From Mr M. Mallia

I refer to various recent articles by Daphne Caruana Galizia commenting on the canonisation of St George Preca.

I make a distinction between freedom and licentiousness. Nobody is questioning Daphne’s freedom to publicise her belief, or lack of one, and to comment on any other belief, including the Catholic faith. But there are natural limits to freedom. When she ridicules a faith, mocks its dearest precepts and its practices, then freedom turns into licentiousness. I will defend her freedom, but condemn her licentiousness, for her licentiousness impinges upon my freedom.

I wonder whether Daphne reads The Economist. If she does, she will know that the editorial stance of this newspaper is strictly secularist, materialist and pragmatic. However, it discusses matters of religion and spirituality in a mature and balanced way, and always respectfully. In contrast, Daphne’s writing about the Catholic faith oozes sarcasm and disdain. The crude language she uses would be more appropriate on the lips of a rebellious teenager who is struggling to assert herself as an adult. Her view of the Catholic Church is more akin to a caricature stuck in a pre-conciliar time warp. To be honest, the tone of such writing has become nauseating.

I was in Rome last week, along with 5000 other Maltese from all social classes. University lecturers rubbed shoulders with semi-literate housewives. The atmosphere was one of camaraderie and joy. Nobody spoke of magic shoelaces or wonder-working gloves, but all praised God for the life and teachings of St George Preca. Thankfully, there was not one London broadsheet (Daphne’s recommended reading for that unforgettable weekend) in sight. There is a time for London broadsheets, and a time to set them aside and reflect on the higher things in life. I meditated that, while a high IQ and money certainly don't hurt, the key to happiness is wisdom, and that wisdom can only be found in humility and “poverty in spirit”. I further realised that egotism, cocksure arrogance and the tyranny of disbelief lie at the root of many contemporary problems – prejudice, corruption and environmental degradation, among others.

I also pondered that scandal is not given only when one errs in a moment of weakness (remember the hysterical hullabaloo on the alleged misconduct of a certain Gozitan priest, which occurred some 40 years ago? The case against him has been dropped, by the way). Scandal, I believe, can also be given when one chips away, persistently and systematically, at the simple faith of simple people, the “little ones”of Christ.

I am not much older than Daphne, two years at most, but life and logic have shown me that there are truths beyond the grasp of my limited intelligence, and that the Catholic Church, with its 2,000 year experience in contemplating the words of Christ, has something to teach me. Now Daphne is free to accept, ignore or reject those teachings, but I would ask her to refrain from gratuitously insulting those who choose to follow this particular path to the Divine.

Mario Mallia

ZEBBUG

GOZO