Believe me, it gives me great pleasure sometimes to read John Guillaumier’s revelations and famous quotes invariably in ridicule of the Church and even God. And I congratulate him for being a correspondent of this paper for this long.

I refer to his letter ‘Secular messiah’ (March 22). It is very difficult to understand Guillaumier’s point of view because it is too complicated. I have a simpler recipe. 

Malta, being a predominant Catholic country, it has its bishops who, as representatives of the Church, celebrate State occasions with a thanksgiving service. 

It is only proper and fitting that MPs are invited to attend and occupy the front seats because they are the representatives of the Catholic electorate. Nobody is forced to attend and, as far as I know, all of them were baptised and have never renounced their Catholic beliefs.

It is to be noted that, lately, some legislation did not conform with Catholic principles and the bishops’ subtle (pressure, as Guillaumier put it) promptings on the MPs were ignored. Not one of them spent a sleepless night brooding over the wise words emanating from the lectern (Jer 7:23-28; Psalm 94).

“I wish to express my deep sense of respect and gratitude towards the Church. The Church in Malta and Gozo is one of the most socially-important institutions and this, as a government, I recognise and feel that we should treasure.

“I admire Bishops [Charles] Scicluna and [Mario] Grech for the fortitude they possess for the learned adaptation they create for the Maltese and Gozitan society and, above all, for the dedication towardsour citizens…

“I have a deep esteem for the excellent relations we have between us on a personal level as well as the professional one.”

That is the Prime Minister’s high regard of the bishops and the Church in Malta.

I think that when our MPs attend a Church service, in the sanctuary of their heart they know it is the house of God and the gate of heaven.