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ADDRESS OF JOHN PAUL II Friday, 25 June 2004
Mr President,
I am pleased to welcome you to the Vatican so early in your term
of office, and through you I send heartfelt greetings to the people of Malta.
Your visit today occurs at an important moment in the history of your country.
As Malta takes its rightful place in the European Union, it has a vital role to
play in upholding the profoundly Christian identity of this Continent. In this
regard I would like to express the Holy See’s sincere appreciation for the
support given by Your Excellency and the Government of Malta for the inclusion
of a reference to Europe’s Christian heritage in the Preamble of the
Constitutional Treaty of the European Union. Since the time of Saint Paul, Malta has been renowned for its
firm adherence to the faith. I pray that it will persevere in this and I am
confident that the Maltese people, well known for their dedication to the Church
and, in particular, their great respect for family life, will draw others to a
deeper appreciation of the liberating message of the Gospel. Upon you and all the beloved people of Malta I cordially invoke
God’s abundant blessings of prosperity, joy and peace. *Insegnamenti di Giovanni Paolo II, vol. XXVII, 1 p. 841.
© Copyright 2004 - Libreria Editrice Vaticana
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