Cattolicissima?

Seventy years or so ago, Pope Pius XI, when addressing a group of Maltese pilgrims in Rome, described Malta as "nobilissima e cattolicissima" (most noble and Catholic). For many years after the Maltese used to pride themselves on being called by His Holiness "the most noble" and above all "most Catholic" country in the world. But can we honestly say that that still applies today?

Is Malta still the staunch Catholic island it had been for centuries?

On paper the answer should be in the affirmative. We are still the only country in the world, apart from the Philipines, where divorce is not on the statute book. The same can be said for abortion and euthanasia. The Catholic Church's right "to teach what is right and what is wrong" is enshrined in the Constitution.

Churches are still being built and not closed down, as is happening in many other countries. Religion is still a compulsory subject, although parents have a right to withdraw their children from class during religion lessons. Sunday Mass attendance, though dwindling, is still quite high compared to other "Catholic" countries.

In spite of all this and more, like outdoor manifestations of religious beliefs and Catholic traditions, life is definitely not what it appears to be. Reading the letters that are regularly appearing in the press and listening to guests on local TV chat shows one cannot but conclude that mentalities are changing... fast.

Support for the introduction of divorce seems to be growing day by day. Cohabitation - anathema up to a few years ago - has become more than acceptable; something to be proud of as we could see during a TV programme last week when a mother of three admitted, indeed almost boasted, that she was not married to the children's father. Other guests on the same programme stated without hestitation that they see nothing wrong in same-sex unions.

"Why should the Church," asked one of the guests, "impose her teaching on the rest of us?" The truth is that these are not exceptional cases, the views of a small minority. True, they are the opinions of a minority, but a minority that is growing daily.

This is not the time or place to blame; anyone for the situation. Probably all of us have a share in the blame, some, no doubt, more than others. But there is still time. All is not lost. Compared to other countries we still have a lot to be proud of and to save. Those of us, thankfully still the majority, who believe in Christian values, must decide to do what is after all expected of them: stand up and be counted, and play their part. This applies to priests and religious and no less to the laity.

As the Archbishop put it in an address at a Church school recently: "Let us not delude ourselves; laicism has invaded our country and is having a strong negative effect on some of us. However, Christian men and women, with humility and courage, helped by God's grace, are in duty bound to spread the moral values built on the teachings of Christ." Such teachings, His Grace told us, not only have a religious dimension but also human and social, and hence affect the whole of society.