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Malta’s top health experts come out strongly against euthanasia

Photo: flickr

The Malta Association of Public Health Medicine has come out strongly against the government’s proposal to introduce assisted voluntary euthanasia, saying the plan is premature and that it could do more harm than good right now.

MAPHM agrees with the Medical Association of Malta, which has also raised serious concerns about the proposal.

Wrong terms, wrong timing

According to MAPHM, what’s being proposed is actually something different, physician-assisted suicide, where the person takes the final step themselves after being given the means by a doctor… Read more »

Senior Catholic group warns against ‘dangerous’ euthanasia proposal

Christ Our Neighbour Group calls for comprehensive palliative care instead of assisted dying legislation

A prominent socio-spiritual group comprising senior members of the Maltese community has added its voice to the growing chorus of opposition against the government’s proposed assisted voluntary euthanasia legislation, as the public consultation period nears its conclusion on July 2nd.

Christ Our Neighbour Group (CONG), established in the mid-1970s and consisting of approximately 35 senior community members, has published a comprehensive position paper arguing against the introduction of voluntary euthanasia in Malta… Read more »

Pope to priests: No one here is alone

International meeting with priests, seminarians, and formators titled, 'Joyful Priests—I have called you friends'

  Auditorium Conciliazione, Rome

Pope Leo hugs one of the participants of the International Meeting ‘Happy Priests – I have called you friends’  (Photos: Vatican Media)

As part of the Jubilee of Priests taking place from June 25-27, Pope Leo XIV held an audience with priests, seminarians, and formators at the Auditorium Conciliazione in Rome for an international meeting titled, ‘Joyful Priests—I have called you friends’.

A fraternal experience

About 1,700 people gathered in the Auditorium to listen to opening words from Cardinal Lazzaro You Heung-sik, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Clergy… Read more »

‘He was in agony and gasping for air – half an hour later, he was sipping tea’

A professor of palliative care and member of the House of Lords has shared the story of a terminally ill patient who, after receiving timely palliative treatment, went from being in acute pain and struggling to breathe to sitting up, pain-free and drinking tea, all within half an hour.

In an interview with Newsbook Malta at the Palace of Westminster, Professor Ilora Finlay recounted how the man’s family had approached her, requesting help to end his life… Read more »

Miniature replica of Ta’ Ġieżu’s Crucifix carried in procession at Gozo General Hospital

Photo: Fr Ramon Farrugia OFM

Ir-replika minjatura tal-Kurċifiss Ta’ Ġieżu rregalata lid-Djoċesi ta’ Għawdex mill-Arċikonfraternità tas-Santissmu Kurċifiss tal-Belt Valletta lbieraħ ġiet imdawra proċessjonalment mal-kurituri tal-Isptar Ġenerali ta’ Għawdex qabel tqiegħdet fil-Kappella. Għal din il-purċissjoni attenda wkoll l-Isqof t’Għawdex Anton Teuma.

Ix-xbieha antika tal-Kurċifiss Mirakoluż inħadmet mill-injam fis-seklu 17 minn Frate Innocenzo u din is-sena għmalet it-tieni żjara storika tagħha fil-gżira Għawdxija. Dan għaliex fl-1941, kienet ittieħdet id-deċiżjoni biex il-kurċifiss jitneħħa mill-Belt Valletta sabiex ma jġarrabx ħsara minħabba l-gwerra… Read more »

23 people graduate from Caritas Malta’s rehabilitation programmes

An empty space is left for Fr Victor in memory of all the good he accomplished during his life

Caritas graduation 2025 (Photo by Erica Lanzafame)

Il-Ġimgħa filgħaxija, 23 persuna gradwaw mill-Programm ta’ Rijabilitazzjoni f’San Blas; mument meqjus ta’ xhieda tal-legat li ħalla warajh Dun Victor.

Fid-diskors li għamel id-Direttur ta’ Caritas Malta, Anthony Gatt intqal kif f’din l-okkażjoni ma jistax ma jsemmix żagħżugħ li tliet snin ilu gradwa minn dan l-istess programm u llum il-ġurnata rkupra ħajtu u għamel suċċess f’xogħlu u fl-isport… Read more »

Guard the fire of the Spirit received on that day – The Pope

Message of the Holy Father to priests on the occasion of the World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests

Photo: Vatican Media

Dear brothers in the priesthood!

On this Day for the Sanctification of Priests, celebrated on the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, I address each of you with gratitude and great confidence.

The Heart of Christ, pierced for love, is the living and life-giving flesh that embraces each of us and conforms us to the image of the Good Shepherd… Read more »

“It is a contradiction to invoke the right to choose to end one’s own life” – Archbishop Scicluna

He explains that we should not be greedy for suffering and always see what medicine has to offer

“Kontradittorja jekk f’isem id-dritt li niddeċiedi jiena nagħżel li noqtol lili nnifsi”. Hekk stqarr l-Arċisqof Charles Scicluna meta b’kompassjoni kbira kien qed iwieġeb id-domandi li sarulu mis-semmiegħa waqt il-programm Għal Kulħadd fuq RTK103. Din l-intervista mmexxija mill-preżentatriċi Christine Delicata saret fid-dawl tal-konsultazzjoni pubblika dwar is-suwiċidju assistit, li nieda l-Gvern, u li se tagħlaq fil-jiem li ġejjin.

Hu qal li dan il-punt ireġi rrespettivament mill-argumenti reliġjużi għax din hija kwistjoni ta’ dinjità, li wieħed ikun imwieżen sal-aħħar, biex bl-akkumpanjament u l-mediċina li tnaqqas l-uġigħ, jasal jaffaċċja l-mewt naturali minflok offrut il-mewt, biss għad hemm ħafna nuqqasijiet fil-kura paljattiva… Read more »

Malta’s palliative care gaps leave many patients without access to pain relief

Medical formulary restricts morphine access to limited conditions despite European guidelines recommending broader use

Patients with numerous incurable diseases in Malta are being denied access to essential palliative care medications, including morphine for pain relief, due to restrictive prescribing guidelines that medical professionals say need urgent updating.

The country’s most recent Outpatient Formulary List, published in May, permits doctors to prescribe morphine—either by injection or tablet—only to patients with Motor Neuron Disease (such as ALS), spinal cord pathologies including spina bifida, trigeminal neuralgia, and malignant diseases including various forms of cancer… Read more »

“Not for human consumption, but love is – The Archbishop’s call against addiction

The graduation of 23 individuals from Caritas Malta’s programmes

  San Blas Therapeutic Centre, Ħaż-Żebbuġ

Id-Direttur ta’ Caritas Malta Anthony Gatt jgħannaq wieħed mill-gradwati
Ritratt: Arċidjoċesi ta’ Malta – Ian Noel Pace Il-messaġġ tal-Arċisqof Charles Jude Scicluna

L-ewwel nett huwa pjaċir kbir tiegħi li ngħidilkom grazzi, grazzi ta’ din l-esperjenza sabiħa li tagħtina tama kbira. Nixtieq nagħtu applaws kbir lir-residenti kollha ta’ Caritas Malta, irġiel u nisa, inkluż ukoll l-adolexxenti f’Tal-Ibwar. Illum qegħdin hawnhekk biex nagħmlulkom kuraġġ.

L-ewwelnett nifirħu ma’ dawk li se jiggradwaw illum… Read more »