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I refer to your article ‘The church that needs to be saved’ (January 4).

A very sobering report which, to be frank, came as no surprise to me because I know the church quite well. However, it is not time to be despondent.

The research carried out is indeed excellent and defines the problem, if not quite the cause. Time is of the essence and now we cannot continue to measure as the inevitable slowly, slowly comes to be.

By way of words of encouragement, the church of St Francis in Assisi, Italy, was saved after it was nearly completely lost in a very powerful earthquake in 1997.

The leaning tower of Pisa was also saved. In the early 1960s, we had a hotel in Sliema that was quickly turning into Malta’s tower of Pisa as the foundations started to give way during the construction stage. Foreign experts were brought in and they pumped huge volumes of liquid grouting concrete in the foundations to prop the building up and they righted the building too.

Some 10 or 15 years ago now, Angelo Xuereb Construction jacked up an entire hotel just outside City Gate and parked it several feet higher than it was originally.

So, the techniques and the expertise exist and are available.

I believe the Archbishop’s Curia could come to the assistance of the parish priest of the Birkirkara church and together seek the government’s approval and officially ask the Italian government for technical assistance in the form of experts who can further analyse the research findings, identify the main cause and work out a plan for urgent remedial action.

Then, EU funds could be tapped for the church’s restoration. The church is a gem and deserves to be preserved. I am sure the Maltese public will be generous and contribute to complement both state and EU funding.