Church newspaper Leħen is-Sewwa: 80 years in service of the truth

For a newspaper to reach the venerable age of 80 years is quite an achievement. When it is a newspaper that is organised by volunteers and its finances come from donations, the achievement is even greater.

The ecclesiastical authorities set up Leħen is-Sewwa as a Catholic weekly newspaper in Maltese on September 1, 1928 with Canon Enrico Bonnici as its first editor. He was later succeeded by Canon Arthur Bonnici. But five years after its founding, Leħen is-Sewwa started to buckle due to financial problems. Rather than closing it down the Church authorities came up with the idea of entrusting its management to the Catholic Action which was a very active movement at the time.

Editorship was entrusted to Dr Herbert Ganado, a young lawyer who was himself very active in the Catholic Action Movement and already making a name as a prolific columnist. The new editor gave Leħen is-Sewwa a new look and also managed to convert the newspaper into a daily one. Though later the newspaper had to be turned again into a weekly one, it still continued to uphold the ideals and it still continued to be run by volunteers from the Catholic Action, up to the present day.

Throughout the 80 years of its existence, Leħen is-Sewwa has upheld the teachings of the Catholic Church, has instructed, led and effected its namesake "voice of the truth". It has been ably led by renowned editors who strove along with their staff of volunteers through thick and thin. The newspaper has given space and voice to writers, columnists and to the opinions of all those who wished to write in it.

Leħen is-Sewwa never wavered when it had to speak the "Truth". All down these years Leħen is-Sewwa has been a pillar of the local Church and of the Church in general and it has been a beacon for truth and justice.

Ad multos annos.