Jum Internazzjonali tal-Persuni b’Diżabilità

Messaġġ tal-Qdusija Tiegħu l-Papa Franġisku

3 ta’ Diċembru 2020

Nibnu aħjar mill-ġdid:

Lejn dinja inklussiva, aċċessibli u sostenibbli għall-persuni b’diżabilità wara l-Covid-19.

Għeżież ħuti!

Iċ-ċelebrazzjoni tal-Jum Internazzjonali tal-Persuni b’Diżabilità, din is-sena, hija opportunità biex nesprimi l-viċinanza tiegħi ma’ dawk kollha li qed jesperjenzaw diffikultajiet partikolari f’dan iż-żmien ta’ kriżi minħabba l-pandemija.  Ninsabu llkoll fl-istess dagħjsa f’nofs il-baħar imqalleb li jaf ibeżżgħana; imma f’din id-dgħajsa hemm min ikollu jitħabat aktar u fost dawn hemm il-persuni diżabilità.

It-tema ta’ din is-sena hija “Nibnu aħjar mill-ġdid: Lejn dinja inklussiva, aċċessibli u sostenibbli għall-persuni b’diżabilità wara l-Covid-19.” Tolqotni ħafna l-espressjoni “nibnu aħjar mill-ġdid”. Din iġġgħelna naħsbu fil-parabbola tad-dar mibnija fuq il-blat jew fuq ir-ramel li nsibu fil-Vanġelu (Ara Mt. 7: 24-27; Lq 6: 47-49). Għaldaqstant nieħu din l-opportunità  prezzjuża  biex naqsam magħkom ftit riflessjonjiet billi nibda minn din il-parabbola.

1. It-theddida tal-kultura tar-rimi

Fl-ewwel ħaġa, “ix-xita,” "ix-xmajjar" u “l-irwiefen” li jheddu d-dar jistgħu jiġu identifikati mal-kultura tar-rimi li hija tant mifruxa fi żmienna. (Ara. Eżortazzjoni Appostolika: Evangelii Gaudium [EG], 53). Għal din il-kultura, “ċerti partijiet mill-umanità huma miftuħa għall-benefiċċju tal-ftit li jiffavorixxu settur tal-poplu li jistħoqlu jgħix mingħajr limiti.  Fuq kollox, in-nies m’humiex aktar meqjusa bħala valur primarju li għandu jiġi rrispettat u protett, b’mod speċjali jekk huma foqra jew b’diżabilità.” (EnċiklikaFratelli tutti [FT] , 18).

Din il-kultura tolqot b’mod speċjali kategoriji l-aktar fraġli fosthom il-persuni b’diżabilità.  F’dawn l-aħħar ħamsin sena, ittieħdu diversi miżuri mportanti fuq livell ta’ realtajiet ċivili u eklesjastiċi.   L-għarfien dwar id-dinjità  kiber u dan wassal għal għażliet kuraġġjużi għall-inklużjoni ta’ dawk li jesperjenzaw limitazzjonijiet fiżiċi jew psikoloġiċi. Madankollu, fuq livell kulturali għad hemm wisq fatturi li fil-fatt jikkontradixxu dan l-orjentament.  Hemm attitudnijiet li jeskludu li, anke minħabba l-mentalità narċisista u utilitarja,  jwasslu li dak li jkun jitwarrab mingħajr ma nikkunsidraw li l-fraġilità tappartjeni lil kulħadd.  Fir-realtà, hemm persuni b’diżabilità severa li anke jekk b’diffikultà, sabu t-triq ta’ ħajja tajba u mimlija sinifikat bħalma hemm ukoll ħafna persuni li m’għandhomx diżabilità li qatt ma huma kuntenti jew kultant ikunu ddisprati.  "Il-vulnerabilità tappartjeni għall-essenza tal-bniedem.” (AraIndirizz fil-Konferenza “Il-Katekeżi u l-Persuni b’Diżabilità" , Il-21 ta’ Ottubru 2017).

Għalhekk huwa mportanti, b’mod speċjali f’dan il-Jum, li nippromovu l-kultura tal-ħajja li kontinwament tafferma d-dinjità ta’ kull persuna,  b’mod speċjali bħala protezzjoni għal irġiel u nisa ta’ kull żmien u kundizzjonijiet soċjali.

2. Il-“blata” tal-inklużjoni

Il-pandemija li qed nisperjenzaw uriet aktar biċ-ċar in-nuqqasijiet u l-inugwaljanzi li jikkaraterizzaw żminijietna, speċjalment għad-detriment ta’ dawk l-aktar fraġli. “Il-virus, waqt li ma jagħmel l-ebda eċċezzjoni ma’ ħadd, sab fil-mixja qerrieda tiegħu, inugwaljanzi kbar u diskriminazzjoni. U l-virus kompla żiedhom.” (Katekeżi fl-Udjenza Ġenerali tad-19 t’Awwissu 2020).

Għal din ir-raġuni, l-ewwel “blata” li fuqha għandna nibnu darna hija l-inklużjoni. Minkejja li din it-terminoloġija hija xi drabi abbużata, il-parabbola tal-Vanġelu dwar is-Samaritan it-Tajjeb (Luqa 10: 25-37) hija dejjem relevanti. Fil-fatt, fil-mixja tal-ħajja, ta’ sikwit niltaqgħu ma’ dik il-persuna miġruħa, li kultant terfa’ fuqha karatteritiċi ta’ diżabiltà u fraġilità. “L-inklużjoni jew l-esklużjoni li jbatu mat-triq jiddefenixxi l-proġetti kollha ekonomiċi, politiċi, soċjali u reliġjużi. Kull jum li jgħaddi niġu ffaċċjati bl-għażla li nkunu Samaritani tajba jew passeġġanti ndifferenti li jżommu d-distanza.” (FT,69)

L-inklużjoni għandha tkun “il-blata” fuqhiex għandna nibnu il-programmi u l-inizjattivi ta’ istituzzjonijiet ċivili biex ħadd, speċjalment dawk li l-aktar qegħdin f’diffikultajiet, ma jitħalla barra. Is-saħħa ta’ katina tiddependi fuq l-għożża li tingħata lil ħoloq tal-katina l-aktar dgħajfa.

 

Fejn jidħlu istituzzjonijiet ekkleżjastiċi, nerġa’ ntenni l-ħtieġa li nippreparaw għodda adatti u aċċessibbli għat-trasmissjoni tal-fidi. Nittama wkoll li dawn jitpoġġew għad-dispożizzjoni ta’ dawk li jeħtieġuhom  kemm jista’ jkun bla piż ta’ xejn, anke permezz ta’ teknoloġiji ġodda, li urew kemm huma mportanti għal kulħadd f’dan il-perjodu ta’ pandemija.

Bl-istess mod, ninkoraġġixxi formazzjoni ordinarja għal saċerdoti, seminaristi, reliġjużi u operaturi pastorali, li tiffavorixxi relazzjoni mad-diżabiltà u l-għodda inklużivi pastorali. Komunitajiet parrokkjali huma kommessi li jgħini l-fidili jikbru fil-mod kif jilqgħu persuni b’diżabilità. Il-ħolqien ta’ parroċċa aċċessibbli għal kollox teħtieġ mhux biss it-tneħħija ta’ barrieri arkitettoniċi, imma aktar minn hekk atitudnijiet u azzjonijiet ta’ solidarjetà u servizz, mill-parti tal-parruċċani, lejn persuni b’diżabilità u l-familji tagħhom. L-għan hu li ma nitkellmux iżjed fuq “huma” imma biss fuq “aħna”.

3. Il-“blata” ta’ parteċipazzjoni attiva

Biex ‘nerġgħu nibnu” s-soċjetà tagħna aħjar, l-inklużjoni ta’ dawk l-aktar fraġli teħtieġ tinkludi wkoll il-promozzjoni tal-parteċipazzjni attiva tagħhom. L-ewwelnet, nafferma bil-qawwa kollha d-dritt ta’ persuni b’diżabilità li jirċievu s-sagramenti bħal kull membru ieħor tal-Knisja. Iċ-ċelebrazzjonijiet liturġiċi kollha tal-parroċċa għandhom ikunu aċċessibbli biex kulħadd, flimkien mal-aħwa, jistgħu jikbru, jiċċelebraw u jgħixu l-fidi tagħhom. Għandha tingħata attenzjoni speċjali lil persuni b’diżabilità li għadhom ma rċevewx is-sagramenti tal-inizjazzjoni Nisranija: huma jistgħu jiġu aċċettati u nklużi fil-proċess kateketiku bi tħejjija għal dawn is-sagramenti. Il-grazzja li jġibu magħhom dawn is-sagramenti m’għandha tkun eskluża lil ħadd.

“Bis-saħħa tal-Magħmudija li jirċievi, kull membru tal-poplu ta’ Alla sar dixxiplu missjunarju. Kull persuna mgħammda, hi x’inhi l-funzjoni tagħha fil-Knisja jew il-livell ta’ tagħlim tal-fidi tagħha, huwa suġġett attiv ta’ evanġelizzazzjoni.” (EG, 120). Għaldaqstant, anke persuni b’diżabbiltà, fis-soċjetà kif ukoll fil-Knisja, jitolbu li jsiru parteċipanti attivi fil-kura pastorali u mhux sempliċiment riċevituri. “Bosta persuni b’diżabbiltà jħossu li jeżistu mingħajr ma jappartjenu jew jipparteċipaw. Għad baqa’ bosta affarijiet li jipprevenhom minn ċittadinanza sħiħa. L-għan huwa mhux biss li nassisstuhom, imma li jkollhom parteċipazzjoni sħiħa fil-komunità ċivili u ekkleżjastika. Dan huwa vjaġġ esiġenti imma wkoll li jgħajjik, li jikkontribwixxi aktar u aktar fil-formazzjoni ta’ kuxjenzi li kapaċi jagħrfu lil kulħadd bħala persuna unika u irrepetibbli” (FT, 98). Fil-fatt, il-parteċipazzjoni attiva fil-katekeżi ma’ persuni b’diżabbiltà tikkostitwixxi rikkezza tal-għaġeb għall-ħajja tal-parroċċa . Fil-fatt, imwaħħdin ma’ Kristu fil-Magħmudija, jaqsmu miegħu, fil-kundizzjoni partikolari tagħhom, il-ministeru saċerdotali, profetiku u rjali, fl-evanġelizzazzjoni permezz tal-Knisja, mal-Knisja u fil-Knisja.

Għaldaqstant, anke l-preżenza ta’ persuni b’diżabilità fost il-katekisti, dejjem skont l-abbiltajiet tagħhom, tirrapreżenta riżorsa għall-komunità. F’dan is-sens, il-formazzjoni għandha tiġi nkoraġġita, biex ikunu jistgħu jiksbu tħejjija aktar avvanzata anke fl-oqsma tat-teoloġija u tal-katekeżi. Nittama li aktar u aktar, f’komunitajiet parrokkjali, persuni b’diżabbiltà jkunu jistgħu isiru katekisti, biex jittrasmettu l-fidi b’mod effettiv, anke bix- xhieda tagħhom stess (Ara: Diskors fil-Konferenza “Katekeżi u persuni b’diżabbiltà”, Il-21 ta’ Ottubru 2017)

“Agħar minn din il-kriżi, hemm biss it-traġedja li naħluha” (Omelija fis-Solennità ta’ Pentekost, 31 ta’ Mejju 2020). Għal dan, ninkoraġġixxi lil dawk li, kuljum u sikwit fis-silenzju, jaħdmu favur ta’ sitwazzjonijiet ta’ fraġilità u diżabilità. J’Alla r-rieda komuni li “nerġgħu nibnu aħjar” tqajjem sinerġiji bejn organizzazzjonijiet kemm ċivili kif ukoll ekkleżjastiċi, biex jibnu, kontra kull maltemp, “dar” solida li kapaċi tilqa’ wkoll fiha persuni b’diżabilità, għax tkun mibnija fuq il-blata ta’ inklużjoni u parteċipazzjoni attiva.

Ruma, San Giovanni fil-Lateran, it-3 ta’ Diċembru 2020.

Maqlub għall-Malti minn Victor Formosa

 

 

 

 

 

 

Message that the Holy Father Francis sends on the occasion of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, which occurs today, Tuesday 3 December, and which this year has as its theme: Better rebuilding: towards a post Covid-19 world inclusive of disability, accessible and sustainable :

Message from the Holy Father

Dear brothers and sisters!

The celebration of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities is an opportunity, this year, to express my closeness to all those who are experiencing situations of particular difficulty in this pandemic crisis. We are all in the same boat in the middle of a rough sea that can scare us; but in this boat some struggle more, and among them people with severe disabilities.

This year's theme is " Better rebuilding: towards a post-Covid-19 world inclusive of disability, accessible and sustainable ". I am struck by the expression "rebuild better". It makes us think of the Gospel parable of the house built on rock or sand (cf. Mt 7 : 24-27; Lk 6 : 47-49). Therefore I take this precious opportunity to share some reflections, starting from that parable.

1. The threat of the throwaway culture

In the first place, the "rain, the" rivers "and the" winds "that threaten the home can be identified with the throwaway culture, widespread in our time (cf. Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii gaudium [EG] , 53). For it, «certain parts of humanity seem expendable for the benefit of a selection that favors a human sector worthy of living without limits. After all, people are no longer felt as a primary value to be respected and protected, especially if they are poor or disabled "(Enc. Fratelli tutti [FT] , 18).

This culture especially affects the most fragile categories, including people with disabilities. In the last fifty years, important steps have been taken, at the level of both civil institutions and ecclesial realities. Awareness of the dignity of each person has grown, and this has led to courageous choices for the inclusion of those who experience physical or / and psychological limitations. Yet, on a cultural level, there are still too many expressions that in fact contradict this orientation. There are attitudes of rejection that, also due to a narcissistic and utilitarian mentality, lead to marginalization, not considering that, inevitably, fragility belongs to everyone. In reality, there are people with even serious disabilities who, even with difficulty, have found the path to a good and meaningful life, as there are many other "able-bodied" ones, who are nevertheless dissatisfied, or sometimes desperate. "Vulnerability belongs to the essence of man" (cf. Address at the Conference "Catechesis and people with disabilities" , 21 October 2017).

Therefore it is important, especially on this Day, to promote a culture of life which continually affirms the dignity of every person, in particular in defense of men and women with disabilities, of all ages and social conditions.

2. The "rock" of inclusion

The pandemic we are experiencing has further highlighted the disparities and inequalities that characterize our time, particularly to the detriment of the weakest. «The virus, while it makes no exceptions among people, has found, in its devastating path, great inequalities and discrimination. And he increased them! " ( Catechesis in the General Audience of 19 August 2020).

For this reason, a first "rock" on which to build our house is inclusion . Even if this term is sometimes abused, the Gospel parable of the Good Samaritan ( Luke 10 : 25-37) is always relevant. In fact, on the path of life, we often come across the injured person, who sometimes bears the traits of disability and frailty. “The inclusion or exclusion of those who suffer along the way defines all economic, political, social and religious projects. Every day we are faced with the choice of being good Samaritans or indifferent wayfarers who pass at a distance "( FT , 69).

Inclusion should be the "rock" on which to build the programs and initiatives of civil institutions so that no one, especially those who are most in difficulty, is excluded. The strength of a chain depends on the care given to the weakest links.

As regards ecclesial institutions, I reiterate the need to prepare suitable and accessible tools for the transmission of the faith. I also hope that these will be made available to those who need them as free as possible, including through new technologies, which have proved so important for everyone in this pandemic period. Likewise, I encourage ordinary formation for priests, seminarians, religious, catechists and pastoral workers that favours the relationship with disability and the use of inclusive pastoral tools. Parish communities are committed to making the faithful grow in the style of welcoming people with disabilities. Creating a fully accessible parish requires not only the removal of architectural barriers, but above all attitudes and actions of solidarity and service, on the part of parishioners, towards people with disabilities and their families. The goal is that we come to speak no longer of "them", but only of "us".

3. The "rock" of active participation

To "rebuild" our society better, the inclusion of the most fragile subjects must also include the promotion of their active participation.

First of all, I strongly reaffirm the right of persons with disabilities to receive the sacraments like all other members of the Church. All the liturgical celebrations of the parish should be accessible so that each, together with the brothers and sisters, can deepen, celebrate and live their faith. Special attention is to be given to people with disabilities who have not yet received the sacraments of Christian initiation: they could be accepted and included in the catechetical process in preparation for these sacraments. The grace of which they are bearers cannot be precluded to anyone.

“By virtue of the Baptism received, every member of the People of God has become a missionary disciple. Each baptized person, whatever his function in the Church and the degree of education of his faith, is an active subject of evangelization. "(EG,120). Therefore, also people with disabilities, in society as in the Church, ask to become active subjects pastoral care, and not just recipients. “Many people with disabilities feel they exist without belonging and without participating. There are still many things that prevent them from full citizenship. The goal is not only to assist them, but their active participation in the civil and ecclesial community. It is a demanding and also tiring journey, which will contribute more and more to forming consciences capable of recognizing everyone as a unique and unrepeatable person. FT,98). In fact, the active participation in catechesis of people with disabilities constitutes a great wealth for the life of the whole parish. In fact, grafted into Christ in Baptism, they share with him, in their particular condition, the priestly, prophetic and royal ministry, evangelizing through, with and in the Church.

Therefore, even the presence of people with disabilities among catechists, according to their own abilities, represents a resource for the community. In this sense, their formation should be encouraged, so that they can acquire a more advanced preparation also in the theological and catechetical fields. I hope that more and more, in parish communities, people with disabilities will be able to become catechists, to transmit the faith effectively, also with their own testimony (cf. Speech at the Conference “Catechesis and people with disabilities” , 21 October 2017).

"Worse than this crisis, there is only the drama of wasting it" (Homily on the Solemnity of Pentecost, May 31, 2020). For this I encourage those who, every day and often in silence, spend themselves in favour of situations of fragility and disability. May the common will to "rebuild better" trigger synergies between both civil and ecclesial organizations, to build, against all bad weather, a solid "home", capable of welcoming even people with disabilities, because it is built on the rock of inclusion and active participation.

Rome, San Giovanni in Laterano, 3 December 2020.