Statement by the Bishops of Malta on the Valletta Summit

On the occasion of the Valletta Summit, which is bringing together leaders of the European Union and countries from the African continent, we, the Bishops, would like to express our gratitude for the goodwill and commitment being shown with the hope of finding concrete solutions to address the situation concerning migration.

In these hours, our country is living up to its noble mission of being a bridge between the two continents, where we can put aside our differences and our exclusive national interests, and be strengthened by the spirit of hospitality and responsibility to work towards guaranteeing respect for everyone’s fundamental rights, especially the weakest and victims of violence, injustice and poverty.

We encourage the Christian community to pray for these initiatives to help the countries concerned arrive at concrete solutions, conscious that human beings all have a common origin and belonging. We often feel that we work together as one family, with the belief of shaping a better world where wealth is at reach by everyone.  

As a Church, and mother to all, we pray to God that, as expressed by Pope Francis, the countries will have “a generous openness which, rather than fearing the loss of local identity, will prove capable of creating new forms of cultural synthesis” (Evangelii Gaudium, 210).

Today, 12^th November 2015.

✝ Mario Grech                                                                                 ✝  Charles J. Scicluna

    Bishop of Gozo                                                                                  Archbishop of Malta