Updated | ‘Church’s vocation to protect the natural environment,’ Scicluna tells PM

Archbishop Charles Scicluna calls for honest dialogue with country's leaders

Archbishop-elect Charles Scicluna promised better cooperation between the State and the Church, in the first courtesy visit made to the President of Malta since the Holy See appointed him leader of the Maltese Church.

Mgr Scicluna will also be meeting Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and Speaker Anglu Farrugia in scheduled visits during the morning.

“We are glad of your appointment,” President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca told Scicluna, welcoming him at San Anton Palace. “You are a person close to the Maltese people but with an international vision.”

Coleiro Preca urged the Church to remain close to the communities and praised the very important work carried out by the Church at community level.

The President said she was pleased that the Catholic Church in Malta finally had a new leader following months of long wait.

Mgr Scicluna said he was looking forward to work for the good for the people and promised better cooperation between the State and the Church.

The Archbishop-elect said the Maltese Archdiocese was in a process of compliance with the Voluntary Organisations Act and encouraging, on a Curia level, all voluntary organisation to register.

“We believe in the principle of the Voluntary Organisations Act which is transparency and accountability.”

Scicluna went on to thank the President for her financial support which made a number of projects possible.

Likewise, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said he was looking forward to work closely with the Archbishop-elect. Highlighting the importance of separation between Church and State, Muscat said it by no means meant that the two institutions do not collaborate.

“To the contrary, the separation makes working together easier,” Muscat said, emphasising the important role the Church played within society.

The PM also said that he enjoyed a good relationship with Scicluna’s predecessor, Archbishop Emeritus Paul Cremona.

Mgr Scicluna agreed that the State’s autonomy was an important value in today’s society that would translate into reciprocal respect, emphasising the importance of dialogue.

The Archbishop-elect, whilst reiterating the Church’s vocation to help eradicate poverty, said the Church also had the vocation “to safeguard and protect the environment for future generations”.

“This is a vocation that the Church cannot ignore and it must continue dialoguing with the government on a formation and implementation level,” Scicluna said.

He went on to highlight the importance of a country that allowed freedom of religion.