• St Francis of Assisi Church, Valletta
    16th October 2018

     

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    On the first anniversary of the assassination of the journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, we are gathered once more around the table of the Eucharist that recalls the greatest injustice: the killing of Jesus, the innocent victim, and his total self-giving of love on the cross. The table of the Eucharist also recalls Christ’s victory over evil and death. From the Eucharist we continue to  draw our strength to build the Kingdom of Justice and Truth here on earth.

    In a special way today, our thoughts go to Daphne for whom we are offering our prayers in suffrage for the repose of her soul. Our thoughts also go to her beloved parents, Michael and Rose; her husband Peter and her sons Matthew, Andrew and Paul; her sisters Corinne, Mandy and Helene; her relatives and friends, against whom a great injustice has been perpetrated that can never be made right. Our presence here today is a tangible gesture of our solidarity with you all. You are not alone!

    Last year, during the funeral Mass of Daphne Caruana Galizia, I had exhorted journalists not to be afraid, to never grow weary in their mission to be the eyes, ears, and mouth of the people and to do this without fear and with full respect of the truth. I had said: “Dear journalists, we need you. We need people who are unshackled, who are free, intelligent, inquisitive, honest, serene, safe and protected”. Daphne’s killing is the first assassination of a journalist killed in the course of her duty in a free and democratic European Union. She is not the last, as other journalists were killed in the past year. We salute their memory and remember them in our prayers. More than ever, journalists need the protection of the State and society in order to safeguard the liberty of all citizens.

    I cordially impart my pastoral blessing.

    ✠ Charles J. Scicluna

         Archbishop of Malta

     

  • Photo: Reuters/Darrin Zammit Lupi