From Mr J. Vella

The Malta Independent on Sunday of 11 January carried the news on page 3 that a university lecturer excommunicated himself because of the Vatican’s opposition to the UN Resolution for the universal decriminalisation of gay relations, and, a few weeks ago, the Pope called homosexuality a destruction of God’s work and so on.

After reading the news item I thought to myself, where is the news value of this item? After all, our Lord is quoted to have said to his disciples: “Will you also go away? (John 6:68), and in the Old Testament: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts: nor your ways my ways,” saith the Lord (Isaiah 5:26).

I can assure Dr Ing. Patrick Attard that not all UN Resolutions are parallel to the teaching of the Lord, which is amply emphasized both in the Old and the New Testament over and over again. In this instance I appreciate the fact that this Dr Attard is a lucky man because he is Maltese, as I know of countries that not only ignored this resolution but if one is caught in public he is either stoned, shot, or hanged and I can assure Dr Attard that these are quite a few countries.

To emphasise his point, he blamed the Pope and the local curia for their hate preaching on this subject.

I am no defender of the faith but to put things in their proper prospective, the Pope, or better still the title of pope, was given to the bishop of Rome after the sixth century and has been so ever since. It was St Gregory who explained the duties of the bishop of Rome, that he must be a man who meditated deeply on the scripture, devoted to preaching, teaching, admonishing, a minister, and one who seeks to subdue himself rather than his brethren.

I find it very strange that Dr Attard calls the Bishop of Rome’s preaching “hate preaching” when on his site (patrickattard.blogspot.com) the main focus is a picture of a demonic pope with his hands covered in blood.

I for one do believe the Church did the right thing, and yes, it is the duty of the Church to be the vanguard and speak when things are said that go against the teaching of the Holy Book.

Joseph Vella

ZEBBUG