Archbishop Paul Cremona and Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi both expressed the hope yesterday that the Church and the state would continue to work together in the coming year to spread and promote Christian values, which "profoundly" mark Maltese society.
Looking to the future, Archbishop Cremona said vulnerable youths and young families, who were under threat of breaking up and losing their strength, would be the focus of the Church, which had to be more proactive in the two spheres, together with the state.
Youths needed to be helped to rediscover their Christian values and be protected from the negative influences that were ready to pounce on them, while, if families were broken, so too would be their children in the future, Mgr Cremona said.
He was addressing the Cabinet at the Archbishop's Palace, in Valletta. According to tradition, personalities visit him to exchange New Year's greetings.
Dr Gonzi said he hoped politicians would be guided by Christian values when taking decisions that affected the country. It was not always easy but such decisions should not be based on the convenience of the moment, he said.
Fortunately, Christian values were still appreciated and formed the basis of society.
Today's society posed its own challenges but the government, he continued, was firmly positioning the family at the centre of its attention and would continue to strengthen it, together with the ecclesiastical authorities.
It would take every initiative to help families and children in difficulty, he said.
So too would the Labour Party, acting leader Charles Mangion said at a subsequent visit by a parliamentary delegation, with representatives from both sides of the House, led by the Speaker, Anton Tabone.
Members of both parties warmly exchanged greetings as the Cabinet moved out and the parliamentary delegation moved in to meet the Archbishop.
Dr Mangion told Mgr Cremona that, despite the diversity in the room, both parties were always in agreement when it came to youths and fighting those who abused of their vulnerability.
Being an election year, his appeal was that the parties' campaigns would be based on an exchange of ideas to improve society and spread wealth equally among all.
Opposition Leader Alfred Sant and his state of health also came up in the conversation and appreciation was expressed for the good wishes he has received.
Mr Tabone said Parliament and the Church had a similar mission: to get closer to the people. In the case of the House of Representatives, it involved getting them to understand the institution, its workings and its values.
They also shared the role of acquiring, both spiritually and legally, the best values to improve quality of life for the Maltese, he said.
The Archbishop spent the morning greeting visitors, which also included representatives of the Nationalist Party, the MLP, Azzjoni Nazzjonali and Alternattiva Demokratika, the constituted bodies, the Police Commissioner and the AFM Commander, the Chief Justice and members of the judiciary, former Presidents, the University rector, mayors, Heritage Malta and other heritage and environmental associations, among others.
The event ended with a visit by President Eddie Fenech Adami, whom the Archbishop had greeted first thing in the morning.