Ignoring unpalatable truth

Like the proverbial ostrich who buries his head in the sand when danger approaches, Mgr Anton Gauci (August 15) fails to take cognisance of the vital issues that I raised on the indissolubility of marriage (August 3).

The facts speak for themselves. Mgr Gauci ignores the fact that the Council of Florence (1438-1439) did not see divorce in the Eastern Churches as an obstacle to the reunion with Rome. He brushes aside the Pauline Privilege and the exercise of Papal Dissolution. He fails to comment on Hegy’s contention that the Council of Trent’s ‘anathema’ in the declaration on marriage focuses on power and discipline and not on doctrine. My argument, backed up by biblical quotations, that the words of Jesus, albeit radical, should not be taken literally as strict laws, remains unanswered.

Mgr Gauci is way off the mark if he believes that I am a secularist or that I am one of those who “for egoistical reasons, would have this same ‘development’ suit their personal reasons”.

My belief in the historical Jesus of Nazareth and in the Church he founded remains unshakable. He is my model for legitimate and constructive dissent. I concur with Leonardo Boff’s declaration in his book Jesus the Liberator: “His call for conversion, his new image of God, his freedom towards sacred traditions, and his prophetic criticism of those holding political, economic, and religious power combined to provoke the conflict that resulted in his violent death”.

Sadly, the present papacy brooks no dissent and with an iron fist clamps down on bishops and theologians who publicly air their opinions even of the most legitimate, careful, thoughtful and well-intentioned kind.

Mgr Gauci’s cutting remark regarding my theological background is totally unwarranted. My Jesuit background helped me no end to extend and deepen my knowledge and expertise in various academic disciplines and, above all, to enhance my growing awareness of Jesus and my commitment to his cause.

What initially motivated me to respond to Mgr Gauci’s piece (June 15) is my concern that his dogmatic assertions tend to alienate Catholics from the Church or to inflict harm on those with an already severe conscience.

He must be well-versed in Jesus’ indictment of the scribes and Pharisees with regard to their rigid interpretation of the Law: “Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You who shut up the kingdom of heaven in man’s face, neither going in yourselves nor allowing others to go in who want to.” (Matthew: 23:13).

Mgr Gauci is innately mistrustful of my current ill-health which, unfortunately, does not permit me to take part in public debates. Friends and relatives of mine can vouch for this.

Discerning readers online and others believe that his ill-considered comment goes beyond the bounds of human decency and pastoral concern.

Given Mgr Gauci’s propensity to ignore unpalatable truth, it is likely that further correspondence on this matter will serve no useful purpose.