Archbishop Charles Scicluna has spoken to controversial Mosta cleric, Fr David Muscat, about his anti-migrant rhetoric, a source has confirmed.

The Church has been facing mounting pressure to condemn Fr Muscat’s public outbursts about foreigners.

Fr Muscat has likened the influx of foreigners coming to work in Malta to an “invasion” and has repeatedly stoked up fears that foreigners will soon outnumber Maltese.

Without naming the cleric, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said at a political activity on Sunday that he had spoken to the Archbishop and expressed his disappointment that the Church was allowing a person from within its structures to legitimise racial hatred.

The source did not elaborate when questioned about the outcome of the talks between the Archbishop and Fr Muscat.

Contacted by Times of Malta, a Church spokesman said the Curia did not comment on meetings and discussions between the Archbishop and his priests.

The Church in Malta has always helped and defended migrants

The spokesman said the views of Archbishop Scicluna on the need to welcome and help migrants was clear and followed on the teachings of Pope Francis. 

“The Church in Malta has always helped and defended migrants through the sterling work and services offered by the Migrants’ Commission. Actions speak for themselves,” the spokesman said.

The Curia has, so far, stopped short of publicly condemning Fr Muscat’s behaviour.

The Curia condemned any ideologies that sowed hatred and discrimination on the basis of race or cultural, saying these were in breach of the teachings of the Church.

Fr Muscat was last summer captured on camera praising Nazi sympathiser Normal Lowell, who has been convicted of inciting racial hatred.

He said Mr Lowell has “sowed a seed that will bear fruit in the future”.

Back then, the Archbishop had said in a Tweet that the Church dissociated itself from Fr Muscat’s views.