It was recently reported in the media that the Addolorata Cemetery Chapel, which was run by the Franciscan priests, has been closed.

The Addolorata Cemetery is government-owned land, including its Gothic-style chapel inside the cemetery’s grounds, which is run by the Catholic Church. Public cemeteries fall within the portfolio of the Health Ministry that falls under Minister Joseph Cassar. Buried in this cemetery are Christians of all denominations (Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox to mention just a few).  I was wondering whether in the light of the Vatican Council II and also in the Catholic Church’s spirit of Christian Ecumenism if this chapel could be made available to other denominations other than Roman Catholic? It can still be administered by a Catholic order but the holding of services would not solely and exclusively be just for deceased Catholics but open to other Christian denominations. 

I am asking this question because a year or so ago, there was an ugly scene in this chapel where an Evangelical burial service was being held for an infant. However, when a Capuchin friar who was in charge at the time learned of this, he barged in and snatched the microphone from the Evangelical pastor who was leading the service and launched into a diatribe against the Evangelical and even Catholics, and in the process disrupting the whole service. 

It was only through Christian longsuffering and fortitude that the family of the deceased child did not take the matter further for this unbecoming and unchristian behaviour. Can’t we, at least during the difficult moments after losing someone dear to us, show some sense of Christian unity? After all we are all supposed to be one in the Sprit and in Christ; non-believers know we are Christians by the love we manifest towards our brothers and sisters in the Lord! 

My heartfelt appeal goes to the civil and religious authorities to take into serious consideration the above plea when entrusting this chapel to a new administration for its upkeep and allow Christians of all denominations (Catholic, Anglican, Baptist, Orthodox, Evangelist, Pentecostal and so on) to hold services in this chapel (praesente cadavere, of course). 

Anthony Zarb-Dimech