‘i Am Not Going to Take This...’

By Fr Joe Borg
Times of Malta
November 9, 2014

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20141109/opinion/-I-am-not-going-to-take-this-.543234

This newspaper was the first to prudently but professionally break the story about the pending court case against Fr Charles Fenech, who stands accused of sexually abusing a vulnerable person. This report was followed by other newspapers and other media which sometimes preferred to give a sensationalist bend.

The accusations against him are very serious, even horrible. This piece is not intentioned to diminish in any way or manner the seriousness of what is alleged.

It is not meant to defend Fenech in any way as I have no brief or interest to do so. But it interests me to analyse whether its reportage in the media is or is not another example of the state of unbearable shambles of public discourse in Malta.

Many media outlets lost their sense of proportion. I believe that journalistically and objectively the disgraceful revelations of the mass exploitation of foreign workers at the Chinese-owned company, Leisure Clothing, should have been given much more importance by our media outlets than the allegations against Fenech. The sense of proportion was lost in the enormous hullabaloo that ensued on Facebook. The comments of genuinely concerned people were mixed with comments of those grossly misinformed about the story. Naked hatred of the Church oscillated with genuine concern for it. This is to be expected as the allegations are serious enough for the police to press criminal charges.

Reneging on celibacy vows is as morally reprehensible as reneging on marriage vows, but both are only criminally relevant if they involve violence or minors or lack of consent resulting from vulnerability, as this case is alleged to be.