Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1464865
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 17 APRIL 2022 9 INTERVIEW This is something Pope Fran- cis emphasised a lot, especially at Ta' Pinu. It was there, in fact, that he urged us to 'go back to the essentials': which includes not just Jesus Christ's denunci- ation of the Pharisees… but al- so, the experience of his death and resurrection: everything, in fact, that defines us as Chris- tians. Pope Francis himself likened that experience with Ta' Pinu itself: which, from a humble chapel, was rebuilt into a mag- nificent Basilica; just like Jesus Christ's crucifixion – which seemed like a 'crisis', or even a 'failure', to his disciples at the time – resulted in the begin- ning of something new. And this message is particu- larly important, in today's context, also because of all the changes that the Maltese Christian community has gone through. How are we to react to these changes, as Christians? If we react to them merely in terms of 'loss of power', for instance… on one level, it would simply lead to anger, and resentment. But on another, it would also imply that our mission should be to 'seek power'. Pope Francis's message, on the other hand, is that our mission as Christians is not to 'seek power' at all. It is to share the merciful love of God: be- cause that is the only thing that can convey hope: especially, to people who have experienced failure. That is what can bring healing, to a society that is un- dergoing change… and which is also broken, and fragmented. So, in spite of all the societal changes: there is still a role [for the Church] to play. It's not about 'numbers' – in fact, Pope Francis himself told us to 'stop counting numbers' in our churches - but about conveying hope, through God's mercy; about bringing healing, where there is brokenness. But the congregation in Flo- riana also featured more or less Malta's entire political establishment: including government ministers who – while very eager to attend the Pontifical Mass – are simul- taneously enacting policies that Pope Francis himself has strongly criticised: especially insofar as immigration is con- cerned. On top of that, there was also a backlash of hostil- ity (coming also from Catho- lics) against the Pope's mes- sage of 'hospitality' towards migrants. Isn't this also part of the hypocrisy he was warn- ing against? Let me start by examining the way Pope Francis handled the issue of migration: which, as he himself put it, is one of the new realities which mark the times that we live in. What I noticed is that: first of all, he offered leadership on this issue. Not just during this visit to Malta, by the way: Pope Francis also showed lead- ership, when he chose Lampe- dusa as the venue for his first Papal visit. But here, he specifically showed leadership by – among other things - insisting on go- ing as close as possible, to the 'place that nobody wanted him to see.' And the people rec- ognised this: they saw how - though Pope Francis was too tired to continue the morning Mass; so much so, that Arch- bishop Scicluna had to take over, at a certain point – he nonetheless recovered his en- ergies… not to mention, his smile… the moment he visited the Peace Lab. But if I emphasise 'leadership' so much, it's also because that is what I feel has been most lacking, when dealing with an issue as complex and sensitive as immigration. This, I feel, is what causes so many of the social problems in the first place: because, in the absence of any true lead- ership… citizens out there are simply left to cope, as best they can, with the consequences of our failure to take decisions at government level. Moreover, this lack of lead- ership also influences how we perceive those people to begin with; and also, the language we use when talking about them. The 'hostile backlash' you mention, for example: while I don't want to generalise too much, the situation certainly isn't helped by politicians who exploit the people's fear of 'oth- erness', for their own political ends; and, even worse, foment the people to be aggressive, or hateful, towards migrants in general. Now: I feel I have to be careful in saying this, because I don't to be misconstrued as 'condon- ing', or in any way 'justifying', hate-speech. But I do believe we have to at least try and understand the root cause of so much hatred. And if people are continually forced into a situation, where they have to bear the brunt of the lack of leadership at the political level – and, even worse, if language is continu- ally manipulated, for the sake of political power, to foment hatred towards a small minor- ity – then… it doesn't 'justify' those comments, naturally. But it does help us understand the root causes. At the same time, it also forc- es us to question another of our national traits that was singled out by Pope Francis: our reputation as a 'hospita- ble' people, who had treated St Paul with such 'unusual kindness' back in 60AD. Are you suggesting that Malta no longer deserves this reputa- tion, in 2022? Is that what you think Pope Francis was actu- ally trying to tell us there? I wouldn't go that far, myself. Certainly, I would be cautious before saying that the Maltese people don't have at least the potential to be hospitable; or that it is something we have somehow 'lost', along the way. And Pope Francis made sure to point this out: once again, by distinguishing between 'the people of Malta', and 'Maltese Christians'. He reminded us, for instance, that when the Maltese people treated St Paul 'with unusual kindness'… it was before they had received the Gospel. So what I think Pope Francis was telling us, there, was that our reputation for 'hospitality' is itself part of our roots, as a nation... and not just as a 'Christian' people. In fact, during his Wednesday address – three days after his visit to Malta – he told his au- dience to "draw the sap of fra- ternal compassion and solidar- ity, from your own roots". And he emphasised that last part: 'from your own roots'… As a people, we still have those roots: they are still part of our identity, and our tradi- tion, regardless whether we are Christians or not. So, more than a case of having 'lost' our reputation for hospitality: what I feel Pope Francis was saying is that we need to reconnect with those roots, in order to keep those qualities alive. What struck me most, how- ever, was how he delivered that message: not just with regard to immigration, but also when talking about other issues, such as corruption; or the way we treat our environment. In all such instances, Pope Francis did two things: one, he showed no hesitation whatsoever in naming what is problematic… and sometimes very specifical- ly, too: such as when he em- phasised the risk of authorities colluding with human-traffick- ers, for instance. But he also did that, within a framework that seeks to sup- port what is 'unique' about our identity: not a 'fossilised' iden- tity, that belongs to the past… but the beating heart of a peo- ple. And in so doing: in my opin- ion, he also brought out the greatness… not of 'what we are'; but rather, of 'what we can be'.