I thank you for publishing the interview with me entitled 'Let's not be prophets of doom' on August 16. I am moved by all the letters and comments which were sent to you and by the contacts on a pastoral level which it created. This is part of my pastoral and social mission of nearly 60 years 'with' families in many countries, especially as the voice of those whose marriage is in crisis.

I wish to assure these people they are part of the Church and it's a pity so many, even in Malta, have drifted away from the Church.

It is not my intention to reply to individual letters or articles, like Roamer, but to stick to general principles. I am sorry that some have misinterpreted what I said, but as a great saint said: "Listen to what all the faithful say because in every one of them the spirit of God breathes." Jesus loves them for He wants to save all.

The article by Archbishop Paul Cremona in The Sunday Times last week on 'The Church's Mission', written in a very lucid style is an excellent explanation of my lifelong beliefs about the sacrament of marriage. He has clarified perhaps what the article failed to expose, while I affirm that never did I support the havoc and problems created by divorce.

My mission in life, even when I face opposition, is to serve the Church by 'working with families'.

What impressed me is that the constructive dialogue provoked by the interview in the vast majority of cases was in favour of my arguments. Briefly I re-state to avoid misinterpretation:

(1) I would not like to see divorce introduced, but as a priest and as a human being I cannot be blind to the existence of the problem. I wish that, like me, others stop seeing things in black or white, but also see the different shades of grey.

(2) The roles of the Church and State are diverse. As Jesus said: "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's."

(3) The State has to come to grips with the problem of divorce, though divorce legislation doesn't solve the social and human needs of the people.

The State should base its legislation on European Christian traditional values, as I hope we will never have a so-called divorzio facile (easy divorce) like many countries. I do not enter into the technical aspect of the legislation, but I have confidence in the social and ethical conscience of our legislators.

(4) It is unjust to affirm that the Church is stopping the State from legislating. The Church, as the Archbishop wrote, "cannot refrain from giving its contribution to society for the common good... and offering its vision to society".

(5) The Church should invest more human and financial resources, as it does rightly in the Marriage Tribunal to grant annulments, in prevention through an in-depth education for life, for more intense marriage preparation, and in counselling. This would support the Cana Movement and other agencies so that they would have the same facilities as government agencies working with families (e.g. Appogg).

It is impossible to reply to all the letters that arrived, but they are a step forward towards launching a national forum with all sides "to sit round a table and discuss".

I repeat that divorce legislation "does not scare me", if it comes in a democratic, scientific (even with statistics) and genuine manner. I do not believe these ethical values are the monopoly of a few, who seem to believe they are the padroni della verità (the lords of truth).

In an interview there is often the risk that some words might sound rather crude, but this was not in conscience my intention. In my interview I echoed many of the thoughts of the great maestro Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, Archbishop Emeritus of Milan, in the book Siamo Tutti Nella Stessa Barca when he was interviewed by Don Verze.

Yes, we are all in the same boat", and even if we face tempests, if marriage is built on rocks and not on sand, the Lord will tell us once again, "Do not be afraid!"

Only time will tell if what I said will be a "prophecy of hope".