Mark Montebello addresses Kalkara residents at Friday’s meeting. Will he get the same support as Paul Muscat? Photo by Paul Blandford

He has sent the Curia reeling over his philosophical writings in which he criticises Church teachings, to the point that there is speculation he might be excommunicated.

And he has also been in the glare of publicity by taking up an active role in the Save Kalkara Valley action committee.

Father Mark Montebello is no stranger to controversy, but it doesn’t seem to bother him. And the strained relationship the outspoken priest now has with the Church doesn’t seem to bother a number of people from the Cottonera area either.

In fact, an anonymous letter was sent to the press by a mystery lobby called the ‘Anti-Clerical Movement’.

The letter expressed support for Fr Mark and said that it represented people who have left the Church for the very reasons the priest cites in his writings.

Fr Mark told MaltaToday that he knew nothing about the movement, but admitted that he has received countless letters from people expressing their support.

"People sympathise with me because they feel I am fighting their battle," Fr Mark said. "Some people thank me for my courage, others express their admiration that I am not intimidated by my superiors and others encourage me to continue my work."

The Sliema-born Dominican is not new to controversy. He shocked people in the early nineties with his liberal theological views during a radio show on Live FM.

The Dominican Provincial at the time felt that the free-thinking Fr Mark went overboard with his thoughts about women priests, saints, celibacy and other controversial issues and subsequently banned him from the airwaves for a whole year.

At the same time he was transferred at his request from the Dominican priory in Rabat to the priory in Birgu. Fr Mark settled down well with the Cottonera residents and, although he may be a thorn in the Maltese Church’s side, the work he does in Cottonera has earned him the admiration of the people there.

Fr Mark founded ‘Dar it-Tama’ in Bormla, providing free education and social support to the underprivileged of the area. He went on to found the prisoners’ support group ‘Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl’ and campaigned relentlessly against the stigma attached to ex-convicts.

The vociferous Dominican is now secretary general of the pressure group campaigning to save the Kalkara Valley from development.

Although it is unclear whether the anti-clerical movement has support in any real numbers, it was more then evident during last Thursday’s rally held in Kalkara that the people of Cottonera love Fr Mark. When he addressed the crowd gathered, he got a hefty applause from those present for speaking out in favour of the rights of Cottonera citizens.
The current spate of speculation on Fr Mark’s status within the church does not seem to have dented the trust that Cottonera people have in this young priest. They are not afraid to show this and it is a characteristic trait of Cottonera residents.

Only last week, in an interview with MaltaToday, former President Ugo Mifsud Bonnici, a Cottonera resident himself, remarked that when somebody from Cottonera is victimised he becomes a hero for the people.

This could be the case for Fr Mark. The Church’s unfavourable attitude towards him could turn him into a hero in Bormla in much the same way as happened with Bormla mayor Paul Muscat who has the support of the residents in spite of defying his own political party. Former premier Dom Mintoff could also be included in the list of Cottonera heroes although Labour leader Alfred Sant took the brave step of challenging him in his own territory and Mintoff’s actions bewildered many of his loyal supporters.

But there is no doubt that people close to the religious scene are uncomfortable with the outspoken Dominican. Some who spoke to MaltaToday said that with the beliefs Fr Mark holds it seems as if he is in the ‘wrong church’. Although they agreed that the Maltese Church lags behind in conforming to the Second Vatican Council they expressed their doubts at some of the criticism made by Fr Mark because it hit directly at the Church’s fundamental doctrine.

As yet it is unclear what position the Church will adopt in the Fr Mark controversy, but if it chooses to take drastic action, it may well have to face the wrath of the Cottonera faithful.