The Jesuits in Malta today joined the growing chorus against the use of pristine agricultural land for the development of a university and said they applauded “this rising ecological consciousness that is capable of breathing new life into Malta’s social and political scene”.

Jesuit Provincial Patrick Magro said the Jesuits joined all who maintained that “promoting a healthy quality of life for Maltese families and protecting the natural environment should take priority over even the most advantageous short-term gains, whether in the south or anywhere else”.

“While we actively support further and focused investment in the education of Malta’s young people and in the creation of sustainable employment opportunities for their present and future, we must ask who truly stands to benefit from the American University of Malta.

“The Jesuits urge the Maltese government to allocate funds for pressing educational needs, to ensure that no child or young person is left behind. Furthermore, we call upon the government to protect untouched, natural open spaces that are vital to the well-being of Malta’s present and future generations.”

They expressed dismay that a Catholic University, Chicago’s DePaul University, should be associated with a project that showed scarce regard for a vast, prime, natural open space on Malta’s southern coast.

“As a Catholic religious order committed to quality all-round education, we regret that Chicago’s DePaul University should be associated with a project that shows scarce regard for a vast, prime, natural open space on Malta’s southern coast.

 “While DePaul acknowledges that ‘Malta is a predominantly Catholic country, and DePaul’s Catholic mission and values resonate with many in the area all attempts by the government to justify the selection of the site earmarked for the project seem diametrically opposed to that very Catholic value of care for creation.”