On May 22 I participated, in my capacity as chairman of the Commission for Interreligious Dialogue for the Archdiocese of Malta and the Archbishop’s Delegate for Christian-Muslim Relations, to the feast of the breaking of the fast (Iftar) during the Muslim month of Ramadan which was held at the Islamic Centre at Paola.

During this event Imam Muhammad Elsadi spoke of his sadness at the murder of the Ivorian migrant Lassane Cisse as well as his and the Muslim community’s efforts at fostering integration within Maltese society through a healthy dialogue.

One need only look at Mariam al-Batool School in Paola, which is headed by a Catholic headmaster and a teaching staff comprising both Catholic and Muslim teachers, in order to realise that his are not empty words. President George Vella responded with an intelligent and impassioned speech in which he highlighted those virtues that are required to build and promote a healthy and humane society and that our country needs to live up to its responsibility towards the weak and the marginalised.

In the light of the above I found the interview entitled ‘Guardian for Future Generations sees threat to ‘Malta of the Maltese’ (The Sunday Times of Malta, May 26) deeply disturbing. I am of course fully aware that reports of an interview which are not accompanied by the full text and only contain quotes could be construed by some as being misleading.

That being said, however, there are certain statements reported to have been made by Maurice Mizzi that, if they truly express his frame of mind, require immediate attention.

Societies today are no longer monolithic and homogenous; actually, they never were. In each of them we find a variety of races, political views and religions. Malta is no exception to this situation. Muslim presence in Malta has been a permanent fixture for almost five decades. By and large Muslims in Malta, irrespective of whether they are citizens of this country or not, are law-abiding and responsible people. They also teach their children those virtues that are required to foster a sense of pride and belonging to this country.

As for migrants, not all of them hail from Africa and even those who do are not necessarily Muslims. Even if that were the case, one must be careful when reading news of migrants reaching our shores. I can understand that the history of our country has made us wary and even fearful of this phenomenon. Our ancestors had for the better part of 400 years lived in constant fear of an invasion led by Ottoman forces or Barbary corsairs. But today, good education and sound reasoning should teach us that African migrants are not an expeditionary force paving the way to a Muslim occupation of Malta.

I can also understand that, contrary to Lampedusa, which forms part of Italy, the Maltese Islands are the State of Malta, and we can only provide to a given number of migrants. But the fault does not lie with them. Even those who are arrested and charged with smuggling are the minions; there are far darker and well-hidden forces controlling and manipulating this inhuman racket. They are the ones that governments need to deal with.

Reference to “Muslims having nine babies next to our two” is reminiscent to that type of rhetoric used back in 1933 which led to one of the largest stains in human history. Again, if one were to split hairs, this disproportion says more about the Maltese than about Muslim migrants.

As a Catholic and as a priest I too wish to die in a Catholic country, but this can only be realised if we learn to see the other as another Christ: “I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me… Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these brethren, you did it to me” (Mt. 25:35.40).