The Catholic pro-divorce lobby group yesterday issued a statement to remind Archbishop Paul Cremona that “not all Maltese people are Catholics”.

The group was reacting to comments made by Archbishop Cremona during the World Family Day celebration organised by the Church in Ta’ Qali last Sunday.

Mgr. Cremona said married life was a vocation and couples should not compare their relationships to what they see “on television” but to the exemplary life of Jesus Christ, “who was always ready to forgive”.

“All of us Catholics wholeheartedly endorse such a belief. All of us believe in the sanctity of marriage,” the Catholic group said, referring to the Archbishop as their spiritual shepherd.

“However, not all Maltese citizens are Catholics. While we hold to our beliefs, we Catholics must accept that we have a duty to allow non-Catholics the freedom to contract or dissolve marriages as they see fit. We have no right to expect the State to impose our will and our beliefs on the whole population.”

Spokesman Carmel Hili also agreed with the Archbishop when he said that families could turn their difficulties into moments of joy and satisfaction if they accepted their crosses and lived through Christ.

But Mr Hili added: “He surely could have added that, as Catholics, we also believe that, in order to be meritorious, such acceptance should be free.

“Being denied the right to divorce, many have to bear their crosses whether they like it or not. This cannot be acceptable to the Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ and our Holy Mother Church. Hence, it is every Catholic’s duty to vote yes in the forthcoming referendum.”

The movement quoted “Italian man of God” Carlo Carretto, who had said that voting against a law that allows the possibility of divorce denies freedom to those who do not share in the Catholic faith.