The saying goes that Rome wasn’t built in a day. And I now know why. If the Church (aka Catholic church) has anything to do with buildings, things take a long time. While it’s obvious the Roman church has vested interests in buildings in Rome, it is quite unbelievable that ecclesiasts in Rome should have a say over humble village dwellings in Malta. But they do, and big time. Here’s how I know.
A few posts back (word-of-mouth marketing) I mentioned that we’d seen a house in our village that was supposedly ‘for sale’. The owner (who would have to get eight members of his family to agree to our offer, which is unlikely anyway), told us that the Church owns 35 per cent of the property. Clearly embarrassed, he said he’d contact the Maltese curia to find out if they’d agree to sell their stake to him in order to make it a freehold purchase for us.
But, neither of us had reckoned on the Curia taking up to two years to reply. Apparently, the Maltese church has to ask Rome whether they can sell their stake. We’re talking about a crumbling stone farmhouse, unlived in for years, and which is likely to disappear altogether if it’s not rennovated soon.
It’s a bit like waiting for the puff of smoke from the Vatican – will they, won’t they? Who knows what criteria the person or persons in the Vatican will use to decide on the fate of a stone heap 1000kms away. In this day and age, it’s incredible we’re even talking about this. I know how Henry VIII felt now.
I’ve crossed the house of my list. Meanwhile, I do feel for the Maltese guy representing his extended family. He just wants to realise some capital from the place while he and some of the eight are still alive to use the cash. He is prevented from doing so because of some arcane property rights and laws. It’s the same story Malta over. And such a waste on an island of limited land and where monstrous new builds rise Phoenix like every month.
I am sure in these hard times he could have done with the odd thousand Euros or so. He said he’d knock on our door first if he gets word from Rome. But I might be closer to God myself by then having given up on God’s earthly intermediaries.
