The Church was not conducting a crusade against divorce, Archbishop Paul Cremona told the press yesterday at an activity in which journalists were prevented from asking questions.

Mgr Cremona was meeting anti-divorce campaigners at his official residence in Attard.

He said crusades were “attacks” against those with different opinions but the Church was simply fulfilling its mission of spreading Christ’s teachings.

The Church, he said, was a pioneer in Malta when it came to helping families with problems, pointing out it had worked with victims of domestic violence and drug abuse, people with disability and couples preparing to get married. Therefore, members of the Church should, in a pluralistic and democratic society, exercise their civil right of voting and participating in civil society when it came to social and political issues. They also had a right to defend their Catholic values.

The head of the Marriage Without Divorce movement, Andrè Camilleri said his organisation was “secular” and intended to raise awareness about the value of the family and the harm divorce brought when introduced in other countries.

At the end of the meeting, a number of journalists attempted to ask questions but Church Pro-Vicar Mgr Anton Gouder and Dr Camilleri said no questions would be taken.

A number of journalists complained they were never allowed to ask questions during events by the anti-divorce movement and Dr Camilleri said journalists would have their chance during the press conferences organised by the Broadcasting Authority.

Both the anti-divorce movement and the Church have refused to say whether the Curia is financing the campaign against divorce.