Dominican priest Mark Montebello has criticised Church actions ahead of the divorce referendum.
Writing in The Times today, he said that as an official minister of the Catholic Church he had been involuntarily made part of things which, in conscience, I he did not, could not and would not endorse.
"For during the last few months I have been humiliated over and over again by the injudicious behaviour of the local Catholic Church in general and of some Catholics in particular. Their faults are also mine," he wrote.
Fr Montebello said that by officially declaring it would not take part in the campaign debates, the Catholic Church placed itself in a position of being able to inflict damage on its adversaries without the possibility of rebuttal.
"In a political and pragmatic sense, this is worse than what happened in the 1960s. Alas, despite this stand, stealthily the Church wrought immense pressure on many people’s consciences."
He then went on to give, as examples, how religious celebrations, including weddings, were 'routinely exploited' for political propagandist purposes. The alleged Virgin Mary of Borġ in-Nadur was made to campaign with anathemas and threats of her own. All sorts of printed material were sent to households through parish structures to influence the electorate. People were consistently told that divorce would open the door to abortion, euthanasia and same-sex marriages and would, moreover, increase poverty.
Some were scared into believing that the referendum is part of a sinister ploy to ultimately destroy the Church in Malta and Gozo, he said.
The head of the pro-divorce main lobby group was banned from practising at the ecclesiastical tribunals. Members of religious lay groups were told by their spiritual directors that they would have to leave if they voted yes or not at all. Posters similar to those of the 1960s were put up at church doors. Partisan politicians were left to make religious arguments without impunity.
"I am deeply humiliated and ashamed by all of this. This is not the Catholic Church I believe in and love," he said.
"My fellow citizens, I am truly mortified by such disrespect and insolence shown to your intelligence and rights as human beings. If you consider me part of this, as I truly am, then I genuinely think and feel it is my moral duty to implore your forgiveness. For this I will be most grateful."
Letter in full at
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110521/opinion/Humiliating-and-shameful.366381