Archbishop hopes to visit Maltese migrants 'soon'

Archbishop Mgr Paul Cremona said yesterday he hoped he would soon be able to visit Maltese migrants in Australia, the US and Canada.

In a message to Maltese emigrants, issued during a visit to the Australian High Commission, in Ta' Xbiex, Mgr Cremona said he admired migrants for being hard-working and for having sacrificed themselves, separating from their loved ones and their country, to be able to earn a living for themselves and their families.

The Archbishop greeted, in particular, those who kept the Maltese emigrants' community united with its homeland and with relatives, as well as priests, religious and laymen, who helped the emigrants live their faith.

Mgr Cremona paid tribute to those who had reached a high position, such as John Aquilina, who served as minister in the government of New South Wales from 1995 to 2003 and who is now Speaker of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, and Mgr Joseph Grech, Bishop of Sandhurst, in the state of Victoria.

He referred to the emigrants' love for their families and to the fact that they managed to keep and strengthen their faith.

Now that mass emigration had ended, a museum "of remembrance, love and ties" was in the process of being set up at the Emigrants' Commission, in Valletta, displaying items that would keep future generations linked to their ancestors.

The Archbishop was greeted by Australian High Commissioner Jurek Juszczyk and his family. Also present were representatives of the Emigrants' Commission, the Friends of Australia Association and the Maltese-Australian Association.