The bishops last night urged the Government to respect the human dignity of immigrants who reached Malta’s shores, as the Prime Minister threatened to push the latest boatload back to Libya.

May the Lord continue to bless the generosity of the Maltese

“In the light of the latest developments... we appeal to the authorities to respect international obligations and continue to practise a policy of hospitality,” the bishops said.

“We also appeal [to the authorities] to use every legitimate means to ensure other countries share the burden. May the Lord continue to bless the generosity of the Maltese.”

Archbishop Paul Cremona, Gozo Bishop Mario Grech and Auxiliary Bishop Charles Scicluna issued the statement just one day after Pope Francis visited Lampedusa to highlight the plight of immigrants crossing to Europe from North Africa.

The Pope saluted the migrants and thanked the people of the tiny island for taking them in and setting an example of solidarity and to a selfish society sliding into “the globalisation of indifference”.

Lampedusa, with a population of 5,000, has often been outnumbered by migrants waiting to be transferred to Sicily and Italy. But they have largely welcomed the migrants and there have been few tensions or problems, Reuters reported from the island.