A fighting chance for the Church

Malta has a new Archbishop – Fr Charles Scicluna. His instalment was evident to many, right from the start, so much that speculation making the rounds indicated that the obvious might indeed be otherwise. 

Scicluna is an intellectual, having served for a number of years at the Vatican. Being an intellectual is however not sufficient grounds for anyone to merit the title of a spiritual leader. 

A spiritual leader must be compassionate to the needs of his flock. In particular, he must show a true understanding when dealing with social situations that are in conflict with the Church’s teachings. 

So far, Pope Francis has managed to bring the Church’s teachings to the non-practising Catholics, a community which has been on the increase year-on-year. He managed to reach out to them by making small but meaningful gestures, which translate the Church’s teachings into the reality we live in today. 

We all remember the well-documented anecdote when he insisted on paying a hotel room bill right after his election to the Pontificate. Pope Francis taught us all that dues are there to be settled by everyone. Moreover, by refusing to wear the traditional pontifical red shoes, he has likewise shown that the Church should not be perceived to be a rich institution, but one that is run by people who live a normal life. By personally calling individuals around the world, Pope Francis has managed to connect with society’s marginalised people and instill a sense of empathy towards them. Thus far, Pope Francis has been successful because he has realised that doing is more persuasive than talking and preaching. 

I believe Archbishop Scicluna has, to a certain extent, this sense of bringing about the change that is desperately needed in the Church in Malta. There is no doubt that he will not hesitate to take decisions. Judging by his performance on Times Talk this week, the fact that he is not afraid to undertake a census on church attendance in Malta promises to be a good start. The Church, like all other institutions (and political parties for that matter), tends to refrain from undertaking an analysis to assess its relevance to our society. In addition, the new archbishop should take note of the remarks on the leadership, which had been previously flagged, such that mistakes are not carried forward unnoticed. 

But while Archbishop Scicluna has already shown signs of willingness and determination, what is still unclear is whether he will make the right choices. In his search for the right choices, he and his team should first ask the right questions, several of which easily come to mind. Why has attendance at mass decreased – is it due to the fact that homilies are lacking in their relevance to our daily lives? The answer in general (although not everywhere, in particular Youth Fellowship) is simply yes. As a start, Scicluna must address this immediately without hesitation, for the downward trend to be stopped or reversed. There is no doubt in my mind that the Church’s teachings are still relevant to our lives, and likewise they will continue to be. The issue here is not that, however, but the manner in which the Church succeeds in making us aware of its teachings’ relevance. 

Archbishop Scicluna, like Pope Francis, must show empathy to situations that are in conflict with the Church’s teachings, in particular to the LGBTI community, and divorced couples. While the Church’s teachings and values may not be elastic or flexible, their way of communication is. 

The cases of sexual abuse by members of the clergy mark another challenge facing Archbishop Scicluna. As former Vatican Chief-Prosecutor in Abuse Cases, there is no doubt that he understands the repercussions brought about by such cases, both to the victims, their relatives and the Church. Nonetheless, there is no straightforward solution to this wound that has afflicted the Catholic Church. 

Scicluna takes on from Paul Cremona – a man whose humble decision to step down should be acknowledged not as a sign of weakness, but of sincere and relentless sense of service to the Catholic Church in Malta. His humility ought to be an example not only to his fellow priests, but also to the community at large.

After having spent most of his time in Rome, some initially thought that Scicluna might be unaware of the challenges being faced by Maltese society. During his two-year service as Auxiliary Bishop, I believe he has proved otherwise. Born from a well-respected family in Qormi, and his determination of being the voice of a vibrant diocese, Archbishop Scicluna promises to be a fighting-chance for the otherwise ailing Maltese Catholic Church.