'Archbishop's optimism inspiring'
Ambassador's daughter, 6, keeps his picture in scrapbook
Archbishop Mgr Paul Cremona has struck such a strong chord with young people that American ambassador Molly Bordonaro's six-year-old daughter, Brooke, has cut out his picture from the newspaper and put it in her scrapbook.
This, Mrs Bordonaro said, was something her daughter had never done with photos of her mother.
His optimism, energy and the way he has reached out to the people, particularly the young, had been inspiring, she told the Archbishop when he visited the American embassy, in Floriana, yesterday.
Mgr Cremona entered the room where members of the Maltese-American Association were awaiting his arrival. The ambassador said these members represented the Maltese spread all over the US, who had left half of their heart in Malta.
"Tens of thousands of Maltese have gone to America and made a great contribution to society," she said.
Mgr Cremona praised the immigrants for the good name they had given their home country and for keeping their faith, which they passed on to their families.
The history of the Maltese in the US, he went on, showed the local spirit, which was evident in their social work, the newspaper articles, radio broadcasts, the statue of St Paul in Detroit, churches dedicated to the saint in California and Toronto and their devotion to Our Lady.
Mgr Cremona thanked Mrs Bordonaro for the understanding her country showed recently by accepting a group of refugees who had relatives in the US.
"This initiative, from one of the immigration countries, is greatly appreciated because, apart from helping Malta shoulder this problem, it allows for family reunification," he said.
Mrs Bordonaro said this programme would be expanded. "I think it symbolises the close relationship between the two countries and their shared values from a humanitarian standpoint to help people from around the world have an opportunity for freedom and a better life," she said.
Mgr Cremona said: "In this globalised society, nations are getting much closer, and it is important to help each other and have better relations."