The bishops today referred to the abuse of children by some priests and said they felt humiliated in front of the victims of abuse, as well as in front of the Church.

In a pastoral letter, Archbishop Paul Cremona and Gozo bishop Mario Grech said it has become difficult to live certain Christian values in the powerful and fast changes of society and culture around us, said in a pastoral letter.

The bishops said:

“It is difficult for a Christian to identify himself/herself in all that pertains to this culture.

“It is a culture that helps us live better some values such as the environment, the acceptance of persons with a different cultural background, the openness to the global reality including opportunities and risks that this involves.

“But on the other hand it has become difficult to live Christian values such as: respect for the individual from conception to the last moment of life, permanent marriage and stable family life in which children can grow in security, an experience of God that through prayer brings about commitment in the Church and Christian commitment in society.”

They said that a second reality resulted from the introduction of divorce as society could now be more vulnerable in the context of marriage and family context.

“The introduction of divorce wounds every marriage, both the civil one as well as marriage as the sacrament.”

Another reality was the case of abuse of minors by some priests.

“Every kind of abuse brings about enormous suffering.

“We feel humiliated in front of the victims of abuse, as well as in front of the Church and the society to which we have been sent to be witnesses.”

The bishops' pastoral letter, in Maltese and English, can be read in the pdf links below.