Archbishop Paul Cremona said today that the Church is not conducting a crusade against divorce but it is fulfilling its role to spread the word of Christ and its message about the family.

He said at a meeting with the anti-divorce movement that the Church had been a pioneer in helping families and strengthening marriage for generations.

The Church had focused its work on realities which included domestic violence, marriage preparation and people with drug problems, and it had a role to play in all debates about the family.

Jesus Christ was against divorce and the Church was spreading his message. It could not do otherwise because it would not be fulfilling its mission.

In the past, members of the Church had martyred themselves to spread the Church's message. However this was not a crusade. A crusade was a battle against persons with whom one did not agree, but the Church was not attacking persons, but their message.

He said that the Church was inviting all those who were inspired by its teaching to participate in the democratic debate and to express themselves in the referendum.

People could not have a dual personality of declaring themselves Catholics  but not participating in civil society as Catholics.

He augured that once the referendum was over, regardless of the outcome, the country's leaders and institutions worked together to continue finding a way to strengthen marriage and families.

Andre' Camilleri said the anti-divorce movement was secular and it was meeting all the country's leaders.

Journalists were not able to ask questions.

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