Christianity fundemental to our identity (1)
Pope Benedict XVI 's visit to our island made me ponder on my identity as a Maltese. Whenever we take pride in being Maltese we seem to link this pride to the fact that we are an independent nation, that we have our own language and culture, that our freedom and autonomy have been achieved through various struggles throughout time. We recall what our past generation went through to help us assert ourselves as a free, independent, European nation.
But what about our Christian roots? What about our Christian identity? "Be proud of your Christian vocation, cherish your religious and cultural heritage," the Pontiff encouraged us when he was among us. Were they not our Christian values that kept us hoping and struggling from generation to generation until finally, that day came when we affirmed ourselves as an independent nation? Why do we want to segregate religion - our Christian trait - from our other characteristics that make us Maltese? The sense of God and spiritual outlook in our life have been part and parcel of being Maltese. Even our national anthem that is being played whenever we want to proclaim our authenticity, is a prayer to God asking Him to guide us, protect us and keep us united.
Our true identity as Maltese has to be linked to our Christian roots. "Never allow your true identity to be compromised by indifference or relativism," Pope Benedict XVI admonishes us. Throughout time our whole life be it social, economical or political has been marked with this Christian identity. This is what makes us Maltese. This is what makes our nation autonomous and different from other nations. On his arrival at the airport Pope Benedict emphasised this trademark of our identity: "The Maltese people, enlightened for almost two mellennia by the teachings of the Gospel and continually fruitified by their Christian roots, are rightly proud of the indispensable role that the Catholic faith has played in their nation's development."
Why are we, elders, trying to pass on to our younger generation a secular and narrow vision of our society? Why is not faith the most important trait of our identity as Maltese? Our generous and altruistic nature, sense of tolerance and compassion, inclusiveness, forgiveness and other values that help us live as a nation and integrate with other nationals irrespective of their culture, colour or creed, are they not, perhaps, the result of the "good news" that St Paul preached to our forefathers when he first landed on our island 1950 years ago? "In God's plan," the Vicar of Christ reminded each one of us, "St Paul... became your father in Christian faith. Thanks to his presence among you, the Gospel of Jesus Christ took deep root and bore fruit not only in the lives of individuals, families and communities but also in the formation of Malta's national identity and its vibrant and distinctive culture."
The new challenges we are facing as a nation be they economical, social or technical have to be solved holistically and not in isolation. We cannot and should not compartmentalise our nature. Being human is being material and spiritual and when we refer to our Maltese identity our Christian roots - our spiritual dimension - should stand out. No wonder that Pope Benedict XVI, when addressing the media on his way to Malta spoke out loud and clear that "Malta... reminds us that faith is the strength that gives charity and, therefore, even imagination to respond well to these challenges".
Practically in every speech that the Pontiff addressed, he referred to our true identity. He seemed to indicate that we would be losing our true identity as Maltese were we to ignore our Christian roots. In his farewell speech before boarding the plane again the Pope pleaded: "Let me encourage you once more to cultivate a deep awareness of your identity and to embrace the responsibilities that flow from it, especially by promoting the Gospel values that will grant you a clear vision of human dignity and the common origin and destiny of mankind".
Popular Stories
In Discussion
21 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
Alfred Grech
Apr 22nd 2010, 23:31
Our beloved President spoke and acted in a perfect way. I felt very proud of him as I felt proud of our Bishops and all their speeches.
Dr Abela did the right think to bow and kiss the hand of the Holy Father because besides being the President of Catholic Malta, he's a Catholic himself.
Prosit Mr President. We loved you and still love you and thanks for welcoming the Holy Father so warmly on our behalf.
Joe Xuereb
Apr 22nd 2010, 16:47
As we say, no pain, no gain.
It is ill-advised to invest one's identity in one's material possession or an ideology that is unproven at best. What happens when the stock-market crashes, when the ideology is proven to be hollow? One disintegrates in a nano-second.
A certain fact is that people do not like change. They prefer that which is familiar, known, 'safe', a comfort-zone, safety-in-numbers syndrome. Religion is of course a classic. Its adherents stick to it come rain or shine. They deny or demonise anything that they perceive as threatening to their status quo. They are terrified of change. And people have been known to kill to ensure the continuance of their belief system, their identity. It is all about identity. Invest in the wrong thing and you are well and truly done for. And that, I'm afraid, is a promise.
Joe Xuereb
Apr 22nd 2010, 16:18
Very heartfelt letter I have to say. BUT......
If Malteseness is all about religion, the fundamental type and all things nice, than even a man from Shianghai who shares these beliefs can call Malta his own. So Maltese identity has to be more than religion, a slippery slope indeed.
When Catholicism decided to be unassailable, it created the Inquisition. We don't want to go down that route, not again. If religion is so important to the R.Azzopardis and J.Zammits of this world(?), island(?) and their faith is strong enough to withstand any assault - including paranoia - they are free to follow it in private, with dignity and self-assuredness. Anybody who does not share their views is really none of their business. Any more than it is my business to know what they do in the privacy of their home, the privacy of their mind. Quite simple really.
Emanuel Cilia Debono
Apr 22nd 2010, 09:57
There is no doubt that the long standing Christian values of the Maltse people form an inextricable part of our national identity.
Secularisation in the radical form in which it is understood by some non religious people implies a denial of fundamental Christian values which our people had professed long before atheistic secularisation had become the vogue of late in present day Europe. Europe's Christian roots predates the European secularist movement by more than a millennium
To avoid misunderstandings I must state that Church and State have much to contribute independently of each other towards the common good , provided that matters of common concern are resolved in the light of Faith and Reason.
Pope Benedict's deep understanding of humanity and his effective delivery of Christ's all embracing message of Divine Love struck a common chord among the Christian people of these islands and it explains the resounding welcome accorded to His Holiness.
Thank you Your Holiness and Praised be Jesus Christ.
Gerry Cowie
Apr 21st 2010, 19:57
What an excellent letter which goes to show all secularists, athiests and humanists that Malta is indeed proud of its Christian heritage.
W Flynn of Australia is back to make his usual attacks on the Church in Malta, several thousand miles away from where he lives. Now why he would want to deny the importance of Christianity in a country from which he claims his heritage I have no idea at all!
As I understand it any changes to the constitution of the Maltese Islands must come from those registered with a right to vote, so I would imagine that the people are not going to succumb to the agenda of W Flynn.
He seems to be fighting an endless and useless battle to bring secularism to Malta. Even if that did happen the people will still be influenced by their Christian upbringing and so the change to secularism would only really be cosmetic!
What proof does Mr Flynn of Australia have about who "stayed away" during the Pope's visit? If the entire population of Australia turned up to an event in Mr Flynn's home country it would be somewhat overcrowded. Not everybody could possibly attend everything for many reasons!
Kenneth Cassar
Apr 22nd 2010, 09:50
Once again, you choose to misrepresent secularism. Secularism does not exclude freedom of worship or religion. It actually guarantees it. Secularism only demands the rightful separation of church and state.
As for showing "all secularists, atheists and humanists" that Maltese Catholics (not Malta - that excludes non-Catholics) are proud of their Christian heritage, we did not need a letter to tell us that. It is pretty obvious.
Kenneth Cassar
Apr 22nd 2010, 09:51
The true meaning of secularism: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secularism
renald williams
Apr 21st 2010, 18:48
fundamental to our Christian identity is the New Testament, peace and health wishes...
San Ambrosju, isqof ta’ Milan (339-397).
Kif nistghu naddottaw dawk l-affarijiet li ahna ma nsibux fl-Iskrittura Mqaddsa? Ejjew nfittxu fl-Iskrittura, ta’ l-Appostli, ta’ Kristu.
San Gwanni Krisostmu (347-407).
Tieqfux milli jkollkom l-Iskrittura. Nheggigkom u nitlob li jkollkom l-Iskrittura. Hi haga vera tajba, l-qari ta’ l-Iskrittura. Mhu qatt possibli li tiddejqu mill-Iskrittura. Aktar ma wiehed jghix biha; aktar isir jafha, u iktar jara d-dawl pur taghha. Jekk trid taqra l-kitbiet ta’ Pawlu; b’mohh miftuh, ma jkollok bzonn l-ebda ghajnuna ohra. Il-Kelma ta’ Kristu hi vera u tghid; fittxu u ssibu, habbtu u jifthulkom. L-injoranza ta’ l-Iskrittura tohloq hazen bla ghadd.
Il-hwejjeg kollha fl-Iskrittura mqaddsa huma gheziez u miftuha; il-hwejjeg mehtiega huma ilkoll cari.
San Gilormu (347-420).
Taghtux kaz dak li nghid jien, imma ghatu kaz ta’ l-Iskrittura.
Nitlobkom gheziez huti li tghixu fost dawn il-kotba, timmeditaw fuqhom, u tkunu tafu xejn aktar jew tfittxu x'imkien iehor. … Bhalma nilqghu il-hwejjeg miktuba, hekk ukoll inwarrbu il-hwejjeg li m'humiex miktubin. … minghajr l-awtorita' ta' l-Iskrittura.
Joseph Calleja
Apr 21st 2010, 17:10
@ Mr Joe Zammit. 95% of Maltese and Gozitans are Catholic and want to remain Catholic. Dream on Mr Zammit et al. As you well know one third of Maltese couples live together without the bond of marriage ( shacking up) and according to the Catholic Church that is a sin but in Malta it's tolerated and encouraged. Attending mass on Sunday and doing your neighbor on Monday is also practiced by catholics. Malta being 95% catholic is in name only and those numbers are very misleading. Attending mass on Sunday because it is the custom does not make you a catholic. The only way you can justify 95% of Maltese being catholic is because we were baptized soon as we were born. We actually did not have a choice in the matter. Most of us Maltese go to mass so as to follow tradition. A sin is still a sin.
adrian aquilina
Apr 21st 2010, 16:55
so not malta's muslim past? we know through science and history that morals do not come from religion. not sure when malta actually turned to christianity but it was still a time of death or torture if you did not become or agree with christianity but all real historians,not ones paid for by the church,say that there was no shipwreck here by paul.it is historically wrong like most of the bible is..we have an anarchic public,bad driving,dumping of rubbish,no real respect for others and their property,extremely nosey and want to be in others buisiness,cruel to animals,corruption at all levels,trying not to pay taxes etc and that is all what you do expect from a christian country,almost 100%of which are poor,hence belief in superstition, but since more people are non religious we have more awareness for all around us inc the enviroment and animals...if you take america,the republican states,conservative christian have the most violence,murder,theft,robberies etc and give the most death sentances...look around before decide how things are..religion is to be kept in church or at home..not to impose on others
Joe Tabone-Adami
Apr 21st 2010, 15:32
Some comments seem to indicate that, after losing faith, the writers have not yet reached the age of reason - still less that of knowing their history. Hearing of dictatorial states with no democracy, no newspapers, no elections, no free speech somehow remind one of Nazi Germany, Communist Russia, North Korea, and other 'unmentionables' such as Cuba etc. Still, what would appear important to such writers is that their name is paraded internationally, no matter the lack of sense or reasoning displayed by them!!
Stefan Vella
Apr 21st 2010, 14:00
@Joe Zammit
Can you kindly link objective and statistical proof that 95% of Maltese are catholics? Otherwise I might feel obliged to assume some ridiculous percentages myself:-
Example: Out of my 5th form class (church school to boot), I am confidently sure that at least 75% are committed and declared atheists (this is fact). Based on this observation, I assert that at least 75% of the Maltese people are not Catholic!
See what I did there?
E CAMILLERI
Apr 21st 2010, 12:43
We have achieved much, our tiny island nation - even without our own natural resources. But we always had faith - it has been the biggest resource of all.
William P Flynn
Apr 21st 2010, 12:04
You ask "Why are we, elders, trying to pass on to our younger generation a secular and narrow vision of our society?"
Because secularism is the only way forward.
Because if popes and Christianity had their way there would still be papal states where there are no elections or newspapers; where freedom of speech is non existent and the pope making deals with kings and princes and dictators to control Europe and the world.
Because Malta and Europe got where they are in spite of its Christianity; which most Maltese (about 400,000 of them) by staying away, proved once more last weekend that it is a self propagating self serving myth by the Curia and her puppet politicians to retain control of the Maltese people.
The EU signified in no uncertain terms that the pope’s and Christianity’s rule is over in Europe.
Joe Zammit
Apr 21st 2010, 15:22
Half the population of Malta turned out to see Benedict XVI during his 26-hour trip to the island: a fact that points to the effect of the Pope's 14th international trip.
Joe Zammit
Apr 21st 2010, 15:38
"A wise man's heart inclines him toward the right, but a fool's heart toward the left" (Ecclesiastes 10:2).
John M. Grima
Apr 21st 2010, 16:22
Dear Mr. Flynn. I don't exactly know how the state of religion is in Australia, (even though I have many relatives there), However, Here in Canada, I am sick and tired of listening to these so-called, educated experts, who have convinced the powers that be to take out religeon, the Lord's prayer out of schools and out of City Halls. Remove the Nativity scenes from in front of public places, and much more. Leaving us with increased crime. The police are therefore, more violent, using their weapons more frequently, and killing people no matter what state of health they're in. Lack of respect for human life. It is about time you as well as those who think like you realize and remember that what Christ and Christianity thought us is simply how to live with one another. To love and forgive, to care for the sick, to be charitable. IS THIS BAD? Yes. Religious men made a lot of damaging mistakes throughout the last thousand years. But the good religion has done surly outweighs by far, the bad. In Malta we always turned to our faith in our hour of need. PLEASE DON'T CHANGE!
S Azzopardi
Apr 21st 2010, 21:34
Totally biased comments by Mr Flynn in no uncertain terms !
Joe Zammit
Apr 21st 2010, 11:43
95% of Maltese and Gozitans are Catholic and want to remain Catholic.
This Catholic identity, however, must not be taken for granted. Being Catholic is not a badge but a life-style. Being Catholic means leading a Catholic life to the full, while accepting all the infallible teaching of the Catholic Church.
So we must continue to spread Catholic teaching among all of us, young and old. Being Catholic should imply being imbued with Catholic mentality, i.e., we think the way the Catholic Church thinks. We must have the 'mens Ecclesiae' and ‘sensus Ecclesiae’.
Being Catholic means being one with Jesus. So we must do our best to go to Mass every day. In our churches there is Jesus Christ present body, soul and divinity. He is there waiting for all of us. If we really love him, we visit him in the Mass every day.
Raphael Vassallo
Apr 21st 2010, 11:06
There seems to be a mistake in the headline. Should have read: 'Christian fundamentalism is our identity'.
Joe Zammit
Apr 21st 2010, 21:36
What's wrong with fundamentalism? Fundamentalism can be interpreted the way you like. Fundamentalism bears its good meaning as well. Christian fundamentalism is a blessing. It carries with it all that is good for humanity.
Please choose the reason of your report below: