Pope 'would do his best' to visit Malta

The morning mist that shrouded the upper reaches of St Peter's Basilica may have lifted by the time Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi left the Vatican yesterday, but the haze surrounding the prospects of a Papal visit to Malta will be around for some time yet.

Pope Benedict XVI told the Prime Minister during a 15-minute meeting in his private library he would do his best to fit a visit into schedule, but did not commit himself to any date. Dr Gonzi explained to a smiling and tanned Pontiff, as the two casually sat facing one another at the side of his desk, the burning desire of the Maltese to receive him. The Prime Minister admitted afterwards he was gently trying to persuade the Pope to complete the canonisation process of Dun Gorg Preca in Malta.

"That's what I am hoping for," Dr Gonzi said, "though it's not that common since the canonisation process usually takes place within the Vatican."

Straight after the Papal audience, he again brought up the topic with the Vatican's Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone. Dr Gonzi said: "The chances are good. However, whether it's soon or not is something that still remains to be seen. The Pope knows Malta well, even because there is a strong presence of Maltese and Gozitans in important positions within the Vatican. He recognises the abilities of these people and hinted that they have also made the same request".

The Prime Minister arrived at the Vatican, together with Mrs Gonzi and a small delegation that included Foreign Minister Michael Frendo, 10 minutes before his 11 a.m. appointment.

Dressed in a black suit and tie, he was greeted in the San Damaso courtyard, which is immediately below the Pope's private rooms, by Cardinal John Harvey, the Prefect of the Pontifical Household, and taken past 12 upright Swiss guards into the main building. He was then led in a slow march through the grand, ornate rooms of the Apostolic Palace, before being introduced to the Pope by one of Cardinal Harvey's deputies, Gozitan Fr Alfred Xuereb.

The Prime Minister candidly admitted that the 79-year-old Pope initially startled him when he brought up Dr Gonzi's long involvement in the voluntary sector. "For a moment, I didn't know what I was going to say, but then we talked like we had known each other for a long time."

He was also surprised that the Pontiff, unscripted, managed to call each member of the delegation by name when he presented them with a gift after the initial introductions had taken place. More substantive discussion during the private meeting focused on illegal immigration, and the importance of the problem being tackled through a solidarity of nations, as well as the challenges facing society today. "We talked about how we must strengthen the family unit... and the importance to respect life from the very beginning," Dr Gonzi said. No specific mention was made, however, of the recent EU-wide debate on divorce.

When the Pope audibly rang the bell to mark the end of their private discussion, the Prime Minister's wife walked into the library, followed by the rest of the delegation. Dr Gonzi then presented the Pontiff with a silver bas-relief of Caravaggio's famous painting the Beheading of St John, and in turn received a stunning gift himself: A pen in the form of one of the four columns that supports the main altar in St Peter's Basilica. It is understood that this is the first time the Pope has given such a gift to a visitor.

With Cardinal Bertone, Dr Gonzi discussed the important role Malta can play in strengthening intercultural and interfaith dialogue, particularly with the Muslim world, before he was escorted back into San Damaso square where a car was waiting to take him to the Vatican crypt.

The Prime Minister walked through the dim-lit arches and paused for reflection as he passed the tomb of Pope Paul VI, St Peter, and finally Pope John Paul II, where he stood for a few minutes shoulder to shoulder with his wife. When asked to compare the current Pope with his predecessor, Dr Gonzi said: "You don't make comparisons. Each Pope is different. Each has his own charisma and each has faced a particular time in history... but Pope Benedict is intelligent and has his finger on the pulse of what's happening in the world."

The Prime Minister returned to Malta yesterday afternoon.