News from the Church in Malta
Between the 17th and 19th June, the Church in Malta hosted the annual meeting of media officials and spokespersons of the European Episcopal Conferences (CCEE).
This meeting, which was held at the Archbishop’s Curia, brought together 53 participants from 27 European countries and the Holy See, to discuss important issues related to communication and media. The delegation was led by Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, President of the CCEE…
“People of colour who are with us are not guests, they are part of us.”
Archbishop Charles J. Scicluna made this statement during an open dialogue on peace and racial hatred held at the University of Malta after the cold-blooded killing of Lassana Cisse Souleymane in Ħal Far. The Archbishop said that Lassana Cisse’s murder is a wake-up call for faith leaders but also for every citizen…
During the Mass for Our Country, on the inauguration of the new President of Malta Dr George Vella, Archbishop Charles J. Scicluna said: “We welcome the figure of the President of the Republic as a symbol of our national unity and our call to be a democracy based on the choice we continually make for what is right and our thirst and hunger for justice.”
In his inaugural speech, President George Vella also spoke about national unity…
At the end of the summit on the protection of minors in the Church, Pope Francis outlined eight points that the Church will focus on in an “all-out battle” against the sexual abuse of minors”. According to the Pope, “we are thus facing a universal problem, tragically present almost everywhere and affecting everyone”. The eights guidelines are:
1…
On the occasion of the Day for Life, Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Galea-Curmi appealed to Maltese society for more people with a backbone and of principle who are brave enough to protect life from its beginning till its natural end. The Bishop focused on four points:
Not a matter of a mandate: The protection of life, even from the very first moment of conception, is a matter of principle and is not tied to a mandate given by the people…
Every year between 18th and 25th January, Christians around the world unite to celebrate the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. The theme of this year’s celebration is: “Justice, and only justice, you shall pursue” (Deut. 16:20).
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which has been celebrated for more than 100 years, ends on the feast of the conversion of Saint Paul, Apostle of the Gentiles…
In his Christmas message, Archbishop Charles J. Scicluna recalled how the birth of the child of Betlehem teaches us to cherish life from conception. He emphasised that Christmas also reminds us that life has a value that is priceless.
On the 200 anniversary of the hymn Silent Night, the Archbishop said that the child of Betlehem also encourages us to pause and reflect on the fundamental questions of life, questions “put by humankind, in every culture and every age” about where are we coming from and where are we going.
He also appealed that our “Christmas will be truly blessed if while we exchange gifts we realise that God became man so that we may live in dignity…
On the occasion of the Feast of Christ the King, Archbishop Charles J. Scicluna appealed to Christians to always choose the way of truth that is the Word of Christ. He said that many times we live in a world that seems to have never heard of the commandments, especially those that deal with respect for neighbour. The Archbishop focused on three particular commandments that can be applied to today’s society:
Do not bear false witness. In the truth and respect of the facts there is the true respect of each other; lies have become the instrument of division that break down not only individual persons but entire peoples…
Pope Francis urged all Catholics to pray for the Church during the month of October, both individually and as a community. The Pope invites us to daily pray the Holy Rosary with the intention that the Holy Mother of God “puts the Church under her protective mantle to preserve her from the attacks of the evil one to make all the more conscious of the faults, the mistakes, the abuses made in the present and in the past, and more committed to fighting without any hesitation for evil not to prevail”…
“Today we need the prophetic voice of solidarity: solidarity between different states and peoples; solidarity in the internal social policies of the state; and intergenerational solidarity, that is solidarity between generations.” This appeal was made by Archbishop Charles J. Scicluna in the homily during Pontifical Mass on the national feast of Independence Day.
The Archbishop explained that when we speak about the need for solidarity, we acknowledge that we are also committing ourselves to show solidarity to those who are in urgent need of aid; people who are fleeing a cruel environment, a violent contempt of the dignity of the human person, a harsh fate of slavery, even torture and death…
