The Maltese Roman Catholic Church clergy is worried about the decline in church attendance on Sundays. This is only one symptom for the loss of the Catholic faith in Malta. Was it faith or tradition?  Is it perhaps the Maltese Church itself which is at fault?     

For example, what if the Maltese Church asks some questions to its gifted ex-alumni, who were discriminatingly chosen to enjoy the charisma of Catholic education. Like, whether they attend Mass on Sunday? Do they send their children to Mass on Sunday? Were they the crusaders for the introduction of divorce and civil union in Malta? How many college chapel weddings ended in separations and divorce?  

What do the people expect from the Church's educational institutions? What does the teaching mission of the Church stand for?

The opinion of a notable section of the Maltese population is that Church schools are the exclusive institutions from where professional successes are achieved. A Church college is the place a boy or girl must attend to become a distinguished politician, lawyer, doctor and so on.  The Church school is where one becomes, as we Maltese say, "nies" (well-bred). 

Ironically, the last two Archbishops of Malta, that is, Charles Scicluna and Paul Cremona, and many other influential men of the cloth, received their Catholic faith education and values from a state run public school and the MUSEUM.

Answers to the above questions and popular assumptions imply that the Maltese Church educational institutions have been used and abused to achieve a particular goal in life, which, once accomplished, it's to hell with faith and values. Might this be the root of the revelations of corruption, bribery, tax evasion and so on, by the political, professional and other classes that were trusted blindly? This turmoil might even include the Church itself. The man in the street has become suspicious of both State and Church.  Before trying to discover the reason for the fall in Mass attendance, I think, it is better that the Church examines itself and encourages trust in its Christian formation institutions

When is the Church going to change the popular misconception of its teaching institutions? Is it possible for the Church to put an end to its irresponsible attitude by resorting to that blessed school entrance lottery? Can the Church leave its hideaway and go to its parishes to pick the unlucky ones, the ones without educational guidance, those who are not brought forward, the ones carrying the Cross of intellectual poverty who are left behind? Is the Catholic school only available for cash? Is a Church college the greenhouse for the formation of Christian principles or a place for future antagonists and opportunists? Can the Church be truly among the simple nies (people)? Is this too much of a challenge for Church schools? Is the Maltese Church itself going to be a renewed reality? 

 

Michael Agius

St Paul's Bay