Letter of Father Peter Mëshkalla S.J.
To: Chairman of the Council of Ministers
Mehmet Shehu
Tirana, (Albania)
Excellency,
Yesterday, on April 3rd, 1967, at 7 pm, the majority of the Catholic clergy of Shkodra(diocese), was called in the Red Hall Corner of the Executive Committee. It was communicated to us, that we should give up/turn in everything we have /own except the essential personal clothing and sleeping clothes, because it all belong to the people(of Albania) and ought to be returned to the people, and that we shall not exercise any religious service, even privately: This, we were told, was decided by the people(of Albania).
I thought to write to you, your Excellency as a man to another man(human to human)
As for my books, and religious objects, let them come and take them whenever they like. It is not the first time I stand out there in the streets.
But I want to share some thoughts in general: Manuscripts are sacred property of the author, unless he surrenders them himself or they are against the State (national) Security. As for other property or generosity of the people, it is basic and the natural law does not recognize that the donor or others can take a donation away, unless one who receives gives it up.
If it happens, these are speculation and abuses, which need to be addressed..
And, the truth is that people in each country have followed its own priest (good o weak) , as the representative of their own religion.
A black shadow fell on the people when the churches(in Albania) were shut down , when the church bells were crushed and brought down and religious objects, clergy and laity were mocked and insulted, thus hurting deeply their Sacred Faith.
The same effect has had the frantic and antireligious campaigns conducted with all means of propaganda. In response, people have filled the churches until the time of closing. What little value then does have a small percentage of some scared and non-conscientious people under so much pressure…?
Especially the scared people who are threatened and pressurized, promised and threatened of layoffs, undergoing the greatest torture because of the economic dependency needing the daily bread, and then verbally deny what they believe, and hence this campaign aims to set up a generation (of Albanians)without civil courage, without bravery, an opportunist generation, spineless people, destroying thus the character of Albanian people at the whole country’s expense. People are afraid to meet, to welcome friends that are labeled as “"touched"(gulags, anticommunist, reactionaries etc)! -There is much talk today about the Inquisition of 500 years ago, and not very objectively. But how about of this one, this one in the this 20 th century?
Now we come to me. I cannot and will not change the line of my life but will continue so until my last breath. Outer barriers of force majeure will do to me exactly what effect the stone and dirt have on the flow of rushing water: People know me well and how I have dedicated my life to them.
I am saying that with these wars against religion and us, you are (the government is) discrediting ourselves (country) in the eyes of the world, to which we ( our country) have given solemn promises for the human rights and freedom. When you and I met in Tirana on March 8, 1945, I mentioned to you that the Communists were shouting out words like "this Church shall turn into a cinema" . Then you answered me: "This is hostile and enemy’s propaganda."
Indeed, no worse enemy of the state(country) would had done any greater damage then this you have done to yourselves (state/country)
I wrote to you Excellency, nor pushed by hatred, nor ambitions, nor interest, but only by my conscience, truth and goodness.
Respectfully
Peter Meshkalla
Catholic priest –Society of Jesus.
5 April 1967
(translated from Albanian by Merita B.McCormack- words in paranthesis are notes of the translator)
Merita B.McCormack
