Author: Mark Cachia

Pray for peace in Ukraine and Europe

The Presidency of the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences, giving voice to the Bishops of the European Continent in this dramatic moment of tension around Ukraine, wishes to express its closeness to the Churches in Ukraine and to all its people. They invite the international community to offer its support to the country in the face of the danger of a Russian military offensive.

While the entire international community interprets the actions of the Russian military forces as a real threat to peace throughout the world, we embrace – in this time of fear and uncertainty for the future of the country – our brothers and sisters in the faith and all the people of Ukraine… Read more »

Towards unity in society

The Justice and Peace Commission of the Archdiocese of Malta, launched a discussion document to encourage Maltese citizens to reflect on how, as a country, we can work to build peace, promote the common good in society and improve the well-being of people, especially that of the most vulnerable.

This document entitled ‘Yahad’ — a Hebrew term which refers to the concepts of togetherness and community — is divided into three sections… Read more »

Common good and participation

The common good is described in Catholic teaching as the sum total of social conditions which allow people, either as groups or as individuals, to reach their fulfilment more fully and more easily.

The Christian understanding of the common good emphasises the fact that the fundamental rights of all people must be protected and promoted, while at the same time acknowledging that we are part of a social whole… Read more »

Desmond Tutu: A prophet of reconciliation

A few days ago, Desmond Tutu, the former Anglican archbishop of Cape Town, South Africa, who rallied the world behind the anti-apartheid struggle in a way that made him a prophet of reconciliation of our times, died at the age of 90.

Tributes flowed in from all over the world to recognize the many qualities of a man who never stopped practicing the forgiveness he preached… Read more »

Church offers support for stranded migrants

The Church in Malta through the Migrants Commission, Justice and Peace Commission and JRS, strongly urge the national authorities to take immediate action and ensure that the asylum seekers currently stranded at sea are rescued and disembarked at a safe port.

Over 220 children, women and men rescued by the Sea Eye a week ago in Malta’s search and rescue area are still stranded at sea, in worsening weather conditions, after Malta refused to provide them with a port of safety… Read more »

Dialogue between generations, education and work: tools for building lasting peace

1. “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace” (Is 52:7).

The words of the prophet Isaiah speak of consolation; they voice the sigh of relief of a people in exile, weary of violence and oppression, exposed to indignity and death. The prophet Baruch had wondered: “Why is it, O Israel, why is it that you are in the land of your enemies, that you are growing old in a foreign country, that you are defiled with the dead, that you are counted among those in Hades?” (3:10-11)… Read more »

Solidarity

“Solidarity is a word that is not always well received. In certain circumstances it has become a dirty word, something one dares not say. However, it is a word that means much more than an occasional gesture of generosity. It means thinking and acting in terms of community. It means that the lives of all take priority over the appropriation of goods by a few… Read more »

Reaction to Foreign Policy Strategy document

The Justice and Peace Commission welcomes the publication of Malta’s first Foreign Policy Strategy document and the commitment expressed in the document to use “diplomacy to make the world a better place to live”. Guided by the principles of Catholic Social Teaching, the Commission participated in the consultation process by submitting a document with reflections on the following four points:

  • Overseas development aid
  • Climate justice
  • Human rights
  • Tax justice

Read documentDownload Read more » …

Freedom of movement and its limits: a challenge for democracies

Twenty years ago, the French intellectual Marcel GAUCHET warned us that democracy, having conquered its external enemies, was now facing its most formidable challenge: its own survival. Indeed, the migratory flows in the wake of what has been called the Arab Spring, particularly at the borders of Europe in recent weeks, the tensions of Brexit and two years of the pandemic, show that the exercise of certain fundamental rights can undermine others… Read more »

Caring for Our Common Home

The church has often been criticized of not being on the ball in terms of ecology and the safeguard of our planet. Traditionally, environmentalists were viewed as focusing too much on worldly matters, disregarding the ultimate importance of eternity.

Yet, this has been changing, especially in light of Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si. Taking care of this great gift we get to call ‘home’ is a duty of each and every Catholic and is becoming an ever more pressing issue as we witness the devastating effects of our anthropogenic activities… Read more »