The articles in the law prohibiting the vilification of religion should not be deleted but there should be no difference between the sanctions imposed on those vilifying the Roman Catholic religion or any other religion, belief or non-belief, the Curia said.

It made the statement in a position paper on the decriminalisation of the public vilification of religion and pornography, presented by Archbishop Charles Scicluna and Gozo bishop Mario Grech to Prime Minister Joseph Muscat this morning.

The Curia said that article two of the Constitution should not to be seen in isolation but as part of chapter one which laid down the republican governance, the religion, the flag, the national anthem, the language and the Constitution as the six most fundamental and equal civic values.

“Since the national religion is on a par with the other five values, one cannot choose between them by requiring five to be treated with reverence and allowing the sixth to be subjected to vilification,” the Curia said.

The paper, drawn up by a group of experts set up by the bishops, also deals with pornography.

It says that the licensing of sex shops had nothing to do with “freedom of expression” or the right “to receive and impart information”. It was simply part of the sex industry and trade.

“One should ask how this fits into what the Constitution of Malta established on public morality, decency or morals. The safeguarding of public morality is so fundamental that it even expressly overrides the enjoyment of all fundamental human rights, let alone of profit making.

“The commercialization of the human body is always harmful to the dignity of the human person, even when this occurs with one’s own consent. Sex and sexuality are more than just gratification and pleasure but they are a gift and an invitation for self-giving and for an interpersonal relationship with others.

“Why should it not be self-evident that the arguments in favour of public decency are more compelling than those in favour of public indecency,” it asked.

The Curia’s position paper can be read in the pdf link below.