PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR THE FAMILY

VISIT TO MALTA OF THE SPECIAL ENVOY
OF POPE BENEDICT XVI
HIS EMINENCE CARDINAL ENNIO ANTONELLI

Monday, 29 June 2009

The third day of H.E. Cardinal Ennio Antonelli’s visit to Malta started at the chapel dedicated to Saint George Preca. Here, Cardinal Antonelli spent some time in prayer before meeting a large number of catechists from the Society of Christian Doctrine, MUSEUM, founded by Saint George Preca. In his message, Cardinal Antonelli described the catechists as the messengers of Saint Paul. He encouraged them to never stop learning the Word of God and all that is good, since they are responsible for setting a good example he said. Cardinal Antonelli quoted Pope John Paul II who had described Saint George Preca as Malta’s second father in faith; the first being Saint Paul the Apostle.

Cardinal Ennio Antonelli was then escorted to the Catholic Institute in Floriana where he met a number of families. Whilst describing this meeting as one of the most important, Cardinal Antonelli praised the work being done with couples in their preparation for marriage. Cardinal Ennio Antonelli then visited the Archbishop’s Curia where he met a number of volunteers who work for Caritas.

The main celebration of Cardinal Ennio Antonelli’s visit to Malta was held in the evening when he led a Pontifical Mass held outside St. John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta to mark the closure of the Pauline Year. This national celebration was attended by thousands of people, led by President George Abela and Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi. The ceremony, which was broadcast on the national television station started with pilgrimages from the churches of Saint Paul’s Shipwreck in Valletta and Saint Publius in Floriana, during which the statues of the two Saints were taken together on Saint John’s Square. In his homily, Cardinal Antonelli renewed the call made 19 years ago by Pope John Paul II for Malta to be a witness in Europe to human values and Christian faith. Cardinal Antonelli urged the people of Malta to keep their gaze on the Lord and to be proud of their history and their faith, passing it on to their children.

Concluding, Cardinal Ennio Antonelli urged the people to keep alive and with greater luminosity the fire which the early Maltese lit for St Paul.