This week the Church in Malta issued two statements. On Wednesday the Maltese bishops published a one page statement (excluding references) about the proposed legislating of civil unions. Then on Thursday the Church’s Inter-diocesan Commission’s for the Environment released a ten page statement about sustainable development. The contrast between the two statements is glaring.

The Bishops’ statement was the shortest possible statement that they could have had released . Many I spoke to felt that they the Bishops almost tried to justify the brevity of their statement by reference to Pope Francis.

I believe that the subject demanded a more adequate, researched and exhaustive treatment than that given by our bishops.

I believe that the subject demanded a more adequate, researched and exhaustive treatment than that given by our bishops. They totally ignored the fact, for example, that the Government is, in fact, introducing same-sex marriage not civil unions.

The impression that most people I spoke to got was that the statement was issued because the Bishops felt that they had to say something but they also felt that the least said the better.

Many pointed out that the statement is in sharp contrast with the position taken by the Bishops of France, England, Spain and Argentina, to mention a few. It is pertinent to point out that a certain Bergolio was one of the most loquacious on the matter. His position on the matter is being circulated on Facebook. It is interesting to note who is posting it and who is making ‘like’ to get an idea of internal church politics.

On the contrary, the statement about sustainable development issues by the Interdiocesan Commission for the Environment is like a breath of fresh air. I have repeatedly praised the statements of this Commission even when I did not agree with what they said. This Commission tackles different subjects intelligently and exhaustively. In this statement they did not shy away from controversial subject such as the proposed building of a bridge connecting Malta to Gozo, land use, land reclamation the Gozo cruiser terminal.

The statement about sustainable development issues by the Interdiocesan Commission for the Environment is like a breath of fresh air.

Writing about the Gozo bridge is all well and good because it is, perhaps, bridge too far. But isn’t the redefinition of marriage also a bit too far? Why release a studied and professional statement about the Gozo bridge and a half-baked one about the redefinition of marriage? Undoubtedly the Bishops had their very good reasons for behaving the way they did. However there is dire need for the Curia PRO to explain these reasons to the many that were surprised or dismayed or disillusioned by the statement.