On 31 August, the Catholic community worldwide lost one of its prominent and liberal voices when 85-year-old Jesuit Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, Archbishop emeritus of Milan passed away after years spent battling Parkinson’s disease

Pope Benedict XVI sent a message of condolence to Cardinal Angelo Scola, Archbishop of Milan. In his message he recalled Cardinal Martini as a fine biblical scholar and diligent pastor of one of the largest and most important sees of the Catholic Church.

The Pope wrote: “I recall with gratitude his intense and profuse apostolic work as a spiritual son of St Ignatius, an experienced teacher, an authoritative biblical scholar and beloved rector of the Pontifical Gregorian University and of the Pontifical Biblical Institute, and then as a diligent and wise Archbishop of the Ambrosian Archdiocese. I think also of the competent and earnest service he rendered to the word of God, opening ever more the treasures of Sacred Scripture to the Ecclesial community, especially through his promotion of Lectio Divina.” In another telegramm sent to Cardinal Scola, Secretary of StateCardinal Tarcisio Bertone, described Martini as one who “witnessed and taught the primacy of spiritual life and at the same time how to attentively listen to man in his various existential and social conditions”.

This great man earned a lot of respect from the secular state and non-Christians alike. The President of the Italian Republic, Giorgio Napolitano, commented that Cardinal Martini’s death was “a painful and grave loss not only for the Church and the Catholic world but also for Italy, of which he was a son and to which he gave a great part of his commitment and his teaching.” Furthermore, he reminisced about Martini’s “knowledge and universal vision for Christianity and innovative paths of inter-religious dialogue” coupled with his ability to “dialogue with Italians as a great maestro of intellectual and moral life”. Prime Minister Mario Monti defined the late Cardinal as “a point of reference of exceptional charisma and firm authority combined with a deep respect for every interlocutor”. Monti highlighted Martini’s cherished belief in the value of a united Europe.

Italy’s Jews also mourned the death of Cardinal Martini who worked indefatigably to create interfaith ties with them. The president of the Milan Jewish community, Walker Meghnagi, said: “For us, he was a friend and a point of reference we could count on. He was a protagonist of inter-religious dialogue in our city and a man of peace in the Middle East.” In a speech in 2004, Martini insisted that Catholics had to comprehend Judaism so as to understand their own Christian belief. “It is vital for the Church not only to understand the ancient covenant [between God and the Jewish people] which has endured for centuries in order to launch a fruitful dialogue, but also to deepen our own understanding of who we are as the church.”

The Jesuit biblical scholar was widely known for his liberal views regarding some moral, social and ecclesial issues. For Cardinal Martini “the use of condoms can, in certain situations, be a lesser evil”. A case in point would be of married couples where one of the partners contracted HIV or AIDS. However, he cautioned against the Church’s authorities mistake of publicly supporting the use of condoms, due to “the risk of promoting an irresponsible attitude”.

Furthermore, Martini advocated the right for terminally ill patients “to refuse treatments and that the doctors who assist them should be protected by law”.

His passionate love for the Church led him to confess that “our churches are big and empty and the church bureaucracy rises up, our rituals and our cassocks are pompous”. The Church must be humble enough to admit her sins, especially against the defenceless, “starting from the Pope and the bishops”. What is needed is “to take a journey of transformation”. Concerning the matter of whether divorced couples can receive Holy Communion, the issue is how the Church can help these complex family situations.

Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini urged the Church to always be reformed. Are we, as a Church, open to his prophetic call?

Fr Mario Attard OFM Cap

SAN GWANN