Divorce should be put to a referendum (1)

I respect and acknowledge the fact that "divorce" is a highly emotive subject which inevitably gives rise to debate that at times can get very heated. Judging by the volume of correspondence it generated in the Times of Malta, the subject, not surprisingly, has stirred a hornet's nest to the extent that numerous peripheral and esoteric issues, though not always very relevant, have been canvassed.

These, in my view, serve to detract from the real issue, namely, should Malta have divorce laws or not?

I do not propose to enter into a debate as to whether divorce is good or bad. I will leave that to the judgment of the individual. Suffice it to say that anecdotal evidence as to the merits or otherwise of divorce can be provided to support either side of the argument. As the adage goes, the devil can cite scripture to suit his purpose. Furthermore, in the final analysis, most conclusions drawn would be purely subjective.

While the debate rages unabatedly what one must not lose sight of is the fact that in Malta, a divorce obtained overseas is recognised. Notwithstanding that in Malta one can have a civil marriage, no provision is made for a divorce.

This novel approach can only be attributed to the fact that there is no clear distinction between the Maltese Church and the State.

In the words of Pope Benedict XVI, in his Encyclical Letter Deus Caritas Est - On Christian Love, "Fundamental to Christianity is the distinction between what belongs to Caesar and what belongs to God, in other words, the distinction between Church and State, or as the Second Vatican Council puts it, 'the autonomy of the temporal sphere'."

Having said that, I would be extremely reluctant to leave such a sensitive issue in the hands of self-serving politicians who, for the major part, cannot see beyond the next election. This matter should be put to the people by way of a referendum.