We reproduce below a letter from the Bishop of Port Victoria, Denis Wiehe, which appeared in the September issue of L’ECHO DES ILES, in which Bishop Denis Wiehe refuted allegations levied towards the Catholic Church through the pages of Isola Bella. Isola Bella has since published the letter in its October publication, but has failed to offer an apology to the Catholic Church. Le Nouveau Seychelles Weekly has chosen to reproduce this letter because we find the charges against the Catholic Church both unreasonable and unjustified. The Seychelles Isola Bella perceived itself as ‘An Independent Monthly Publication’; we are leaving this to our patrons to establish!
Following our telephone conversation concerning two passages in the above article, namely:
(1) “But although both the opposition and the Catholic Church are using the restructuring to propound their common agenda – that is, trying to win over the sympathy of people – the private sector has been employing more people.”
(2) “The opposition, through their protests, and the church are saying NO, that away from a government desk these people will not achieve much.”
I would like to point out that:
The Catholic Church’s only agenda is based on the Gospel of Jesus Christ, its founder and guide, while the opposition’s agenda – like that of other political parties – is based on its political manifesto as published during the recent election campaigns. The Catholic Church therefore does not have ‘a common agenda’ with the opposition or with any other political party.
The Catholic Church’s only public pronouncements as yet on the current restructuring in Government Ministries and Parastatal Organisations has been during prayer gatherings, particularly at mass on the Lord’s Day, when some communities have prayed for persons affected by the above mentioned restructuring and for their families. Jesus Christ in the Gospel, by His reaching and example, shows great compassion for those who suffer and are down trodden. Christians who claim to follow Him should likewise be compassionate and attentive to human suffering. At mass we pray for all those who suffer in our society. Our intention in so praying is sincere. It is most offensive to say that we pray for those who suffer “to try to win over the sympathy of people”.
The Catholic Church has made no official pronouncement in which it states that (a) it is against the current Government restructuring or (b) it opposes the development of the private sector as insinuated in your article and quoted above.
The two passages in which the Catholic Church is associated with the opposition in the above mentioned article are thus without foundation in fact and completely misleading. They are most damaging to the reputation of the Catholic Church in
Consequently, to correct this, I now ask you to publish this letter in the next issue of Isola Bella. An apology by your paper would, in the circumstances, appear to be called for and published.
+ Denis Wiehe, CSSp, Bishop of Port