Commenting on last Monday’s talks between Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and Pope Francis, the Vatican’s press office said:
“During the cordial talks, the need of maintaining Christian values steadfast was reaffirmed and the important role – protected thanks to the many agreements concluded between the Holy See and Malta – carried out by the Catholic Church with her educational and charitable institutions was mentioned, including teaching the Catholic religion in State schools, Catholic schools, and on Church properties.
“Particular note was made of the agreement on the civil effects of religious marriages, which will be the object of further discussions between the parties.”
Civil court upholds Christian marriage
A district court in Haifa, Israel, overturned a decision of a lower court, saying civil courts had no authority to interfere with religious tribunals.
The appeals court ruled that the family court could not “compel someone to act against their religious precepts”. The case concerned a Maronite Catholic man who was ready to renounce his religion so he could seek divorce from his wife in a civil court. The wife refused to change her religion.
The appeals court also noted that a ruling against the woman in this case could upset the delicate balance between religious tribunals and secular law and raise new concerns about the rights of Christian institutions in Israel.
No Church funerals for Mafia figures – bishop
Bishop Antonio Raspanti of Arcireale, Sicily, has announced that known Mafia figures will be denied Church funerals as “being a Christian is incompatible with having links to Mafia organisations,” the bishop said. Mgr Raspanti said this decision will be applied to all those convicted Mafia criminals who have not made any public display of repentance.
Brazilian bishops support protestors
Archbishop Raymundo Damasceno Assis of Aparecida, president of the conference of Brazilian bishops, supported the demonstrations sweeping across Brazil as long as they are peaceful. “These demonstrations show us that it is not possible to live in a country with such inequalities,” the bishops said in a statement. They also emphasised that the Church strongly opposes the violence that has erupted and the destruction of private property as the protests have grown.
Nearly1.2 million people took part in protests across the country.
‘Proclaim the Word’
In a homily on the feast of St John the Baptist, Pope Francis said: “The Church exists to proclaim, to be the voice of a Word, her husband, who is the Word. The Church exists to proclaim this Word until martyrdom. Martyrdom precisely in the hands of the proud, the proudest of the Earth.
“John could have made himself important. But he felt himself to be the voice, not the Word.
“Why is John holy and without sin? Because he never, never took a truth as his own. He would not be an ideologue. The man who negated himself so that the Word could come to the fore. And we, as a Church, we can now ask for the grace not to become an ideological Church...”
Award for Jean Vanier
Jean Vanier, founder of L’Arche, an international federation of communities where people with and without intellectual disabilities share life together, will receive the Pacem in Terris Peace and Freedom Award. It will be presented in the French village where he founded L’Arche in 1964.
(Compiled by Fr Joe Borg)