Maltese Christian politicians should be protagonists, both in Malta and abroad, of values and messages rooted in the Gospel and the social teachings of the Church, Archbishop Joseph Mercieca said yesterday.

In his Independence Day message, delivered during homily at a Pontifical Mass at St John's Co-Cathedral, in Valletta yesterday, he said the Christian faith helped Europe build its social life on the principles of the Gospel.

Christian politicians, he said, had an important role to play. They could play it by cherishing and proposing, in an effective manner, the principles of the Church, which developed into rich social teachings.

The principles proposed by the social teachings of the Church were not an ideology or political programme, the Archbishop said. They were principles that offered a basic approach to the actions of man and society in view of the universal ethical law found in the heart of every human being.

Now, more than in the past, the Christian politician was being called to serve with a clear and continuous commitment built on competence in the carrying out of one's duties and on solid morality in the transparent exercise of power.

At the same time, politicians had to work to strengthen their personal integrity and ensure that this expressed itself in a clear recognition of the social and political life of the community they were serving in.

Maltese Christian politicians should be protagonists of the values and messages rooted in the Gospel and the social teachings of the Church, the Archbishop said.

The values Maltese politicians should promote included respect for life from conception to natural death.

The Church thanked politicians who, because they realised that only the creator was the master of life, rejected abortion and euthanasia and openly promoted respect for human life in all its stages, as well as requesting assurances on human life in the financing of scientific research.

Another value Maltese politicians should promote was the common good. Current day realities required sustainable economic progress together with concrete solidarity with the weakest and the most vulnerable.

Yet another value was the family. There were those who were trying to dismantle the concept of a family built on the union of one man and one woman until death. Whatever others in other countries chose, the way of the Maltese as a Christian nation should remain clear. A cohabiting or gay couple could never be accepted as being married, the Archbishop said.

Mgr Mercieca said the Church in Malta appreciated and supported initiatives being taken for the Maltese community to grow and strengthen in the recognition of the need to safeguard creation and natural heritage. But did all the necessary legislation and measures to ensure this for the benefit of future generations exist?

The Archbishop said that another value was good behaviour towards one another, in all one said and did. But did the political community believe that enough was being done so that justice would be done with all? The responsibilities of people in public life were neither easy nor light, Mgr Mercieca said.

Prior to Mass President Eddie Fenech Adami was accorded a national salute and inspected a guard of honour.

His arrival was followed by that of Princess Anne - in Malta purposely for the 40th anniversary of Independence Day - and of Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, who was also accorded a national salute.

People gathered outside the cathedral as Mass was nearing its end and applauded as the dignitaries left the church. Most conspicuous were British tourists who clapped hard on the appearance of Princess Anne.

After Mass, the celebrations continued with the laying of flowers at the Independence Monument, in Floriana, followed by a 21-gun salute.

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