Canon Lawrence Zammit spoke out against gay marriage, urging authorities to remember they were first and foremost Catholics, in an impassioned panegyric for the feast of St Paul’s Shipwreck yesterday.
“Same-sex marriage exists in 30 countries. I pray to God and to St Paul to deliver us from becoming the 31st country,” he said to thunderous applause as he stood in the pulpit of the richly adorned Church of St Paul’s Shipwreck in Valletta.
The Pontifical Mass was presided over by Archbishop Paul Cremona, while President George Abela, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, Opposition leader Simon Busuttil and a host of other dignitaries formed part of the congregation.
Fr Zammit said he was pleased and comforted by the fact Maltese Catholics, in their vast majority, cherished the value of marriage between man and woman.
He lambasted marriage between people of the same sex as “being invented by man”.
Same-sex marriage exists in 30 countries. I pray to God and to St Paul to deliver us from becoming the 31st country
Quoting Pope Francis, he explained it was not a religious issue but an anthropological one – the Pope termed same-sex marriage as “an anthropological regression”. The Church, he hastened to add, had nothing against people of a different sexual orientation.
St Paul was a ‘welcome immigrant’
The Maltese Church was facing a number of challenges, mainly due to the media, which promoted different forms of lifestyle and family.
The challenge of modern secularisation, he continued, meant God was being cast aside, leading to the breakdown of the true value of the family, as created by God.
While thanking all MPs for representing citizens in Parliament, he urged them to fight for their faith.
He further urged them to not only protect Malta’s historical heritage but also the “priceless heritage of the Catholic faith”.
In his panegyric, Fr Zammit also mapped the voyage of St Paul, from his persecution of Christians, his calling and conversion, and his shipwreck in Malta while travelling to Rome. He expressed immense pride at being Maltese and that Malta was in the greatest book ever written – the Holy Scriptures.
St Luke, he continued, praised the Maltese for the goodness of their hearts and for welcoming St Paul and the 275 shipwrecked with him.
St Paul’s providential voyage gave the Maltese islands a new identity.
“We cannot forget those ‘tourists’ who do not visit our shores because they planned a relaxing holiday but because they were forced to leave their countries due to violence, conflict, murder and strife. I am referring to those who are commonly called illegal or irregular migrants.”
As former chaplain of the Armed Forces of Malta, Fr Zammit thanked the army for helping bring migrants to safety, reminding the congregation that offering them shelter translated into a chance to meet God.
He asked God for forgiveness on behalf of all those who stood comfortable in their wealth and those who stirred up the global situations leading to the migrants’ plight.
‘Church must steer Malta on sea of life’
Gozo Bishop Mario Grech drove home his message during his sermon in Munxar using the protracted metaphor of a ship battling the howling winds, tossed and heaving in the rising swell of a storm.
Mgr Grech marked the feast of St Paul by expressing the urgent need for the Church to take its duty-bound routes so that, despite the winds, it kept sailing on the sea of life.
At times, it could be that these contrary winds helped redirect the ship towards new areas that were awaiting the Good News, as happened with St Paul who was blown off course to Malta.
“In other words, I see the need for us to adopt a new pastoral behaviour in every sector of society,” he said.
“It seems that our Church, both as an institution and as individuals, needs to adopt more humane, evangelical and charitable ways in its relationship with the world around us.
“And, as I said earlier, it also means being like a ship battling against negative winds.”