Statistics show that Maltese Catholic Church attendance has been progressively dropping. Three fundamental attitudes seem to explain such a decline.

First, the anti-dogmatic spirit that is harboured by some vis-à-vis the Church’s stress on faithfulness to traditional teaching. Secondly, the prevalent idea that one is free to ignore, refute or diminish in importance the received doctrines without feeling forced to distance one from the Church.

Third, many believers have become ‘cafeteria Catholics’ inasmuch as they pick and choose what to accept and to deny from official Catholic teaching.

From Pope Francis’ life example and teachings, there are three things that might help bring back those who have departed from the Church. First, “the Church is or should go back to being a community of God’s people, and priests, pastors and bishops who have the care of souls are at the service of the people of God”.

We priests need to be more humble and generous in our pastoral approach. Secondly, “the importance of catechesis as an instance of evangelisation”. Thirdly, since the Church should be “poor and for the poor”, it must serve the poor.