The Diocese of Port-Louis, through its vicar general, Father Jean-Maurice Labour, intends to take up with the general management of the national radio and television station, MBC, the issue of the censorship of relevant excerpts of the Christmas message of the bishop of Port-Louis, Cardinal Maurice E. Piat.
Father Jean Maurice Labour spoke out on this matter and will demand an explanation from the MBC on behalf of the Diocese of Port-Louis regarding the reasons for such censorship. “It is shocking and hurtful… the MBC does not respect freedom of expression and religious culture. He sent a letter to the MBC on Tuesday. Father Jean Maurice Labour also added that a complaint will soon be lodged with the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA), in order to re-establish the right and respect for the freedom of expression of religious culture.
In the message broadcast on television in the evening of the 25th, large excerpts dealing with the pain of relatives with “the loss of their children, parents, grandparents and Frontliners”, who fell on the Covid-19 front, or this allusion to the difficult living conditions, that is “the cost of living (which) is skyrocketing, while the rupee is plummeting. Our economy, already weakened, is facing an uncertain future. In the midst of this distress, Christmas can still bring us joy and hope.
It is unbelievable that Cardinal Piat’s Christmas message recorded at the MBC was censored when it was broadcast on the MBC television channels on December 25.
The censored sentence reads as follows:
“This walk in the night to meet the coming Jesus is a symbol of our situation today. We feel lost in the midst of all the turmoil caused by Covid and we are looking for some light, some hope.
The MBC confirmed that it censored the message of the Bishop of Port-Louis. The reason would be that these excerpts are not in line with the operation of some.
What an extraordinary passage to censor. Who could disagree with those sentiments after nearly two years of pain, loss and fear in a global pandemic? Except, perhaps, someone who reads them not as referring to Covid but applies them to his own hyper-inflated ego and sense of insecurity.
Whatever the reason, it is unacceptable. This abuse needs to be raised at the highest levels of the Catholic Church and with all international organisations dedicated to freedom of religion, freedom of thought and freedom of expression.