Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1113313
11 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 5 MAY 2019 MATTHEW VELLA ARCHBISHOP Charles Sciclu- na may be one of the Catholic world's most prominent figures for his role in bringing to justice paedophile priests. But in Malta, his critics also come from an ultra-conserv- ative minority that insists Sci- cluna "favours the homosexual agenda" – specifically for his endorsement of gay Catholic groups such as Drachma. They include Philip Beattie, a former member of hard-right outfits Alleanza Nazzjonali Re- pubblikana and Azzjoni Nazz- jonali, both defunct, who recent- ly formed the ultra-conservative Pro Malta Christiana. Beattie, a lecturer at the Uni- versity of Malta, recently led a rosary rally in "reparation for the abomination of Malta's an- nual gay pride", a poorly-attend- ed stunt that got short shrift from Scicluna. Beattie has now used the Vatican-critical blog 'Church Militant', an American website, to hit back at Scicluna, insisting that the archbishop is allowing a gay layman to be in- volved in a parish's liturgical ac- tivities. The layman in question was described as a former seminar- ian expelled from the Rabat seminary, who pled guilty in 2012 to tampering with a per- sonal computer and stealing passwords, for which he was handed a three-year suspended prison sentence. Beattie says the man, then 27, had made unau- thorised copies of lewd "homo- sexual" images belonging to the computer's owner. Beattie insists the layman is a "senior acolyte" at the Mosta parish church, who is allowed to wear liturgical vestments while carrying the traditional tintin- nabulum, a little bell, in solemn processions organised by the Mosta basilica. "His current ho- mosexual partner is known to have accompanied these proces- sions in recent years, taking pho- tos of [him]. Over the course of 2018, Malta's archbishop partic- ipated in two processions during which [he] has processed carry- ing the tintinnabulum directly in front of the archbishop." Beattie appeared to justify his rant by taking issue with Sciclu- na for disassociating the Maltese Church from Pro Malta Christi- ana's rosary rally. Beattie has insisted that his rosary rally was to offer public reparation to God for the an- nual gay pride, refer- ring to homosexual- ity as something still termed by the Cat- echism of the Catho- lic Church as "intrin- sically disordered". Beattie accused Scicluna of allowing Catholic LGBTQI group Drachma permission to hold meetings in Maltese par- ishes, retreat centres and in the University of Malta's Catholic chapel. "In 2014, Abp. Scicluna presided at a eucharistic cel- ebration put on by the Drachma group aimed at ending 'homo- phobia' with the front of the altar draped in a rainbow pride flag," he pointed out. NEWS IRRESTAWRA DAREK 2019 For the third consecutive year, the Planning Authority has relaunched the Irrestawra Darek scheme to assist in the regeneration of our village core areas. If you live in a property which is located within Urban Conservation Areas or a scheduled Grade 1 or 2 residential building you can benefit from this €5 million grant scheme. There are funds allocated and special benefits specifically for the renovation of streetscapes not less than 50m within an Urban Conservation Area. This scheme will open on the 10th June 2019 and is available on a first come first served basis. To apply contact an architect of your choice. . Terms and conditions apply. For more information go to www.pa.org.mt PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY FOR PLANNING AND THE PROPERTY MARKET Don't ring that bell! Ultra-conservatives hit out at Archbishop over gay layman Philip Beattie (inset) led a rosary rally (top) in "reparation" for Malta's annual gay pride", a stunt that got short shrift from archbishop Scicluna