Reference to God

A clause in the European Union constitution referring to God and Christianity is a must.

Malta, together with several other counties, should continue to insist for such an insertion, unequivocally and unreservedly.

Why? Europe, ever since the birth of Christ, has been influenced by His teachings and principles.

All this was brought out and made abundantly clear by Augustine of Hippo, who was born in the middle of the fourth century after Christ and, from a man of the world, grew up to become a saint.

He opined that the spirit of Europe was based on two principles: great age and belief in Christianity.

In his prolific writings, he joined them together and defined the meaning of that spirit.

During his time there reigned supreme two cultures: numidian-punic and Latin-Catholic. He considered Europe Serva servorum Dei.

St Augustine could be equated to and placed on a platform with the more recent Descartes and Pascal, Newman and Heidegger, Hussel and Max Scheler. All of whom, in their diverse theoretical and philosophical works, stressed that Christianity formed the basis of humanity.

If a United Europe, in search of peace, discards its religious traditions, it would be betraying the souls of its inhabitants spanning over 2,000 years.

Cardinal Newman described St Augustine: "The great beacon of the Western Church, who moulded the intelligence of Christian Europe".