INTRODUCTION

It is with great pleasure that I welcome you all for the General Assembly of MIAMSI. As the representative of the Holy Father in this country, it is with great joy that I greet you at the beginning of this Eucharist which we are celebrating in the Cathedral Church of St Paul.

It is particularly significant that this year’s General Assembly is being held in the Island of Paul. The Apostle of the Gentiles was shipwrecked on the shores of this beloved Island, as we read in detail in the Acts of the Apostles. The theme of your meeting, Migrations, an Opportunity to Build Bridges. Families, Cultures, Religions and Peoples in Dialogue, can be easily linked with various aspects which St Paul treats in his Letters. The Apostle himself was no outsider to cultural diversity. He knew what building bridges entails. He fully grasped the importance of dialogue in his missionary tasks.

Malta, this “island of faith”, has a particular vocation because of its geographical position which places it at the crossroads of cultures, peoples and religions. Before leaving Malta, on 9^th May 2001, at the end of his second pastoral visit to Malta, the Servant of God Pope John Paul II affirmed: “Malta is at the centre of the Mediterranean. You therefore have a unique vocation to be builders of bridges between the peoples of the Mediterranean basin, between Africa and Europe. The future of peace in the world depends on strengthening dialogue and understanding between cultures and religions. Continue in your traditions of hospitality, and continue in your national and international commitment on behalf of freedom, justice and peace”.

The long and checkered history of Malta has seen this land change hands many times until the Independence in 1964.

These Islands are witness to a long religious and cultural tradition. Several ancient megalithic temples, vast subterranean areas of catacombs, picturesque countryside chapels. The rule of the Knights of St John in Malta offered a marvellous impetus to the construction of a large number of baroque churches. The Knights were skilful patrons of art and culture. This is especially evident in the marvels of St John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta, built by the Knights. The impressive interior of St John’s boasts a wonderful vault by Mattia Preti, the uniquely precious tombstones covering its entire floor, the fine sculptures and the highly decorated chapels of the langues of the Order, not to mention two masterpieces by Caravaggio, St Jerome and The Beheading of St John.

Today, as one of the members of the European Union, Malta strives to fulfil its vocation as a bridge between Europe and North Africa. Furthermore, Malta has often raised its voice in European fora and institutions to remind its sister nations of the Christian roots of the Continent, and of the perennial relevance of Christian values for the promotion of justice and solidarity among peoples.

This evening the High Authorities of State have wished to be closely united with us and to offer tangible evidence of the welcoming spirit that characterizes this people. In the name of all, I would like to extend a respectful greeting to His Excellency the President of the Republic, to His Excellency the Prime Minister and to the other Authorities here present.

It is within the very blood of the people of this dear nation that a welcoming spirit of hospitality bubbles forth. There is biblical evidence in the Acts of the Apostles, in the account of the St Paul’s shipwreck: “The island was called Malta. The inhabitants treated us with unusual kindness. They made us all welcome…” (Acts 28,2).

It is with this same spirit which I too have experienced and received from the people of Malta and Gozo that I welcome you and wish you every success in the proceedings of your General Assembly. May this Eucharist be a source of grace which blesses you, dear participants, your International Movement and its organisating body, as well as all your loved ones.