In his pastoral message for Lent, Apostolic Administrator Charles Scicluna rightly described the current situation of the Church in Malta as a time of prayer, waiting and “fasting” because “we are awaiting the nomination of a new archbishop who represents Jesus, the bridegroom of the Church, in our midst”.
He also said that when we pray for the grace of a new archbishop, “we are, in fact, acknowledging in full faith that this is a gift which comes from the hands of God”.
Pope Francis is on record saying that to identify a bishop, a list of human, intellectual, cultural and even pastoral qualities are not useful because the profile of a bishop is not the algebraic sum of his virtues.
Certainly he must be outstanding in his human integrity, deep rooted in his Christian soundness, culturally prepared, orthodox and faithful to the Truth, whole and integral, able to govern with paternal firmness to ensure the safety of the authority that leads to growth, transparent and detached in the administrations of the goods of the community.
Still, all of these indispensable gifts remain secondary to the central witness to the Risen One and subordinate to this primary commitment.
The challenges awaiting the new pastor entrusted to lead the people of God in Malta in our age and time, according to this commitment, are many and varied.
The traditional list of capital sins, as specified by Pope St Gregory the Great, are pride-vainglory, avarice, lust, envy, gluttony, anger and sloth. However, in today’s experience, they also have their offspring, for instance, corruption, which the present Pope defined as a process of death more evil than sin and an evil that must be cured.
The challenges awaiting the new pastor are many and varied
It is well known that greed can corrupt one’s heart and weaken one’s faith. Money sickens minds, poisons thoughts and faith. It leads people down the path of jealousy, quarrels, suspicion and conflict.
The early Fathers of the Church put it in a very blunt way, calling money the dung of the devil that corrupts and leads people away from their faith.
Other challenges include widespread indifference and lowering of standards and values. One particular value that is being tested in our midst concerns what Bishop Scicluna described as the need of our community “to grow in a spirit of making everybody feel at home”.
The bishop had in mind the need “to welcome every person who knocks on the doors of our heart so that we may welcome everyone with a heart-warming love which leads to charity, where one can feel welcome” whoever they may be, from wherever they may hail.
He specified that making people feel at home means that “our love towards others is inclusive” irrespective of the life history of the other persons, their background, religion, or lack of it, culture or country.
All this further underlines the need for a bishop who is truly a strong witness of the Risen One, who exists for the Church, for the flock entrusted to him, especially for those whom the world would throw away.
It is clearly not easy to identify such a person. Yet, while the Church is scanning its fields looking for a pastor to represent the Good Shepherd in Malta, believers need, as Bishop Scicluna advised, to translate the attitude of anticipation “into a faithful commitment, a commitment in which there is no room for discouragement”.
The Lord surely has His own way of doing things. One great example is that of the Prophet Samuel, when he was searching for Saul’s successor (1 Sam 16:11-13). The aged Jesse presented seven sons before Samuel, who noted: “The Lord has not chosen any one of these” and asked: “Are these all the sons you have?” Jesse replied there was still the youngest “but he is tending the sheep”.
Samuel insisted on seeing the remaining son. Jesse had the young man brought to them.
The Lord helped Samuel realise he was the chosen one and the youngest son was anointed. He was David.
Charles Buttigieg is a former PRO of the Archbishop’s Curia.