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As I have said in the past, I find that, in the majority of instances, Lou Bondi’s TVM program, Bondiplus, to be amongst the best (at least by Maltese standards) programs, offered to the public.
However, at times he leaves one astounded with his choice of program. I just can’t see logic for this week’s choice of program wherein he discussed the archbishop. Was the program perhaps meant to commemorate the anniversary of Mgr Mercieca’s resignation on attaining retirement age? I seriously doubt it. Or was there some ulterior motive behind the program? I tend to say, that this second guess seems to be more likely.
I honestly cannot believe that Lou Bondi has any particular interest in whether Mgr Mercieca stays or goes. Secondly, he knows pretty well that the people, in their vast majority, are likewise uninterested in the Vatican’s acceptance or otherwise of the Archbishop’s resignation. Lou Bondi knows, as well as I do, that Mgr Mercieca enjoys the support of the vast majority of the people.
Could it be possible that Lou is still engaged in the carrying out of somebody else’s crusade? Lou Bondi’s criticism of the Archbishop with full-page articles like ‘The church is a political joke’ and ‘Four priests and an archbishop’ are still fresh in one’s mind. The bias in favour of one of the four protagonist priests was so conspicuous. At that time Lou Bondi also accused the archbishop that the removal of former RTK boss, Fr Joe Borg, was linked to pressure from the Malta Labour Party. The Curia had categorically denied these accusations.
In one of my contributions to the same newspaper, which published Bondi’s contributions on the subject, I had suggested that as an investigatory journalist he (Bondi) ought to interview Fr Joe Borg to seek the truth as to what led the archbishop to remove him (Joe Borg) from office.
Needless to say, the challenge fell on deaf ears. He now had the perfect opportunity to quiz Fr Joe on television on his unbecoming behaviour towards his superiors, as in fact he did with Fr Colin, by including him in a slot in the program. Why didn’t he do it? Did Fr Joe, perhaps need to apply to PBS, in terms of the Programme Statement of Intent it issued last May, to have his slot included in the program?
I am indeed very much surprised with Lou’s exclusion of Fr Joe from the panel of guests. Isn’t the very reverend, usually, an automatic choice with programs of this nature?
As to the panel of speakers, I think they were all smart enough not to permit themselves to be used, or better still misused, for the scope of the possible crusade.
It is unfortunate though, that the editor of the Gens chose to be most unfair with Fr Colin when he pointed a finger at him vis-à-vis his clash with the church authority, but refused to name other clerics, who publicly denounced the Archbishop, disobeyed the church teachings, went against the vows of priesthood, and contravened Canon Law, when challenged by Fr Colin.
I do not know Fr Colin from Adam, but his repeated public admittance of having erred, earned him my respect and surely the respect of many others. Unlike other black sheep from amongst the clergy who refuse to seek repentance, he showed great courage in seeking reconciliation with his superiors.
Actually, I see only one serious shortcoming in our archbishop; that is, his failure to discipline the stubborn and persistent wrongdoers within his fold, and permit them to ridicule further the Church Authority.
John G. Borg-Bartolo
Attard
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