21:48
@Andy Farrugia: Precisely! The word has multiple meanings, and I gave several examples in my letter.
Mark Anthony Fenech
May 30th 2012, 21:57
Exactly Andy. Since "within the human /sociological context the term has multiple meanings" the term 'family' is not solely based on man + woman + kids.
Andy Farrugia
May 30th 2012, 22:11
@ Casha, Fenech et al
True, even "familja Interista, Milanista, Nazzjonalista, Laburista, Ditchkinsjana" may be included within these multiple meanings. That was not what Bishop Grech was referring to. The fact remains that the "building blocks" of humanity and society refer to one particular meaning.
Mr Joseph Carmel Chetcuti
May 31st 2012, 04:48
The concept of family is in constant flux. The sexual revolution of the 1960s put the traditional definition of family to bed. Time for some of you to wake up to not only the modern world but to the Reformation and the Enlightenment.
David Seychell
Jun 1st 2012, 09:41
"True, even "familja Interista, Milanista, Nazzjonalista, Laburista, Ditchkinsjana" may be included within these multiple meanings."
And the Mafia too!
Andy Farrugia
May 30th 2012, 15:22
Ramon Casha continue to entertain readers with his distortions and perversions! Hilarious!
Ramon Casha
May 30th 2012, 17:27
Tell that to the children sitting in church hearing the bishop's pastoral letter telling them that they're not a real family because their dad abandoned their mum as soon as they were born. They, and their mother, are merely a group of people who share the same address. Oh yes, hilarious. I'm sure they were rolling in the aisles.
Anthony Galea
May 30th 2012, 20:39
Wrong again, Ramon. The bishop's primary focus was on same sex couples, not single parent couples; and you know this. But let's say you're right, for the sake of argument.
What's your real concern, the well-being of families or attacking the bishop?
From what I read daily on every church-related article you comment on, I'm forced to think it's the latter...
Ramon Casha
May 31st 2012, 05:36
@Anthony Galea: Wrong. Did you actually read it? It's available online. It's very explicit - there has to be a man plus a woman, they have to be married, and they have to have children or be trying to have children.
In any case, even if his intent was only to attack same-sex couples, it's still wrong and it's still an attack on the family.
My concern is the well-being of people, and if people are being harmed by the words of certain individuals they I will oppose those words. If that individual's words are reaching many people then the harm is greater, and the response needs to be made available more widely.
Andy Farrugia
May 31st 2012, 15:26
@ Ramon Casha
The Bishop does NOT attack people. That sort of behaviour comes from "vicious, spiteful, nihilistic" entities. The Bishop preaches within the House of God the difference between right and wrong, between truth and fallacy, between responsibility and callousness, between righteousness and iniquity. Others will continue to wallow......
Richard Farrugia
May 30th 2012, 13:06
If you are convinced that the Bishop of Gozo is not right in his teaching, then you should scan the Bible from Genises to the end to see that he is proclaiming the word of God exactly.If you dont like it then follow your way - I do not agree with you. Our Catholic Church has no double values we stick to the word of God that bless us with His wonders all the time. What do you expect that he proclaims the word of man! If that happens we are in trouble.Thanks you Mons Mario Grech for being so loyal to God and a good shepard.
Ramon Casha
May 30th 2012, 15:59
I have read the Bible, from cover to cover - that is why today I am an atheist. Throughout the Bible there are many examples of families that do not conform to the bishop's model of 1 man married to 1 woman, with kids. In any case this was not about bible but about family, and moreover about state recognition and assistance to families - these are decidedly temporal matters.
Eric Soames
May 30th 2012, 17:01
Richard Farrugia: One of the problems with the Catholic Church as seen by other Christian denominations, is the fact that the church has seen fit over the years to add 'tradition' and precepts' which are not part of the Bible and therefore 'of man'. If you accept the Bible as the Word then pay heed to Revelation too.
As Ramon Casha states, the message is not quite as rigid; what with David [a man after God's own heart] and Bathsheba, Abraham and his half-sister wife, Sarah, Abraham and Hagar, Jacob and his wives, tricked into marrying the less attractive sister first, various concubines and so on. Not saying this is the way it should be, just suggesting one should read ... the rest of the story.
M Borg
May 30th 2012, 19:57
@ Ramon Casha
You declare that you are an atheist.
Why am I not surprised that you do not agree with Bishop Mario Grech !!
Andy Farrugia
May 30th 2012, 21:20
@ Ramon Casha
"I have read the Bible, from cover to cover -"; huh? Sounds familiar; reading is one thing, understanding and inwardly digesting it are probably beyond your capabilities.
Ramon Casha
May 31st 2012, 05:40
@Andy "understanding and inwardly digesting it...."
I think what you meant to say is "giving it the interpretation that the church agrees with". In any case I'm making nothing up - the Bible does contain many examples of families that do not conform to the bishop's model.
Anthony Galea
May 30th 2012, 12:27
Families based on male-female procreation does not mean that single parents and childless couples are not families; in all those cases male-female procreation was an obvious inherent necessity,and that basic requirement dictated the initial driving force.
Therefore, a widowed grandmother raising her daughter's children is still a family, because procreation had to take place initially; subsequent forces changed the structure, but not the roots.
And as for the supposedly witty (but in reality petulant) jibe about Jesus, Mary and Joseph not being a family, I would state the obvious that the case is so unique and special it differs enormously from any ordinary family in about a million levels.
Ivan Mizzi
May 30th 2012, 12:55
"I would state the obvious that the case is so unique and special it differs enormously from any ordinary family in about a million levels."
Can you mention a couple of these million levels?
Mr Andrew Camilleri
May 30th 2012, 14:10
The Bishop of Gozo however disagrees with your second para.
Anthony Galea
May 30th 2012, 16:02
You really need an explanation as to why Christ was different from other people, and why Mary and Joseph's relationship were different from those of other people? I give up hope if you really need that explained...
Ivan Mizzi
May 30th 2012, 21:40
Just the one out of a million will do. Really. Or give up hope. Your call.
Lina Caruana
May 30th 2012, 12:22
I suggest that you are treading on a whole lot of facts and history which you haven't savoured first. When you write you must be informed well so that the reader is not misled.
Eric Soames
May 30th 2012, 12:21
Well spotted.
Andy Farrugia
May 30th 2012, 15:21
Well spotted ....what? You mean "Well known nihilist"!
Kevin Cassar
May 30th 2012, 15:47
@ Andy Farrugia
As usual, since you cannot defeat the argument, you attack the person. (Ad-hominem).
Andy Farrugia
May 30th 2012, 18:42
@ Kevin Cassar
"As usual, since you cannot defeat the argument, you attack the person. (Ad-hominem)."
Who is attacking WHO? Tell Casha to provide evidence in the form of words or expressions or statements where the Bishop launched a vicious attack ! He did not and he cannot! Proof positive that nihilists like Casha are just interested in vilifying others.
Karl Consiglio
May 31st 2012, 01:36
@Andy Farrugia,
The Bishop didn't launch a vicious attack, but he doesn't seem to be aware that families come in different shapes.
Now go ahead and call me a Nihilist as usual, i don't mind.
Andy Farrugia
May 31st 2012, 17:43
@ Karl Consiglio
And why should I call you that which you do not mind and already know about yourself? Waste of energy if you ask me!
Please choose the reason of your report below: