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Curia warns of safeguarding Maltese values as EU referendum looms

It is important that the Maltese people work together in a calm manner if the island is to secure its heritage of Christian values and resist any threat that future relations with Europe, whatever they may be, the Curia said yesterday.

In his pastoral letter for Lent 2002, Archbishop Joseph Mercieca highlighted the importance of not allowing religion to be used for partisan aims, but described as "welcome" the revelations that "all sides seem to want to safeguard, defend and strengthen this heritage of Christian and Maltese values".

"Basically this shows that, in spite of the difficulties and controversies, the flame of Christian values that we possess is still a living and strong flame," the Archbishop said.

He said that one positive outcome of the discussions taking place on EU membership is the clear indication that all sides want to preserve Malta’s traditional values and highlighted the importance of ensuring the country stands firm against negative influences which he described as "black clouds".

"We have to build together a sound bulwark against every wind of pressure that may blow on them (values)," he said.

The Archbishop also gave examples of some of the problems and temptations that are threatening Maltese society, such as a thirst for money and lifestyles which he said were "alien to God’s will".

In forthright style he stressed the importance of ensuring Malta stood firm and refused to allow divorce, cohabitation and marriage between people of the same sex.

"The same thing can be said regarding certain winds of pressure that may appear regarding abortion and euthanasia," he said. "Where marriage and the family are concerned, then, if our people really want to continue cherishing the heritage of our values, we can never surrender to pressures, either from within or from the outside."

The Archbishop stressed that the Church does not wish to impose itself on anybody and believes in leaving people free as to whether they accept Christ and his teaching.

"At the same time, however, the non-believer has no right to try to impose his lack of faith on others," he said.

He concluded that whatever the country’s future might hold, the commitment of everyone should be to keep Christ in their lives and culture.