Members of the Christian doctrine society MUSEUM were using religious visits to the elderly to tell them they would lose their pension once divorce was introduced and the economic situation declined, the pro-divorce movement has claimed.

Insisting he respected the religious association and that it was not an organised and strategic campaign but just the “abusive” behaviour of individuals, pro-divorce spokesman Michael Falzon said he had received reports from the relatives of some elderly people in Msida.

The message was that the state would have to spend so much on divorce it would not have money left for pensions, putting the elderly off “for egoistic reasons and not on a matter of principle. These lies have to be condemned by those who should know better,” he insisted. When contacted, a superior of the society, Emanuel Curmi, said he knew nothing about the allegations.

Mr Falzon was speaking about what he termed the “fear campaign” and how it was used to influence public opinion from time immemorial, quoting the Renaissance founder of political science, Niccolò Machiavelli.

“The truth is that before every major change in Malta, the weapon of fear of the unknown is used,” he said.

Asked about Gozo Bishop Mario Grech’s homily on Sunday, where he warned of “brigands” trying to lead Christ’s flock away and to beware of the “wolf in sheep’s clothing”, Mr Falzon said he had a right to speak out. The pro-divorce movement was not in dialogue with the Gozo Bishop and the public would reach its own conclusions.

Mr Falzon assumed the Bishop’s was a “knee-jerk reaction” to the Catholic pro-divorce group, which was recently set up and had nothing to do with his movement.

Listing the “senseless” fears the anti-divorce movement was spreading, he mentioned the effect on pensions and maintenance, which he insisted would not change. Through annulments, spouses had no right to maintenance and pensions because the marriage never existed, he explained. Technically, through divorce, the marriage was “finished” and no maintenance was required but the proposed law would establish that what was agreed to in the separation should continue.

As to the fears that husbands had to part with half their income to their first wife and cope with the utility bills of both families, Mr Falzon said it was untrue and that most separated couples renounced their right to maintenance.