Editorial

Once again, the Church in Malta observes Charity Day and all collections at Sunday Masses this weekend are devoted to Church-run institutions.

Thanks to its widespread involvement in society, the Church is deeply aware of the needs, deprivation, loneliness, anxiety and despair that afflict various members of our society, very often sad realities that are not easily quantified or shown up in official statistics.

Concern for the underprivileged and weaker members of society is central to Christ's teaching. That is why the Church has played such a key role in assisting those who are more underprivileged. For instance, throughout the years it has set up and run homes for disadvantaged children, the aged and those with disabilities. It has also involved itself in tackling such problems as drug abuse and the phenomenon of refugees. A lot of such work done by the Church and its branches and agencies is very often hidden from the public eye.

Such intense and sustained services are the fruit of the far-sightedness, leadership, charisma and exceptional energy of outstanding members of the Church. Evident examples are the late Mgr Mikiel Azzopardi who set up Dar tal-Providenza, the residential homes for the handicapped in Siggiewi, a living example of divine providence and generosity, Mgr Victor Grech, who instituted Caritas with its wide reaching services, and Mgr Philip Calleja, who has tirelessly committed himself to helping refugees and migrants.

So many Maltese, both lay and religious fulfil their Christian vocation, both in Malta and abroad, by selflessly and voluntarily dedicating themselves to serving those most in need. This rich tradition rightly makes us proud. An apostolate, on such a scale, cannot survive and thrive without the sustained generosity of our people.

Charity Day should and, it is intended to, serve as a reminder that there is a lot more to charity than alms giving. More than charity it would perhaps be better to speak of solidarity.

For Christians, this also implies the cultivation of acute awareness of our neighbours' needs. We have to rise above the narrow self interests of our family, our social group, even above those of our country. The upholding and development of social justice and the setting up of social services is the fruit of charity as inspired by Catholic social doctrine. Christians have to willingly promote any measures that make society more caring, more humane.

Unfortunately, more recently, we have witnessed a disheartening attitude of false patriotism that masks an uncharitable and unchristian mind-set towards the plight of illegal immigrants who flee from persecution and abject poverty. There seems to be a callous indifference to the problems of our fellow men overseas. This is an affront to our Christian philosophy.

After all, by its very nature, love is intimately linked to fair play and justice. Today, the unchallenged economic model of capitalism bereft of ethical values has accentuated the ever-increasing inequality between people, both within the same community and, more glaringly, between different nations.

In a spirit of charity, Christians and men of goodwill cannot ignore the way things are done. They must challenge and try to correct the economic structures which allow the entrenchment of escalating injustice and poverty. The more privileged our status in society the greater is our responsibility.

One hopes that this occasion will enable the power of love to be rekindled and make us aware of the avoidable evils that plague society.

Only then, will Charity Day be, not just a passing event, but an opportunity for renewal.