The reform of the draft law on abortion, the economic crisis the Year for Priests – these are some of the subjects discussed by the Spanish Bishops’ Conference (CEE) in its Plenary Assembly which came to a close in Madrid today. In the final statement issued at the end of the meeting, the Assembly recalls its position on the draft law on the sexual and reproductive health and on the voluntary termination of pregnancy that is under debate at the Chamber of Deputies… Read more »

On Friday, 27th November 2009, Archbishop Paul Cremona presided over at a celebration at Floriana parish church, during which five sixth year  seminarians were instituted as acolytes. The new acolytes are Stephen Attard from Mosta, Rene’ Antoine Cilia from the parish of St George Qormi, Nicholas Dimech from Siggiewi, Stephen Magro from Zabbar and David Torpiano from Floriana.

The institution as acolytes marks another step in the seminarians’ formation for priesthood… Read more »

NHAR IL-ĦADD LI ĠEJ, 29 ta’ Novembru, 2009, l-Arċisqof Pawlu Cremona OP se jżomm l-appuntament annwali tiegħu maż-żgħażagħ fl-okkażjoni tal-bidu tal-Avvent. L-Arċisqof se jkollu laqgħa ta’ talb maż-żgħażagħ, li matulha se jagħtihom messaġġ iddedikat lilhom.

Kien fl-2007, ftit xhur biss wara l-konsagrazzjoni tiegħu bħala Arċisqof ta’ Malta, li Mons Pawlu Cremona OP bagħat l-ewwel ittra tiegħu liż-żgħażagħ.. L-ewwel messaġġ tiegħu kien marbut mat-tema tal-Jum Dinji taż-Żgħażagħ tas-sena ta’ wara – 2008, “Intom ikollkom il-qawwa, meta jiġi l-Ispirtu s-Santu fuqkom, u tkunu xhud tiegħi” (Atti 1:8)… Read more »

Violence on women

“In Europe, 20 to 25% of women have suffered physical abuse at least once in their lifetime. Every day, in the EU, one women out of five is a victim of some form of abuse”, either physical (beaten), sexual or psychological. “95% of such abuse takes place at home, within the family”. “The high rates of abuse committed by ex partners show that women are not appropriately protected, even when they manage to end a violent relationship”… Read more »

A Maltese delegation including two Maltese deaf persons, a Maltese Sign Language Interpertor, two University lecturers and three priests, attended the XXIV International Conference organised by the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers at the New Synod Hall in the Vatican from the 19th to 21st November 2009 on the theme: ‘Ephphatha! The Deaf Person in the Life of the Church’… Read more »

Banking on Virtue?

Robert Keen, is a member of St Edmund’s College and a VHI Senior Research Associate at the University of Cambridge. Keen also chairs the Catholic Union’s Education Working Group and is a member of the International Thomas More Society. Below is a sumamry of his speech delivered at DISCERN’s ‘Gaudium et Spes Lecture 2009’, on Thursday 19th November, 2009… Read more »