A query to Monsignors -- Mistoqsija lill-Monsinjuri

'Monsignor' is a title that Catholic clergy can be given as an acknowledgement for their special service to the church, when the Pope accepts a proposal to that effect from the local bishop.  Two years ago, the current Pope Francis decided to abolish this, or limit to whom this title can be given1, with the intention of the church being viewed as more modest.  Those already having the title are unaffected.

 

I am here not necessarily taking the formal definition of the title, but addressing those who are also referred to in the same way in an honorary capacity or out of respect.

 

This respect is diminishing by the day, as more and more slime is discovered in the disgusting story of child sex abuse in Australia by priests or members of religious orders.  This abuse, I hasten to add, is not limited to the Catholic Church, and neither to the Christian religion, nevertheless here I will talk about the Catholic Church, as that is the religion I was born to in the land of my birth Malta, and to which I consider myself a member still today in Australia.

 

At the start of February 2017, from the Royal Commission into Child Sexual Abuse, we learnt that between 1950 and 2010, 7% of Catholic clergy were accused of this crime.2  In three orders - the Salesians, Christian Brothers and Marist Brothers, this figure rose to 20% and in another, St John of God Brothers, it rose further, incredibly, to 40%.  In other words, almost one in two brothers of this latter order one might have encountered, today has been accused of sexual abuse.

 

A fortnight later, another news snippet, from testimony to the same Commission, that until 2015, the Catholic Church had paid $276 million in compensation, treatment and other costs related to sexual abuse.  This is not a typo - $276 million, more than a quarter of a billion Australian dollars, a number that leaves you breathless, coming from an organisation which claims to speak with authority in the name of God.

 

There was also the detail that the highest number of calls for compensation from a single facility came from a residential facility in Queensland run by the De La Salle Brothers.3  This was quite a shock for me, as I had spent 10 years as a student in a De La Salle College in Malta.

 

I would like to ask the church Monsignors, from your experience of special service within the church, and the bishops who proposed them:

 

• •why is the incidence of clergy accused of child sex abuse, 7%, so high, even higher than other estimates of paedofilia in the general population (1-5%)4?  What is there in the conditions of life for those ordained to be contributing to this? 

• •how many of these cases of abuse could have been avoided if the administration of religious orders, officials and bishops concerned did not play merry-go-round, with incompetence second to none, by shifting some of those accused of this abuse from one place to the next?  When this happened, do you think there should be some consequence to those taking such decisions? 

• •How many of these $276 million paid until two years back came, directly or indirectly, from contributions of the faithful during Mass on Sunday and other days, and are still contributing today?  Do you think that those involved in this abuse, whether by commission (guilty of performing the abuse) or omission (which were supposed to do something but didn't, or took a foolish decision), should contribute their share? 

• •how can the Church expect Christians to autonomously go for the Sacrament of Reconciliation, to admit their sins and ask for forgiveness, when the Church itself had to be dragged in front of a lay commission for the truly astronomical scale of the problem to be revealed, and for us to finally start hearing some admission of the systematic cover-up by the Church of what was going on and the shoddy treatment of victims?  Do you still think it's sufficient to have a Bible and the social teachings of the Church for moral guidance of humanity in daily life, or in fact there are circumstances in which Christians have much to learn from other traditions, not only religious but also lay institutions? 

 

It will be interesting to see if I am deemed worthy of a response to these queries, or whether it is thought that my place is not to ask questions but just to recite the Creed at the appropriate time during Mass and say “Amen” when my puppet strings are pulled.

 

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'Monsinjur' huwa titlu li membri tal-kleru fil-knisja Kattolika jista' jingħatalhom bħala rikonoxximent għal xogħol ta' servizz speċjali tal-knisja, meta l-Papa tal-ġurnata jaċċetta proposta li tkun saritlu mill-isqof tal-lokal.  Minn sentejn ilu 'l hawn, il-Papa preżenti Franġisku ddeċieda li jabolixxi dan, jew li jillimita lil min dan it-titlu jingħata1, bl-għan li t-tmexxija tal-knisja tidher iktar modesta.  Min diġà għandu dan it-titlu mhux affettwat.

 

Jien hawnhekk m'iniex neċessarjament qed nieħu l-veduta formali tat-titlu, imma nindirizza wkoll lil dawk li normalment jiġu msejħin hekk b'mod onorarju jew b'rispett.

 

Dan ir-rispett qiegħed jonqos bil-ġurnata, hekk kif jinkixef iktar ħmieġ fl-istorja diżgustanti tal-abbuż sesswali ta' minorenni fl-Awstralja minn membru tal-kleru jew ordnijiet reliġjużi.  Dan l-abbuż, ngħaġġel biex inżid, mhux limitat għall-knisja Kattolika, u lanqas għar-reliġjon nisranija, madankollu hawn se nitkellem fuq diak Kattolikau, għax dik hija r-reliġjon li twelidt fiha f'art twelidi Malta, u li għadni nqisni membru tagħha llum fl-Awstralja.

 

Fil-bidu ta' Frar 2017, mill-Kummissjoni Rjali fuq l-Abbuż Sesswali tal-Minorenni, sirna nafu li bejn l-1950 u l-2010, 7% tal-qassisin Kattoliċi kienu akkużati b'dan l-abbuż.2  Fi tliet ordnijiet, is-Salesjani, il-Christian Brothers u l-Marist Brothers, din il-figura telgħet għal 20%, u f'ieħor (St John of God Brothers) kienet, inkredibbilment, 40%.  Fi kliem ieħor, kważi wieħed minn kull żewġ fratelli ta' din l-ordni li wieħed seta' jiltaqa' miegħu, illum hija akkużata b'abbuż sesswali.

 

Ħmistax wara, kellna aħbar oħra, minn xhieda fl-istess Kummissjoni, li sal-2015 il-knisja Kattolika kienet ħallset $276 miljun f'kumpens, trattament u spejjeż oħra marbutin mal-abbuż sesswali.  Dan mhux żball - $276 miljun, iktar minn kwart ta' biljun dollaru Awstraljan, figura li taqtagħlek nifsek, ġejja minn organizzazzjoni li tgħid li titkellem b'awtorità f'isem Alla.

 

Ħareġ ukoll id-dettall li l-iktar ammont ta' sejħiet għal kumpens minn faċilità waħda kienet minn post ta' kura residenzjali fi Queensland mħaddma mill-Brothers ta' De La Salle.3  Din kienet pjuttost ta' xokk għalija, għax jien għamilt għaxar snin student f'kulleġġ ta' De La Salle f'Malta.

 

Jien nixtieq nistaqsi lill-monsinjuri tal-knisja, mill-esperjenza ta' servizz speċjali fi ħdan il-knisja, u 'l-isqfijiet li pproponewhom:

 

• •għaliex l-inċidenza ta' kleru akkużat b'abbuż sesswali kontra l-minorenni, 7%, huwa daqshekk għoli, iktar għoli minn stimi oħra ta' pedofili fil-popolazzjoni ġenerali (1-5%)4?  Hemm xi ħaġa fil-kundizzjonijiet tal-għajxien ta' min huwa ordnat li qed jikkontribwixxu għal dan? 

• •kemm minn dawn il-każijiet ta' abbuż seta' ġie evitat kieku l-amministraturi tal-ordnijiet reliġjużi, l-uffiċjali u l-isqfijiet konċernati ma qagħdux jilagħbu dawra durella, b'inkompetenza liema bħalha, billi jċaqilqu minn post għall-ieħor lil uħud minn dawk akkużati b'dan l-abbuż?  Meta jkun sar dan, taħsbu li għandu jkun hemm xi konsegwenza fuq min ħa d-deċiżjoni? 

• •Kemm minn dawk il-$276 miljun li tħallsu sa sentejn ilu ġew, direttament jew indirettament, mill-kontribuzzjonijiet ta' dawk li jattendu l-quddies ta' nhar ta' Ħadd u ġranet oħra, u għadhom jikkontribwixxu sal-lum?  Taħsbu li dawk li kienu involuti fl-abbuż, kemm dawk li għamlu kummissjoni (ħatja li wettqu l-abbuż), jew li għamlu omissjoni (li suppost għamlu ħaġa imma m'għamluhiex, jew li ħadu deċiżjoni bażwija), għandhom jikkontribwixxu sehemhom? 

• •Kif tista' l-knisja tippretendi lil l-insara li waħedhom jersqu għas-sagrament tal-qrar biex jammettu d-dnubiet tagħhom u jitolbu maħfra, meta l-knisja stess kellha bżonn li titressaq quddiem kummissjoni lajka biex joħroġ ċar l-iskala astronomika tal-problema u biex fl-aħħar nibdew nisimgħu ammissjonijiet tal-ħabi sistematiku mill-knisja tal-aġir li sar u t-trattament ħażin tal-vittmi?  Għadkom taħsbu li hu biżżejjed li wieħed jieħuikollu l-Bibbja u t-tagħlim soċjali tal-knisja biex jiggwida moralment l-azzjonijiet tal-bniedem fil-ħajja ta' kuljum, jew li fil fatt hemm ċerti ċirkustanzi li fihom l-Insara għandhom ħafna x'jitgħallmu kif għandhom iġibu ruħhom minn tradizzjonijiet oħra, mhux biss reliġjużi imma wkoll istituzzjonijiet lajċi? 

 

Se jkun interessanti nara jekk niġix meqjus denju li nirċievi tweġiba għal dawn il-mistoqsijiet, jew jekk jinħasibx li posti mhux li nistaqsi imma biss li ngħid il-Kredu fil-ħin il-propizju waqt il-quddies u “Amen” x'ħin tinġibidli l-ispaga.

 

1https://www.ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/report-pope-abolishes-monsignor-honor-most-priests, retrieved 20/2/2017

2http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2017/02/05/catholic-church-under-royal-commission-spotlight/, retrieved 20/2/2017

3http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-16/catholic-church-paid-almost-300m-to-victims-survivors-rc-hears/8276104, retrieved 20/2/2017

4http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-28526106, retrieved 20/2/2017

1https://www.ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/report-pope-abolishes-monsignor-honor-most-priests, retrieved 20/2/2017

2http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2017/02/05/catholic-church-under-royal-commission-spotlight/, retrieved 20/2/2017

3http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-16/catholic-church-paid-almost-300m-to-victims-survivors-rc-hears/8276104, retrieved 20/2/2017

4http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-28526106, retrieved 20/2/2017

Alliances in the Trump era -- L-alleanzi fi żmien Trump

 

After the trepidation before his inauguration, the American President Trump is showing us every intention of unleashing as many earthquakes as possible, to hell with the consequences.  This person seems to be in charge of a wrecking crane, waving its metal ball around to smash all around, while screeching in pleasure - on Twitter, naturally.

 

Only God knows the incalculable damage he will make, not only to his country, but to the world and its relationships, especially those parts of the world that considered the United States (probably romantically) as a champion of liberty and progress, and principal ally of the so-called Western countries against the other bad countries, that some of those in the East.

 

It wasn't the first, but the now famous phone call between Trump and the Australian Prime Minister Turnbull, was a lightning bolt (I won't say out of the blue) in the long story of the alliance.  In this case, the background was an alliance that saw Australia fight shoulder to shoulder with the United States in so many conflicts, from the Second World War.1

 

After the Australian government had agreed with the American one during the time of President Obama to take up to 1250 from the refugees on Nauru and Manus Island in PNG, the new President Trump erupted when he found out.  He was reported to charge Turnbull with wanting to send the next bombers into the country.  “Stupid deal” he grumbled on Twittr.  Another time he accused Australia of taking advantage of his country, asking rhetorically “Why are we doing this?  What is the purpose?”2

 

Well, that countries take refugees in is an obligation of signatories to the Refugee Convention of 1951 and the 1967 Protocol of the United Nations.3  And that a country helps each other in time of need is something that often happens when countries are friendly, or when countries feel a moral obligation to assist another even if not on good terms, or cynically when they think they will benefit from some unspoken advantage.

 

Trump could ask himself, what is the purpose of Australia taking refuggees from Costa Rica in Central America, refugees that are causing headaches to the United States?  Perhaps the US was taking advantage of Australia?  What does he want, that these two friendly countries take back their promise of assistance to each other?  I find it strange that this possibility is not being mentioned.

 

Trump's main problem is not his personality, whether he's diplomatic or not - his principles are.

 

For example, it's clear that the president's first priority is the United States, and this is not a bad thing.  What is bad, in my opinion, is that this is his only priority, or in other words does not care even minimally what happens outside and be ready to be a good global citizen.

 

Sime time ago, when asked whether he wished to see political stability and economic growth in Mexico, he was quoted as saying “I honestly don't care about Mexico, truly I don't care about Mexico”.4  A good global citizen?  I don't think so.

 

This attitude may also explain why he's so hell bent against every free trade agreement between countries.  It's true that these agreements can have several problems, such as the reduction of protection to local industries, or giving too many rights to global commercial entities.

 

Nevertheless there are also several advantages of agreements of this type, including economic growth (although governments are certainly guilty of failing to ensure that generated wealth is spread in such a way that all the population feels the benefit) as well as the poorer and weaker countries are helped to overcome their poverty and weakness through economic activity, and that countries that have an economic interest in each other are more likely to avoid conflict rather than instigate it, which leads to relative peace.

 

Trump and his chosen administration's leaders haven't held back from denigrating the institutions that the United States has participated in for so long:

 

• •the United Nations is a “club for people to have a good time”5; 

• •the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) is 'obsolete' and there is a threat that if a member state does not spend as much as expected, it may not find the US in its defense in its hour of need.  I would ask, which country in its right frame of mind would trust its territorial integrity in an alliance that is not there when needed? 

 

I cannot not mention his expectation, or perhaps wish, for the European Union to dismantle with the departure of its members one by one.6

 

It is clear that President Trump is ready to destabilise the Western world as we know it today.

 

Those countries part of this world will be failing if they didn't change the architecture of their econonic, military and security networks to reduce the impact of the United States which from now on will be less predictable, more inward looking, less interested in being a good global citizen - in other words, will be much lest trustworthy than it ever was.

 

I think that the best position was that expressed by the German Chancellor Angela Merkel, which in a dry message to the new President after the election, did offer her countries cooperation, however on the basis of common values between the two countries - democracy, freedom, respect for the rule of law and human dignity without discrimination.7  Unwritten, but logically, if these values are found wanting, this cooperation can be withdrawn.

 

I believe that this position should be adopted by all countries in which our readers reside, wherever that may be, if we want to be true and coherent with outselves and if we really believe in these values.  In the meantime, they had better prepare!

 

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Wara t-trepidazzjoni ta' qabel il-ħatra tiegħu, il-President Amerikan Trump qed jurina li għandu kull intenzjoni li jtellaq kemm terrimot jiflaħ itellaq, u jiġi altament jitmellaħ mill-konsegwenzi.  Din il-persuna qisha qiegħda tikkontrolla krejn tat-tifrik, ixxejjer il-balla tal-metall 'l hawn u 'l hemm biex tfarrak kull m'hemm madwarha, waqt li jixher bil-pjaċir - fuq Twitter naturalment.

 

Alla biss jaf il-ħsara inkalkulabbli li se jwettaq, mhux biss lil pajjiżu, imma lid-dinja u lir-relazzjonijiet ta' bejniethom, speċjalment dawk il-partijiet tad-dinja li kienu jqisu lill-Istati Uniti (aktarx romantikament) bħala tarka tal-libertà u tal-progress, u allejat prinċipali tal-pajjiżi hekk imsejħa tal-Punent kontra dawk il-pajjiżi l-ħżiena, ċjoe wħud minn dawk tal-Lvant.

 

Ma kienx l-ewwel każ, imma t-telefonata issa famuża bejn Trump u l-Prim Ministru Awstraljan Turnbull, kienet sajjetta (mhux se ngħid fil-bnazzi) fl-istorja ta' alleanza twila.  F'dan il-każ, l-isfond huwa alleanza li rat lill-Awstralja tiġġieled spalla ma' spalla mal-Istati Uniti ta' bejn iż-żewġ pajjiżi, f'tant kunflitti, mit-Tieni Gwerra Dinjija.1

 

Wara li l-gvern Awstraljan kien ftiehem ma' dak Amerikan fi żmien il-President Obama biex jieħu sa 1250 mir-rifuġjati miżmumin fuq NMauru u l-gżira Manus fil-PNG, il-president il-ġdid Trump sploda hekk kif sema' bih.  Ġie rrappurtat li fuq it-telefon xela lil Turnbull li jrid jibgħat lil dawk li lill-bomers tal-futur fil-pajjiż.  'Ftehim stupidu' gerger fuq Twitter.  Darb'oħra akkuża lill-Awstralja li kienet ħadet vantaġġ minn pajjiżu, u staqsa retorikament 'għalfejn qed nagħmlu dan?  X'inhu l-iskop?'2

 

Ħeqq, li pajjiż jieħu r-rifuġjati fi ħdanu hija obbligu ta' firmatarji tal-Konvenzjoni fuq ir-Rifuġjati tal-1951 u tal-Protokoll tal-1967 tal-Ġnus Magħquda.3  U li pajjiż jgħin lil ieħor fi żmien il-bżonn hija ħaġa li ssir spiss meta l-pajjiżi jkunu ħbieb, jew meta pajjiż iħoss obbligu morali li jgħin lil ieħor anke jekk mhux ħbieb, jew ċinikament meta jaħseb li se jieħu xi vantaġġ ieħor mhux imsemmi.

 

Trump jista' jsaqsi lilu nnifsu, x'inhu l-iskop li l-Awstralja tieħu rifuġjati mill-Costa Rica fl-Amerika Ċentrali, rifuġjati li kienu qiegħdin jagħtu wġigħ ta' ras lill-Istati Uniti?  Forsi l-Istati Uniti kienet qiegħda tieħu vantaġġ mill-Awstralja?  Xi jrid, li ż-żewġ pajjiżi ħbieb jirtiraw mill-kelma li taw lil xulxin?  Din hija possibiltà li naraha stramba kif mhix qed tissemma.

 

Il-problema prinċipali ta' Trump mhix il-personalità tiegħu, jekk hux diplomatiku jew le, imma x'inhuma l-prinċipji tiegħu.

 

Per eżempju, jidher ċar li l-ewwel prijorità tal-president il-ġdid hija l-AmerikaIstati Uniti, u din mhix ħaġa ħażina.  Li huwa ħażin, fl-opinjoni tiegħi, hi li din hi l-unika prijorità tiegħu, jew fi kliem ieħor jekk jimpurtahx minimament minn dak li jiġri barra, u li jkun lest li jkun ċittadin tajjeb globali.  Ftit ilu, meta kien qed jiġi mistoqsi jekk jixtieqx jara stabbiltà politika u tkabbir ekonomiku fil-Messiku, ġie kkwotat li qal “Jien onestament ma jimpurtanix mill-Messiku, verament ma jimpurtanix mill-Messiku”.4  Ċittadin tajjeb globali?  Ma naħsibx!

 

Din l-attitudni tista' tispjega wkoll għaliex huwa daqshekk qatta bla ħabel kontra kull ftehim ta' kummerċ ħieles bejn il-pajjiżi.  Dawn il-ftehim veru li jista' jkollhom diversi problemi, fosthom li titnaqqas il-protezzjoni lil diversi industriji lokali jew li jingħataw wisq drittijiet lil entitajiet kummerċjali u/jew globali.  Madankollu hemm ukoll diversi vantaġġi ta' dan it-tip ta' ftehim, fosthom it-tkabbir ekonomiku (għalkemm l-gvernijiet ċertament ħatja li l-ġid li jinħoloq ma' jitqassamx b'mod li l-popolazzjoni kollha tħoss li qed timxi 'l quddiem) kif ukoll li l-pajjiżi l-fqar u d-dgħajfa jiġu megħjuna jegħlbu l-faqar u dgħjufija tagħhom bl-attività ekonomika, u li pajjiżi li għandhom interess ekonomiku f'xulxin aktarx jevitaw il-kunflitti milli jfittxuhom, li jwassal għal paċi relattiva.

 

Trump u dawk li għażel li jmexxu lill-amministrazzjoni tiegħu ma qagħdux lura li jmaqdru l-istituzzjonijiet li l-Istati Uniti tant ipparteċipat fihom:

 

- Il-Ġnus Magħquda huwa 'klabb għal nies biex jieħdu gost'5;

- In-NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) 'għadda żmienha' u hemm it-theddida li jekk pajjiż membru ma jonfoqx daqskemm hu mistenni minnu, jista' jkun li ma jsibx l-Istati Uniti biex tiddefendih fi żmien il-prova.  Jien nistaqsi, liema pajjiż b'rasu fuq għonqu se jafda l-integrità territorjali tiegħu f'allejanza li ma ssibhiex meta jkun hemm il-bżonn?

 

Ma nistax ma nsemmix ukoll l-istennija tiegħu, jew forsi x-xewqa, li l-Unjoni Ewropeja tisfaxxa bit-tluq tal-membri tagħha wieħed wieħed.6

 

Huwa ċar li l-President Trump lest li jiddestabbilizza d-dinja tal-Punent kif nafuha llum.

 

Il-pajjiżi li huma parti minn din id-dinja jagħmlu ħażin jekk ma jibdlux l-arkitettura tan-nisġa ekonomika, militari u ta' sigurtà tagħhom biex inaqqsu l-impatt tal-Istati Uniti li mil-lum 'il quddiem se tkun inqas prevedibbli, iktar tħares 'il ġewwa milli 'l barra, inqas interessata li tkun ċittadin tajjeb globali - fi kliem ieħor, se tkun ħafna inqas affidabbli llum milli kienet qatt.

 

Naħseb li l-aħjar pożizzjoni hija dik espressa mill-Kanċillier Ġermaniża Angela Merkel, li f'messaġġ xott lill-President il-ġdid wara l-elezzjoni, iva offrietlu l-kooperazzjoni tal-pajjiż tagħha, imma abbażi tal-valuri komuni taż-żewġ pajjiżi - id-demokrazija, il-libertà, ir-rispett tal-liġi u tad-dinjità umana mingħajr distinzjonijiet.7  Mhux miktub, imma loġikament, li jekk dawn il-valuri jkunu mittiefsa, din il-kooperazzjoni titrażżan.

 

Jien nemmen li din il-pożizzjoni għandha tkun adottata mill-pajjiżi kollha li fihom aħna l-qarrejja ngħixu, huma fejn huma, jekk irridu nkunu koerenti magħna nfusna u jekk verament nemmnu f'dawn il-valuri.  Sadanittant, aħjar jippreparaw!

 

 

 

1http://www.afr.com/news/world/north-america/us-australia-alliance-faces-strongest-challenge-yet-20170202-gu4cyq, retrieved 6/2/2017

2http://thenewdaily.com.au/news/world/2017/02/04/trump-australia-flattery/, retrieved 6/2/2017

3http://www.unhcr.org/about-us/background/4ec262df9/1951-convention-relating-status-refugees-its-1967-protocol.html, retrieved 6/2/2017

4http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/wall-street-journal/donald-trump-provokes-little-mexican-war/news-story/02d7da5cf171644bbee4e2520ea9f25b, retrieved 6/2/2017

5http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/donald-trump-united-nations-club-have-good-time-barack-obama-israel-settlements-a7496786.html, retrieved 6/2/2017

6https://www.thelocal.de/20170203/trumps-top-eu-pick-warns-german-media-of, retrieved 6/2/2017

7https://www.bundeskanzlerin.de/Content/EN/Artikel/2016/11_en/2016-11-09-merkel-zu-us-wahl-trump_en.html, retrieved 6/2/2017

1http://www.afr.com/news/world/north-america/us-australia-alliance-faces-strongest-challenge-yet-20170202-gu4cyq, retrieved 6/2/2017

2http://thenewdaily.com.au/news/world/2017/02/04/trump-australia-flattery/, retrieved 6/2/2017

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