My attention was drawn to a report in this newspaper (May 27) on the President’s stand on the maltreatment of children. I was struck by her deep concern for children and the risks some of them face when they are subjected to corporal punishment and totally agree that society, through legislation, has a responsibility to safeguard children’s well-being.

Her attitude was also reflected in her concern for the life of the unborn when she made an appeal for the government to give time for a more serene and in-depth debate over the prospective legislation on IVF.

Her principled intervention on the grave risks to embryonic life, as proposed by this new legislation, is true to her character.

The proposed IVF legislation paves the way for embryo freezing and gamete donation, placing nascent life in very grave danger. It betrays a callous attitude to life and reduces it to becoming a commodity.

Just think of frozen embryos – what a state to be in! 

Will they, or won’t they, ever see the light of day? Will they be thrown away? Will they be given to anyone wishing a child, regardless of suitability? Will they be implanted in the womb of a surrogate mother and on birth given to any person or couple, ignoring the true interests of the child?

Is this the respect we have for life?

The mind boggles. No great wonder that it is not only the President who is concerned.

We were all embryos once, including her Excellency. In my youth, we were allowed to flower by our parents, nurtured even when there was a war on and great sacrifices had to be made to ensure our survival and development.

Why is it that 65 or so years later we are so callous about the gift of life and treat it as being expendable? What happened?

After the war people were glad to be alive and new life was welcomed and rejoiced over. Babies were met with joy and blessings. The 1960s came along and things started to change – for the worse.

A misconception of freedom without responsibility has led to a decadent culture of sexual licence. It resulted in widespread contraception, crazy music, films trivialising sex and fashion that with every passing year bared women’s bodies to the extent that today young women’s scanty clothing is de rigueur.

Drink is also another part of today’s culture. Even the youngest of teenagers indulge in alcohol, not to mention the ruinous drug culture.

In such a distressing scenario, the will is weakened and we are now faced with the consequences of widespread promiscuity. 

On the whole, even the Church has proved largely ineffective in addressing this wave of permissiveness as the misuse of sex has gathered pace. It did not give enough importance to this crucial subject and has not succeeded in teaching young people the importance of responsible sexual behaviour. 

What a sad world full of misinformation – supposedly free to make choices they do not understand

Despite the establishment of CANA, not enough resources were employed.

Even now, there seems to be a reluctance by the Church to preach and teach, maybe holding back because of its fear of not being politically correct or being considered offensive. 

I feel sorry for the teenagers who have had no sound advice given to them either by their parents, who seem too busy leading their own lives, or from the Church, who should be their spiritual mother. I dread to think what the content of future State-imposed sex education will include.

In the newspapers one reads that in the future, sex education will be compulsory and young people will learn all about being gay, male or female, contraceptives and all manner of anti-baby information.

Isn’t it time that young people were given the right kind of teaching, where they are encouraged to keep themselves pure till later on, when they can afford to get married, and not have sex at 14?

What a sad world full of misinformation – supposedly free to make choices they do not understand.

Look at the sorry result of today’s children, at those who get pregnant too young and do not know where to turn. 

Life Network, for which I work as a counsellor and a fundraising member of the team, is trying its very best to reach out to the youth of today, to give them a better chance of happiness.

The President faces a very grave moral dilemma and should use all her influence to bring the government to its senses.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Children should reconsider her position and not abdicate her responsibility to the whims of the powerful. She should stand up for the unborn, who she is meant to look after.

This matter is very important for the future of Malta and must be debated at length and with the experts who have studied the issue from every angle. 

The Malta we love is in its death throes, let us give it the kiss of life.

Mary Hilda Camilleri is a retired music teacher who worked in pro-life organisations in London and now with Life Network Foundation.