Malta: boat people, priority to save human livesThe Archbishop of Malta, the Most Rev. Paolo Cremona, has appealed to the Maltese State “always to take into consideration the ethical dimension in relations with other countries” as particularly regards the phenomenon of immigration. In a statement released on 24 August, he comments on the much-reported case of the failure to come to the rescue of the boat packed with Eritrean immigrants that has led to a diplomatic standoff between Italy and Malta. According to the archbishop, the States involved in the phenomenon of boat people “are called to work together to find just ways of how to accept these people, help them, and with the aid of other States, especially those within Europe, try to provide a home for them also in other countries, so as reduce the burden that would otherwise fall on those where they have disembarked”. That’s why, Mgr. Cremona continues, “Malta ought to recommend to other States not only to concentrate their efforts on the repatriation of the immigrants who seek asylum, but also discuss with governments how their security can best be safeguarded. Any political solution that would damage the health and safety of these persons is unjust”. Entering more directly into the row between Italy and Malta, the archbishop makes the point that “our discussion with neighbouring states on territorial waters ought to focus not on who should or should not provide emergency assistance, but on clear rules on who is responsible for assisting immigrants at sea irrespective of the place where they disembark”. This is a decision that “cannot be taken in times of crisis, still less after news of tragedies at sea”.Slovenia: no rehabilitation of CommunismOn April 2nd, the European Parliament asked to “proclaim August 23rd as the European Memorial Day for the Victims of Stalinism and Nazism, to commemorate them in a dignified and unbiased way”. So the Justice and Peace Commission of the Slovenian Bishops Conference invited the Slovenian public opinion to celebrate, on 23 August, the European Memorial Day for the Slovenian Victims of Totalitarian and Dictatorial Regimes: first and foremost, the victims of the Nazi and Fascist occupation, then the revolution carried out by the Communist Party. “We Slovenians – reads the document signed by mgr. Anton Stres, archbishop coadjutor of Maribor and president of the Justice and Peace Commission – are one of those European peoples that have been hit hardest by the fascist, Nazi and communist terror and violence. In Slovenian public opinion, Nazism and fascism are appropriately rated and rejected, while for the totalitarian communist regime we are still waiting for an unequivocal condemnation”. “The reasons – the text reads – are varied. One can be found in the fact communism stayed in power for a long time in Slovenia, hiding its real face”.”In recent times – the document underlines – there are some who try even to ‘rehabilitate’ our Communist past and its authorities, diminishing the crimes committed by the leaders of the regime. Renaming the main street of Ljubljana, capital of Slovenia, in honour of Tito and continuing to maintain the names of streets and squares that commemorate leaders of the Communist regime is completely in opposition to the letter and spirit of the aforesaid Declaration of the European Parliament and Resolution No. 1481 of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe of 26 January 2006 on the need for international condemnation of the crimes of Communist totalitarian regimes”. “The ultimate aim of these commemorations – points out the document – must be the reconciliation of the Slovenian people, because real and lasting reconciliation can only be based on the truth”. The Justice and Peace Commission of the Slovenian Bishops’ Conference “once again appeals for an impartial search for the truth and acts of love of truth and reconciliation”.Ireland: gay unions, “yes” to conscientious objection”Alarming”: this is how card. Sean Brady, Primate of all Ireland, commented on the choice of the new legislation on civil unions not to protect the right to conscientious objection of those officers who refuse to preside over gay marriages. The rejection of the new regulations, which will be discussed by the Irish Parliament soon, was submitted on 23 August to the meeting of the “European Society for Catholic Theology”. The new act should equate same-sax unions to marriage in terms of taxes and subsidies and would grant people who have cohabited for a short period the same status as married people. “What the Government is planning to do will change the concept of family – the cardinal stated -, but marriage between man and women will always be the ideal environment to raise children, and any government who, jeopardises it cannot promote the common good. So it is important for the State to protect the traditional family, the fundamental cell of society, as the Pope has repeated over and over again”.
