Archbishop Paul Cremona late last month paid a visit to Armed Forces of Malta personnel at Luqa Barracks.
At the AFM's Air Wing at Luqa Airport, he was met by AFM Commander, Brigadier Carmel Vassallo and the Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Matters, Dr Tony Abela.
The AFM's Air Wing Commanding Officer, Lt Col. Claudio Spiteri introduced the flight and technical crews on duty to the Archbishop on No. 7 Park, the hub of all the unit's operations.
The Italian military mission's commanding officer, Colonel Giovanni Ormetti, later accompanied Mgr Cremona on a helicopter flight around the Maltese Islands on board the locally-based AB-212 search and rescue Italian Air Force helicopter.
The helicopter landed later on the Luqa Barracks parade ground where a guard of honour, under the command of Captain Robert Bonnici, accorded the Archbishop a salute.
After meeting more senior officers from AFM's headquarters, the Archbishop celebrated Mass with the AFM's chaplain, Fr Lawrence Zammit, at the Luqa Barracks' chapel to a cross-sectional representation of officers and other ranks from the various AFM units on force.
In his homily, Mgr Cremona named many key figures from Scripture who were soldiers in their time and who played important roles in the formation of Christendom. He encouraged the AFM to keep up its most valid work towards the country's benefit, especially in the crucial times the nation is facing due to the negative effects of irregular migration.
After Mass, the Archbishop walked into the barracks and met some 150 other ranks in their staff canteen. The friendly informal atmosphere provided for conversation between Mgr Cremona and the soldiers, some of whom he recognised from the congregations of his former parishes in Rabat and Sliema.
After a group photo with the AFM Officer cadre, Mgr Cremona was hosted to a lunch at the Officers' Mess. He reminisced on his younger days when still serving at the Rabat Dominican convent, when Dr Abela was an altar boy during religious services.
The Archbishop is expected to be invited to visit other AFM Units and their sub-units in their barracks and bases.