Vatican ties bring good tidings

The issue of the Vatican ties with Malaysia will continue to be a discussion topics for a long time to come especially among the Catholics. This article appearing on 20 July 2011 is one that is written in a positive note. I hope that good intentions do not always give in to earlier frustrations or anger so much that we miss a good opportunity to have a better future.

Until the next time, cheers.

The Star, 20 July 2011

Comment By Lourdes Charles

Malaysia’s recent strengthening of ties with the Holy See can be politicised, ridiculed and criticised, or taken in good faith. If the latter is done, then there is a lot of good that our country can derive from Rome.

TAN Sri Murphy Nicholas Xavier Pakiam is not exactly a household name but among the Christians, he is highly respected and revered.

The Catholic Archbishop of the Kuala Lumpur Diocese may oversee the spiritual welfare of an estimated one million Catholics in Malay-sia, but he is hardly seen or heard of by the people, preferring to stay clear from news and from controversy.

With political emotions running high in Malaysia, the 73-year-old Perak born has suddenly found himself tossed into the limelight with lots of criticism levelled against him.

Some accuse him of being a traitor to his religion. The reason – he was with Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak when the Prime Minister met the Pope.

They are upset that he was in Rome when there were unsolved issues affecting the community here in the country.

Among others, there is the Allah issue and the seizure and desecration of the Bible in Bahasa Malay-sia. And there is the difficulty in obtaining approvals for the construction of churches besides the removal of the cross from missionary schools.

Even a number of priests feel that Archbishop Murphy should not have been part of Najib’s entourage.

The detractors accuse Najib’s administration of scoring points, especially with the Christians in Sabah and Sarawak and for the general election.

Usually the archbishop or a bishop refrains from accompanying the head of a state to the Vatican.

However, in this case, the Catholic Bishops conference selected Archbishop Murphy as the head of the Catholic community to be pre­sent.

There are Catholics who see the noble gesture to establish diplomatic ties as historic and in the right direction. Surely a lot of goodness can be derived from having such formal ties with the Holy See.

After all, for years the Vatican, as the oldest diplomacy in the world, has been working towards having bilateral ties with Malaysia, and now that it has materialised, it’s best to keep politics at bay.

Many countries have looked to the Vatican for guidance, especially on education and on how to co-exist peacefully through its laws and philosophy.

Prime ministers and heads of state come and go, not the relationship between governments. It is here to stay.

According to Father Lawrence Andrew, Najib as the Prime Minister and an elected representative of the state, has moved forward and inked the ties.

“The channel of communication has now been opened between the two,” says Father Lawrence.

“And it is diplomatic relations between two states, and not with Najib personally,” he says.

“Let not emotions get the better of us. We will be traitors, betraying our nation if we think that Najib is the nation and attribute it all to him,” said the Catholic Herald editor, stressing that one must not take the ties with the Holy See as a problem-solving relationship.

Najib himself has come under fire from Muslims who have criticised his visit.

It is a political gamble for him too. The criticism shows how delicate it is to handle religious issues.

Certainly, name calling, accusations and casting aspersions run contrary to the teachings of all religions.

Malaysians should look beyond the ties. There are long-term benefits. As for the archbishop – whose motto is Mercy and Peace – his main concern and interest is his flock, and it is not an easy task.

Everyone should show restraint, look to the good in things, and not the ugly side.

Give peace a chance.

Ahead of Malaysia-Vatican ties, an archbishop under siege

This article appeared in The Malaysian Insider on Thursday, 14 July 2011. It seems now that there parties who is going to politicise this matter. I for one, support fully the action of the Archbishop. Why? Simply because first, if there will be the establishment of diplomatic ties, it will be good for the church. So, why not work towards this. it does not mean that with the estabishment of diplomatic ties, we cannot criticize the Government? Anyway, who is to say that this Government will be around for long? We just not just blindly criticise anything that the Government do. Look at the issue. If not, we will just as bad.

Second, God ways are not man's ways. In God's ways, we are taught to forgive and to do good. The Archbishop is not a politician. So many of our politicians will just criticise and go against anything their opposition say or do just for the sake of it. This is so immature. If one is travelling with the PM, does not mean one agrees fully with the PM. Moreover, no one is privy to what will be discussed with his holiness, the Pope.

So to the detractors, please do not be short sighted.

So, those who are bringing up this issue is just venting their anger on Najib. I suggest them not to drag the Archbishop into this politics. To His Grace, I say, keep it up and God Bless you in your work.

Until the next time, cheers.

Ahead of Malaysia-Vatican ties, an archbishop under siege

KUALA LUMPUR, July 14 — As Putrajaya gears up to establish formal ties with the Vatican, the archbishop of Kuala Lumpur has come under scrutiny from certain sections of his congregation who question his role in the government’s diplomatic mission.

Some of the harshest criticism against Archbishop Murphy Pakiam come, surprisingly, from within the local Roman Catholic Church, with a vocal few labelling the senior cleric a “sellout”, as one local priest recounted to The Malaysian Insider.

Rev Father Michael Chua acknowledged that Pakiam (picture) has come under attack since word got out that the archbishop will be accompanying Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak on the federal government’s official visit to meet Pope Benedict XVI next week.

“Many critics may view the establishment of these ties and the participation of the local hierarchy as a ‘selling out’ or radical change of position by the Church,” said the ecclesiastical assistant in the Archdiocesan Ministry of Ecumenical and Inter-religious Affairs (AMEIA) for the Catholic Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur.

The priest attributed the Catholic community’s anger to the timing of the visit.

“Perhaps, what may render it as controversial to some people is that Putrajaya chooses to respond at this time,” he said.

“It is unfortunate that this event comes after the occurrence of several tense and critical events, including the use of the ‘Allah’ word in the Church's publication, the Alkitab and the Bersih rally,” he said, linking their outrage to a series of current events that have  chilled relations between Christians and the majority Muslim federal government.

Chua said if not for those issues “most Catholics would be celebrating that ties are finally being established between the Vatican and Malaysia after years of pursuing this”.

The other problem, he said, was that many Malaysian Catholics were not able to distinguish between a state that has diplomatic ties with the Vatican and a one that does not, which causes them to question why the archbishop is accompanying the Malaysian delegation.

“In the case of the former, a visit by a head of state would therefore not involve the local hierarchy as all communique will be via the respective state's ambassadors (the nuncio, in the case of the Vatican),” Chua explained.

The Malaysian Insider understands that the Catholic Church does not usually send a representative to accompany the government’s diplomatic missions.

The priest explained that many were under the impression that the local Church has abandoned its role in standing up for values to build a just, peaceful and equitable society.

Several parish priests in the Klang Valley said they have been approached by concerned churchgoers over the seeming conflict of interests for a man of the cloth to act as the government’s wingman on an official trip.

“However, in the present case, since there are no diplomatic ties between the Vatican and Malaysia, Archbishop Pakiam, a local prelate of the Catholic Church who has been instrumental in laying the ground work for this state-to-state diplomatic relations, has been invited by the Vatican to be part of this process,” Chua said.

He further explained that the Vatican has always sought relations with all countries. 

“Of special interest are predominantly Muslim countries, as this is in line with the Vatican's mission to promote Christian-Muslim dialogue,” he noted of Pope Benedict.

“It must be made clear that the Church continues to remain non-partisan as she seeks to dialogue and co-operate with all willing parties as part of its mission,” he said.

Malaysia is one of 17 nations that have yet to set up formal links with the head of the Roman Catholic Church.

The prime minister’s visit this time around is hoped to change all that.