I followed with interest the debate on TVM on Sunday night, on a paper that the Church, through a specially-appointed commission, recently published.

I do not mean here to discuss the Bill or the paper itself. What I would like to point out are the facts themselves: namely that a commission of experts was specially appointed to discuss a particular topic which is being discussed in the country and, secondly, that this paper was presented to Maltese society as a basis for further discussion by one and all.

If I am not terribly mistaken, this way of acting is new in the Church of Malta and augurs well for the future.

If this strategy is a direct decision of Archbishop Charles Scicluna, he is to be congratulated.

Fomenting discussion within the Church and society at large rather than presenting official Church opinion as a final statement, hindering any form of dialogue, should be welcome by one and all.

Unfortunately, in my modest opinion, this was not the case considering the various opinions that were expressed even by well-prepared journalists.

This new way of doing things by the Church was not promptly understood.