Shunned Christian group ‘breaks two Curia orders’

A Christian organisation shunned by the Catholic Church in Malta over “alleged psychological and spiritual abuse” has seemingly broken two Curia orders, videos posted on Komunità Ġesù Salvatur’s Facebook page show.

Archbishop Charles Scicluna decided in 2021 that “no priest or religious (person of the cloth) should participate in meetings organised by this community, and these meetings should not be hosted in a church or in any Church property”.

One video posted in March shows a nun promoting a Mass held at the civic centre in Birkirkara and organised by the community.

Another video posted around the same time, and since deleted, shows the group adoring the Eucharist in a church.

Contacted for comment, a spokesperson for the Curia said:

“The directive issued by the Bishops of Malta and Gozo regarding Komunità Ġesù Salvatur remains in force, and the use of Church premises will not be permitted again.

“The nun who took part in these activities shall be reminded of the directives through the appropriate channels,” the Church spokesperson said.

They added that soon after the archbishop’s decision in 2021 Fr Renè Camilleri had been asked to provide the group with pastoral care while the Archdiocese continues to monitor the situation.

Replying on behalf of the community, Fr Camilleri said: “In spite of the fact that I strongly believe the Curia is grossly wrong on this issue and has grossly mishandled it from day one, the community has been sticking to the unjust orders of the Church assiduously”.

He confirmed that the nun regularly participated in the activities of the community.

“When the archbishop asked me to accompany the community, I took the responsibility to give the green light to the nun who asked me whether she can participate”. 

I strongly believe the Curia is grossly wrong on this issue and has grossly mishandled it

He said the community has “rigidly observed the directives of the bishops”.

“The fact that on a handful of occasions I celebrated Mass for them in a chapel does not mean that they are disobeying the Church’s orders. Whoever says that things are different is lying! I can vouch for that”. 

The Church decided to dissociate itself from the community in January 2021 following a five-month investigation by a specially set up commission.

The probe came after TV programme L-Erbgħa Fost Il-Ġimgħa broadcast interviews with three former members of the Catholic group, who claimed it had discouraged them from dating non-members. Another woman claimed she had been told not to keep her lesbian daughter at home in case she was under some form of curse.

The community is led by Clyde Attard and Josette Bonello who in the 2011 divorce referendum had formed part of the non-Church opposition to the legislation of divorce, under the banner ‘Kristu Iva Divorzju Le’.

Attard’s daughter, Amy, had broken ties with the community that her father leads, taking to Facebook to describe it as “a cult”.

The Church commission, which heard the experiences of former members  of the community, said Komunità Ġesù Salvatur was giving “a wrong and confused interpretation of Church teachings, an erroneous interpretation of scriptural texts, and an attitude that hurts those who are passing through challenging situations in life”.

The commission concluded that, irrespective of the spiritual good that could have been done by the community over the years, “one could never justify the alleged psychological and spiritual abuse perpetrated within this community”.