In the wake of the murder of Lassana Cisse Souleymane, Archbishop Charles Scicluna offered what has sadly been in short supply in Malta – leadership.

He argued that the Church, of which he is leader needed to do some ‘soul-searching’. Instead of looking externally to point fingers and apportion blame for this evil deed, he began by looking internally in the history, traditions and beliefs of his own Church.

Read: Church ‘needs soul-search’ after migrant murder – Archbishop

He looked into his own soul in an attempt to understand this deed. In this, he offered real, not ‘fake’ leadership.

Sadly, his honesty and bravery has not been mirrored sufficiently elsewhere – in business, politics, in education – and worryingly, not even in the army itself.

As is routine in Malta, we look for scapegoats beyond ourselves on whom to apportion blame and guilt. The soul searching too many Maltese engage in is of the most superficial variety – it is always someone else’s fault.

An image of Lassana Cisse who was gunned down on April 6. Photo: Jonathan Borg

The chants can be heard everywhere – ‘Migrants themselves are to blame’, ‘our schools and non-governmental organisations are to blame’, ‘journalists are to blame’, ‘other countries and governments (and the EU) are to blame’. ‘They should not be on that road’, ‘they threw stones’, ‘they don’t respect’, and ‘they are illegal’.

And this, in response to the act of murder.

Our soul searching rarely begins with an internal examination of conscience. In what ways might I/we be to blame? What acts of commission or omission might I/we be guilty of? All too often, we refuse to take responsibility, instead projecting it onto others.

In what ways might I/we have been present or represented on that road in Ħal Far on April 6?

Sadly, this is becoming a national trait – the refusal to recognise what is happening to and in Malta; the refusal to identify the rot within our own society. Blaming others allows us to avoid any soul searching and instead to ‘walk away’ grumbling and complaining about ‘them’.

The soul searching too many Maltese engage in is of the most superficial variety

Are we satisfied that this is the legacy we wish to pass on to our children and our grandchildren? A fractured and twisted society, a ruined and damaged environment, a hostile and bitter public conversation where bile and bigotry masquerade as debate? A place where soul-searching is avoided at all costs in case its results cause deep discomfort? A society and body politic that refuses to take responsibility for itself?

I have lived and worked in Malta now for 15 years and I know we are better than this, I know we want the legacy of this generation to be substantive and positive. In so many family, community and one-to-one conversations, Maltese people display both care and consideration.

Acutely aware of the island’s history and its real and potential vulnerability, many, many Maltese display a tough historical solidarity that defies the ‘national’ selfishness and myopia.

What is hard to understand and reconcile is that these traits seem to dissipate and ultimately disappear in the collective political tribalism and greed and in the ugliness and hatred of so much social media commentary across our islands.

The time is now when we need to vigorously challenge the culture of prejudice and bigotry, the politics of tribalism and greed and the language of separation and selfishness.

It is time to take full responsibility for what we have and might become. It is time to dig deep and say enough! It is time for each and every single one of us to stand up and take responsibility.

My thanks to you Archbishop for offering real leadership – I hope the rest of us are up to the challenge you pose.