Author: Mark Cachia

The El Hiblu 3: Four years on

On 28 March 2019, Abdalla, Amara, and Kader, known as the El Hiblu 3, first set foot in Malta. They could have never imagined that, four years on, they would still be stuck in legal limbo. The nine preliminary charges against them, including hijacking a vessel, threatening its crew, and engaging in terrorist activities, still hang over them, preventing them from living dignified lives in freedom… Read more »

The foreigner and hospitality

Dan l-aħħar iltqajt mal-istorja ta’ Najib Nasary, refuġjat mill-Afganistan li ħalla art twelidu biex ifittex bidu ġdid fi Franza. Ma kellu xejn, ma kien jaf lil ħadd, u ffaċċja t-theddida ta’ deportazzjoni. Imma meta n-nies ta’ raħal fil-muntanji Cévennes ta’ Franza laqgħuh, fl-aħħar sab dar ġdida u skopra fih ukoll passjoni ġdida għall-ħajja.

It-triq ma kinetx facli ghal Najib. Wara li wasal Franza, Najib iffaċċja ħafna sfidi hekk kif ipprova jibni ħajja ġdida għalih innifsu f’pajjiż barrani… Read more »

Numbers and the resistance to change

“Humanity is called to recognize the need for changes of lifestyle, production and consumption, in order to combat this warming or at least the human causes which produce or aggravate it. Obsession with a consumerist lifestyle, above all when few people are capable of maintaining it, can only lead to violence and mutual destruction.”

(Pope Francis, LS. 23. 204)

Numbers are not everything… Read more »

Good governance

If “honesty, justice, a sense of duty and transparency are the essential pillars of a mature civil society” (Pope Francis in Malta, Meeting with the Authorities, Civil Society and the Diplomatic Corps), how is Malta doing on this score? Whilst everyone seems to agree that Malta needs to embrace these principles of good governance, the level of distrust and cynicism shown by people towards anything political seems to be increasing at an alarming level… Read more »

Dialogue is the oxygen of peace

There seems to be no end in sight to the fighting and suffering in the war in Ukraine. Since February 24 of last year, hundreds of thousands have been killed and millions more have been forced to flee from their homes.

As the war drags on, we risk giving up on peace and becoming numb to the suffering of victims. While Ukraine has the right to defend its sovereignty and firmly reject Russian aggression with the necessary aid, everything must be done so that the inevitability of war gives way to paths of dialogue that lead to a just peace… Read more »

Facing our fears and re-connecting the world

The two-year long Concerted Action of Justice and Peace Europe is inspired by the remarkable foresight of Pope Francis’ encyclical letter Fratelli Tutti. In the next two years the thirty member commissions of Justice and Peace Europe will continue their long-term work on social justice, drawing particular attention to social fears that are ignored, but also contribute to deconstruct fear and anxiety which threaten to manipulate European citizens… Read more »

The ring, the sandals & the robe

In the parable of the prodigal son (Lk 15, 11-32), when the younger son returns home, the Father gives him some welcome-home gifts: a Ring, a pair of Sandals, and the best Robe. In this guide, the relevance of these three objects for our Christian lives is explored through a series of:

  • Icebreakers
  • Biblical reflections
  • Activities
  • Movie clips
  • Prayer moments
  • Follow-up actions

By becoming more aware of the gifts they have received, young participants (12-16 years) will also be invited to make a positive difference in the lives of others by committing themselves to faith-based participation in society… Read more »

Baħar Ċimiterju

The government’s continued abdication of search and rescue responsibilities is contributing to deaths in the Mediterranean

More than 1,300 people died or disappeared in the Central Mediterranean in 2022. These people – men, women, children, sons, and daughters – can be added to the deplorable death toll of more than 25,000 people who have died while crossing the Mediterranean since 2014… Read more »

The Church in Malta

When speaking in Ta’ Pinu, Pope Francis invited us to rediscover the essentials of our faith in a process of renewal of the life of the Church which is “never merely a past to remember but a great future to build”. With dwindling numbers and an ever-growing divide between Gospel values and the dominant culture, how can the local Church continue sharing the Good News with everyone and not just to a closed circle? … Read more »

Choosing the synodal path for the Church in Europe

Between the 5th and 12th February 2023 the European continental meeting will be held as part of the process of the Synod on Synodality to discuss the document entitled ‘Enlarge the space of your tent’. This document gathers the fruit of the discernment on the syntheses prepared by various Episcopal Conferences around the world.

Mr Stefan Lunte, Secretary General of Justice and Peace Europe (JP Europe) and Mr Daniel Darmanin, President of Justice and Peace Malta and member of the JP Europe Executive Committee will be attending this meeting on behalf of the European network of about thirty national Justice and Peace Commissions which together make up JP Europe… Read more »