The Church wants to work with the state on a mechanism that supports women who feel it difficult to carry on with their pregnancies, Archbishop Charles Scicluna told the prime minister and the leader of the opposition in separate meetings to exchange Christmas greetings on Thursday.

Underlining the fundamental right to life, Mgr Scicluna said the Church was ready to enter into a dialogue for the common good, but apart from the discussion, there was a need for a national effort to support women who found it difficult to continue with their pregnancies.

Such women should be helped to respect the right to life and not to feel alone. 

The church, he said, wanted to promote life not by condemning anyone but by promoting solidarity and helping those finding it difficult to shoulder their responsibilities.

The archbishop pointed out that the church over the past months lent its support to the Hospice Movement by providing it with a large property to be turned into a modern facility to assist patients near the end of their life.

The same model could be adopted to promote life in the womb, by protecting and helping vulnerable women facing difficulties.  

Mgr Scicluna also told both leaders that the Church wished to work with the authorities in the sector of mental health, not least to ensure that this issue became more 'main stream.'

In his meeting with Dr Muscat and the Cabinet, Mgr Scicluna praised the collaboration between church and state in the people's interest.

He said the economic progress which the country was making thanks to the government's vision was an opportunity to broaden solidarity. It was everyone's responsibility to ensure that no one lagged in society.

Mgr Scicluna welcomed the prime minister's commitment to adopt the recommendations of the Venice Commission (on the rule of law) and said the Church was ready to participate in the debate on Constitutional change.

In his meeting with Adrian Delia, Mgr Scicluna said the people needed a strong Opposition, in the interests of democracy, as well as national institutions within which the people felt protected.

Mgr Scicluna thanked the Maltese people for their assistance to institutions such as Caritas, Dar tal-Providenza, the homes for the elderly, children's homes and other church institutions. 

The Archbishop also exchanged greetings with the judiciary and the Speaker Anġlu Farrugia.