The Bishop of Padua Archbishop Antonio Mattiazzo, chose not to attend the funeral Alpin Matteo Miotto not increase exaltation rhetoric that tends to turn the fallen heroes in military missions that seek to preserve peace by means of arms. Do not share that choice based, in my humble opinion, on an incomplete assessment of the events on the ground in Afghanistan. "The Alpine Matteo Miotto rest in peace, his memory has not. The Italian survives a dilemma, a dilemma is not new, nor so compelling: it is not a hero or a hero?
Individually, this time the bishop of Miotto to raise the issue. The soldier was Thiene, the diocese is that of Padua. And the spiritual leadership of this diocese has raised noise with the decision not to hold private funerals of the fallen, simply send a letter of condolence. "The diocese was represented," said Monsignor Antonio Mattiazzo to local journalists. And maybe he could stop there. Instead, he kept an addition very clear: "Of course I am disappointed that the young man is dead. But go slowly with the exaltation of rhetoric. Do not let 'heroes. Those are not peace-keeping missions. They go there with weapons, so the meaning is different, we must not forget ...».
His Excellency, no doubt, raises dust with a position rather than ideological. For any Christian, who line up behind a coffin, it matters little that in there be a hero. Unfortunately, there's a guy that still has life left in very specific circumstances, serving a flag and a country, giving written touching the mark of an idea. It would seem natural in front of the funeral procession on the last day, there is his bishop. In this case, the bishop does not consider her worthy of the occasion. Dissociates. Certainly Bishop Mattiazzo has a thousand reasons when he wants to escape the rhetorical chorus. Too often the patriotic and militaristic emphasis dominates ruthlessly true mourning. Normal and perhaps even a duty to deny that the religious rite of superlatives profane epic. But in his position would have a unique opportunity to climb the pulpit to address the funeral in person and celebrate his second conviction of faith, the right thing. Instead the soldier
Miotto is a bishop who decides to avoid the rhetoric of dodge. With all due respect, difficult to understand. You can not share. But there's more. Monsignor Mattiazzo also expressed its disagreement with the whole nature of the Italian expedition, siding openly: we're not going to bring peace, let's go to war.
Back to resurface the vexed and unresolved issue. The bishop confronts in the most straightforward and uncompromising: where there are no weapons, no war. An Evangelical Church and the spiritual in the strict sense can not accept in any case the use of force. This the noble and respectable location. But things in practice, most are pretty darn complicated. There are times and circumstances that require the strength to defend the defenseless. The Church herself, years ago, he agreed with the military intervention to stop the horrors in Kosovo. It certainly would not have anything to say if in different parts of the world today, more money to defend the Christians persecuted by the satraps and regimes, from hatred and intolerance.
are the speeches of all time. Since its birth, the Church is divided on the interpretation of the message. It was worthy witness the same San Francisco, which saw the birth of even one of its very sharp divisions: one is the strict application literal and the Gospel, even speculated that the absence of cathedrals and monasteries, of rules and hierarchies, the other a more historicized and more realistic, therefore, open to the structures, rules and institutions. The centuries pass, but we are always the starting point. The weapons ever, the weapons some of the time. But even the bishop of Padua, in his rush pacifist, denying an obvious truth: we can all think of our soldiers, not that they are around the world to unleash tensions, violence, injustice and abuse. If an item on this poor nation collects the unanimous admiration internationally, this is undoubtedly the human approach and fair, peaceful and moderate Our shipments.
lord, with all the humility that is appropriate: continue to believe in its absolute ideals and defend its intransigent positions, but try to separate between the inscrutable political strategies and the role of our military. Perhaps, in retrospect, the funeral of Matthew Miotto to appear as a big opportunity lost. She was found in a position to sweep away the rhetoric and simply recognizing the importance of death. It was not necessary to call him a hero. Only letters that Matthew has left written, a good bishop would surely have found the words to paint him as a generous guy, clean, idealistic. A righteous man. More than a hero. "
(Source: Cristiano Gatti, Il Giornale, January 24, 2011)
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