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Kurt Sansone
The priest condemned by the country’s bishops for endorsing a candidate contesting the European Parliament election was not even approached by the Church’s highest authorities before his condemnation was made public,
MaltaToday has learned.
He was not mentioned by name, but it was evident that the Church’s official statement mid-week condemning the participation of priests in political activities was aimed at Fr Colin Apap, who had earlier endorsed Labour Euro-candidate Joseph Muscat.
Contacted by MaltaToday, Fr Colin Apap said that he only got to know about the bishops’ statement from the media. “I was not approached, talked to, or chided by the Church authorities before the statement was issued to the press,” Fr Colin Apap told MaltaToday.
“What I did for Joseph Muscat was a recommendation of the validity of his character. I have known Joseph personally for years and found no problem in giving my recommendation.
“Had somebody else asked me to recommend him I would have done the same. I agree that priests should not interfere in partisan politics, but what hurts me is the double standards used by the Curia.”
Fr Apap would not elaborate but it is clear that the bishops have used two weights and two measures in condemning the participation of priests in politics despite Curia PRO Charles Buttigieg telling MaltaToday that the directives listed in the bishops’ statement have been in place for a very long time.
Buttigieg reiterated that there were other occasions when the bishops felt the need to remind priests of their duties.
However, no public statement was ever issued by the bishops to chide Fr Peter Serracino Inglott’s participation in the drafting of the Nationalist Party’s electoral manifestos over the years. It is an open secret that Father Peter is the brain child of the Nationalist party doctrine having been very close to both Eddie Fenech Adami and a key advisor to Minister Louis Galea.
Fr Peter Serracino Inglott had also featured in a publicity spot for Education Minister Louis Galea during the run-up to the PN leadership contest. Galea had also publicly thanked Fr Peter during one of his campaign speeches for the contribution he gave the party and the country.
None of these events elicited a public condemnation by the bishops.
Asked by MaltaToday about Fr Peter’s participation in the Convention for the Future of Europe, the church PRO said that the former university rector had participated as “Malta’s representative nominated by the government.”
Buttigieg said that Fr Serracino Inglott’s participation was approved by the Archbishop. “Participation in the Convention was not a matter of political controversy,” Buttigieg told MaltaToday.
But the Curia has also remained silent when a priest had addressed the PN general conference, commenting on the political programme under discussion in his capacity as a sociologist.
In their statement this week the Archbishop, the Bishop of Gozo and the Auxiliary Bishop expressed their dismay at the way a “priest allegedly expressed his support for one on the candidates contesting the European Parliament elections.”
The “priest” was Fr Colin Apap, who two day’s earlier had publicly endorsed MLP candidate Joseph Muscat.
The bishops reminded priests to stick to their religious vocation and stay away from politics and political controversy altogether.
“He, who among priests, does not abide by these directives is acting on his own and can never have our approval as bishops,” the statement warned.
However it would seem that public condemnation by Church authorities is dished out according to the political creed held by the priests in question.
kurt@newsworksltd.com
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