Composer Igor Stravinsky and choreographer Vaslav Nijinsky collaborated in 1913 on the most groundbreaking music and ballet the world had ever seen, and it may still be the most striking work ever accomplished. It was called The Rites of Spring, for a season which gives a new lease of life and marks new beginnings.
This year, March 21 will bring with it new rites of spring in the form of the start of Charles Scicluna’s ministry as Archbishop of Malta. The date, whether chosen purposely or as a result of convenience, is full of symbolism.
In our case this is both a new beginning for the Church in Malta and a continuity. The Church that Scicluna inherits is not a Church shrouded in the coldness of winter or one devoid of life. This is a Church with many shortcomings, truth be told, but it is also a Church with many strengths. There are patches of darkness but there are also large swathes of light. There are deficiencies but there are also treasures a plenty.
It will now be the task of Scicluna to harness these strengths, increase the visibility of these pools of light and tap into the treasure to galvanise the copious talents to address the shortcomings, patches of darkness and deficiencies.
How should he go about it?
He himself had already told us how he will go about it; and he repeated it with renewed vigour today. When Scicluna was nominated as Auxiliary Bishop he had set upon himself the task of being a good listener. Active and creative listening is as essential to being a good bishop as breathing is essential to being a living human. It is also very difficult.
As was to be expected, during the press conference that officially announced his nomination, Scicluna once more set upon himself the task of being a good listener, knowing full when that he is embarking on a task as difficult as it is essential. He also said that if he doesn’t listen, he has no right to speak. His listening must now be accompanied by actions, which after all, are considered to be the most powerful kind of words, particularly in oral cultures like ours.
One therefore expects the new Archbishop to speak by his actions more than through his words. We have already noticed a marked difference between Scicluna the Vicar General/Auxiliary Bishop and Scicluna the Apostolic Administrator. His relative inaction in his previous ministry was mistakenly attributed by many to inertia on his part.
In his short stint as Apostolic Administrator he clearly showed that inertia is definitively not one of his characteristics. He showed himself as a man who can and does take decisions without procrastination. I believe that as Archbishop he will push this ability more than one or two notches up; and indications in that direction were given during last Friday’s press conference.
Scicluna has many excellent qualities but, like each and every one of us, he is far from perfect. It is essential that he builds around him a team rich in areas where he is not so strong. Like the Church, this team should resemble a rainbow that beatifies the environment with its variety of colours. Like a good orchestra, his should be a team of diverse instruments. Scicluna will only be as good as his team.
It is essential that he builds around him a team rich in areas where he is not so strong
I hope that during his first 100 days the new Archbishop will give clear indications that he will lay proper foundations so that the central administration of the Archdiocese will, unlike the Roman Curia, be a microcosm of the Church. The key positions of authority and service should not be mainly occupied by priests. The presence of male and female religious as well as lay men and women will turn out to be a ‘do or die’ presence for the new Archbishop.
At 64, I bear no grudge towards priests who are over 60. But I do hope we will see many younger faces in Scicluna’s core pastoral team, though one should not discard the service of some elements of the previous team that served loyally and efficiently. The diversity of his team is something he himself has highlighted during his meeting with the press.
I am not privy to the contents of the report proposing the restructuring of the Curia, which has been gathering dust for months. Scicluna should get it done and dusted during the first 100 days so that he will then have more time for essential things, mainly direct ministry with his flock.
The Church in Malta has given sterling service to society because it has always been close to the people. Parish priests, their assistants and pastoral operators are the first line of contact. The Archbishop should lead the charge. This is a ministry in which Archbishop Emeritus Paul Cremona excelled. A more streamlined and efficient Curia is important only because this will enable Scicluna to have close encounters with his flock. He should be the CEO extraordinaire of the Church as a battlefield hospital, to steal a metaphor from Pope Francis, and not the CEO of well-oiled baroque structure.
Archbishop-elect Scicluna’s ministry starts under the pontificate of Pope Francis. Simplicity in style, vestments, attire, liturgy and general demeanour is the characteristic of Francis and it should also be the hallmark of Scicluna. This style, regularly evidenced in the stream of strong symbolic gestures by Pope Francis, is a style devoid of pomposity that people have taken to their hearts. With it they have taken to their hearts the Pope who fashioned it, and hopefully the message and Person he preaches.
It is not easy being an Archbishop in a country marked by pluralism of value systems and its concomitant relativism; a strident militant secularist clique with the culture wars that it foments; nascent multi-culturalism with new challenges and possible threats; and a core group of loyal followers who love the Church but are nostalgic for a golden past that has never, in fact, existed.
I am confident that the generosity of the vast majority of the flock, the dedication of the pastoral operators, the personal characteristics of the shepherd and the abundant grace of a loving Father will show that the choice of the beginning of spring for this ministry will not be hollow.
joseph.borg@um.edu.mt