Here are some considerations that are of relevance in the upcoming referendum. Unfortunately, not many people are being educated on the effects of this referendum. The following aspects should be considered prior to voting. Even the Church in Malta should take action and not remain in the background on this topic. The effects of divorce should be explained in brief to the congregations so that everybody is well informed.

What are the main reasons for divorce?

Adultery, behaviour, desertion and separation are the main causes for divorce in the UK. Should we introduce divorce to allow people who have committed adultery or people who have behaviour problems to marry again and cause more problems?

The introduction of divorce has no advantages. It provides no guarantees to the well-being of the other party (the new or the old). For example, it does not concern family ties. Children may be used as pawns during the divorce. An example is the consideration of new legislation in the UK in relation to grandparents.

Will grandparents be allowed access to their grandsons/granddaughters?

In the UK, after it was considered that grandparents should be included in agreements on the future of their grandchildren following a divorce, under recent proposals for family law reform unveiled in a government review, they would not have rights of contact set down in law.

In Malta there is such a close-knit family it is incredible that these aspects were not considered. If grandparents vote for divorce then they may be removing their rights of access to their grandchildren.

What is the cost of divorce?

Divorce was legalised in 1857 in the UK. In 2004, the average cost of divorce in the UK was £25, 575 (about €30,000). More than a third of couples are forced to sell their marital home when they split up.

What will the cost of divorce be in Malta? What is the cost to rent a temporary home for four years? What is the professional cost related to the divorce settlement? Will divorce be an additional burden on society?

How should the members of Parliament vote?

Legislation is there to improve our lives. We elect our representatives in Parliament to represent us. Parliamentary representatives try to fulfil their mandate during their term of office.

Only recently a referendum was requested because Parliament was faced with a Private Member’s Bill on divorce. If the Bill goes through the referendum then the parties should enact the Bill. But what if it is against their conscience?

What is conscience? Conscience distinguishes right from wrong. Going against one’s conscience could bring about a feeling of remorse when one goes against one’s moral values. Catholics see conscience as a judgment of reason, which, at the appropriate moment, enjoins us to do good and to avoid evil. Is divorce doing good or evil?

In the catechism of the Catholic Church it is stated that: “Conscience is a judgment of reason, whereby the human person recognises the moral quality of a concrete act that he is going to perform… The dignity of the human person implies and requires uprightness of moral conscience…”

It is further stated that “Man has the right to act in conscience and in freedom so as personally to make moral decisions. He must not be forced to act contrary to his conscience. Nor must he be prevented from acting according to his conscience, especially in religious matters.”

This implies that, morally, any member of Parliament may vote according to his conscience and that he may even vote against the result of any referendum.

Similarly, it means that any Catholic must vote according to his conscience and not necessarily in line with the thoughts of any member of Parliament or party.

Conversely, an opinion is a subjective thought on a particular topic. An opinion is formed after an educated discussion is held on a particular topic.

An opinion may change if a new argument is presented. An opinion should be based on facts/concrete evidence or perhaps legislation. The public opinion on divorce will be assimilated through the referendum.

Again, the catechism of the Catholic Church says: “Faced with a moral choice, conscience can make either a right judgment in accordance with reason and the divine law or, on the contrary, an erroneous judgment that departs from them. The dignity of the human person implies and requires uprightness of moral conscience. Man is sometimes confronted by situations that make moral judgments less assured and decision difficult. But he must always seriously seek what is right and good and discern the will of God expressed in divine law.”

A well-formed conscience is upright and truthful. It formulates its judgments according to reason, in conformity with the true good willed by the wisdom of the Creator.