In a recent letter in a local newspaper of 28 January, Joe Zammit of Paola told us that some priests have fallen into the devil’s trap by voicing their opinion on current hot issues such as divorce and cohabitation; he must have forgotten what Pope Benedict XVI had declared some time ago. He said that the Church’s worst enemy is within the Church itself. Mr Zammit must not adopt such a puritan attitude, since what the priest in question declared must be studied within the whole context in which it had been said. One cannot just skim over words, but must also delve deeper for their real meaning. There is often a greyish shade in what seems to be a black or white situation.

This is more or less the same scenario that developed a few months ago when some of our foremost Maltese priests and theologians made statements that prima facie seemed to favour divorce, which in fact they didn’t. Taken that both divorce and cohabitation are both morally wrong, then why does the Church itself and also the government seem to be much more pre-occupied with divorce than with cohabitation? Is cohabitation the lesser of two evils? Our Prime Minister has stated categorically that he is personally against the introduction of divorce, but doesn’t seem to be so much against a cohabitation law that will regulate and safeguard the interests of those who cohabitate. Why didn’t Dr Austin Gatt, who professes to be a staunch Catholic, also state categorically that he would resign from Parliament if the law on cohabitation is enacted? A convinced Catholic cannot adopt an “a la carte menu” attitude towards his religion. Religion is indeed a full-time commitment, rather than a part-time one! Divorce, at least, can take over where a marriage has failed irremediably, while on the other hand cohabitation, in principle, excludes marriage altogether. Our Church looks on someone who marries in Malta, after obtaining a divorce from abroad, as cohabitating but lawfully married by our state. This is one of the circumstances where our Church and state are distinctly separate on this issue.

At present one can’t get a divorce in Malta, simply because we don’t have divorce legislation, but at the same time our state accepts divorce decrees given by foreign courts. Such a situation is hypocritical, anomalous and downright unfair on those Maltese who are in dire need of a divorce so that they can get on with their lives. Somehow this impasse has to be remedied.

Lastly, may I remind Mr Zammit, that no one can judge others in whatever they do or say. Only God can, because only He can look deep down in our hearts, where no man can ever be.

Charles Cirillo

HAMRUN