Letter

By Gregory Chan

I refer to the post by Martin Jalleh posted below. I think I have been at pains to point out that a criminal offence has occurred. Once investigation has commenced, I am calling for it to be conducted as an impartial, fair & just trial. Martin has called for us to "forgive" the offenders. That goes without saying. But forgiveness only comes in at the last stage of the criminal procedure, at the sentencing stage, not at the investigation stage. Let us be absolutely clear about this.The Roman Catholic Church will be asked for our views when the offender is sentenced & we can most certainly be forgiving then. But I want the offenders to be answerable in court for what they have done. For too long, people such as the offenders have committed outrage after outrage on the pretext of acting in religious fervour in ferreting out "murtad" cases. Remember how the Holy Mass for 1st Holy Communicants at Our Lady of Lourdes in Silibin was disrupted when a group of muslims received a controversial sms that we were "converting" muslims en masse. False! Now, again, these offenders come into our Church, unannounced & uninvited, and on the same pretext : ferreting out "murtad" cases, as though this were license for them to commit sacrilege. This time, they participate in the Holy Eucharist & even receive Holy Communion, which is reserved for Catholics alone, and have the audacity of spitting out and then photographing the expelled communion for all & sundry to see. And they even publish it in their magazine. Can we not see how these acts of sacrilege are getting increasingly outrageous. The latest is but a blatant act of contempt towards our religion.I want these offenders to know & understand that there are consequences to their actions. I want these people who think they are at liberty to desecrate our rituals, our sacred liturgy, and our most Holy Eucharist on the pretext of ferreting out "murtad cases" to understand that such misguided & unfounded belief does not afford them a defence. I want to be absolutely clear on this. I want them tried. I want them to answer in court for what they have done. I want to see a conviction entered. When they are sentenced, then I shall be merciful. Then I shall show them compassion & forgiveness. I want to see investigations conducted in an impartial & unbiased way. I do not want it to be swept under the carpet. I want the offenders to face a fair & unbiased trial. Meanwhile, let the wheels of justice turn. I am sure, by then, we shall be merciful & forgiving. Just ask us....