With the death of Pope John Paul II Malta and Gozo passed through the bereavement process with all other nations. It is a process not only of grief but also of deep gratitude. Sentiments of gratitude that come from the depth of hearts.
If for the whole world Pope John Paul will always be remembered as a beloved and brave Pastor and leader, for Malta and Gozo he will be very fondly remembered as the Supreme Pontiff who was all out to evangelise paternally and affectionately the Maltese on their very special role in Europe. And Karol Wojtyla always stressed this in very clear words and very openly manifested his appreciation of Malta's faithfulness to the mission entrusted to it by God.
The last message of John Paul II to Malta has now entered in our chequered history. It was the address of His Holiness to the President of Malta, Dr Fenech Adami, on June 25, 2004. It is very appropriate to reproduce the entire address in full:
"Mr President,
"I am pleased to welcome you to the Vatican so early in your term of office, and through you I send heartfelt greetings to the people of Malta. Your visit today occurs at an important moment in the history of your country. As Malta takes its rightful place in the European Union, it has a vital role to play in upholding the profoundly Christian identity of this Continent. To this regard I would like to express the Holy See's sincere appreciation for the support given by Your Excellency and the Govermnent of Malta for the inclusion of a reference to Europe's Christian heritage in the preamble of the Constitutional Treaty of the European Union.
"Since the time of St Paul, Malta has been renowned for its firm adherence to the faith. I pray that it will persevere in this and I am confident that the Maltese people, well known for their dedication to the Church and, in particular, their great respect for family life, will draw others to a deeper appreciation of this liberating message of the Gospel. Upon you and all the beloved people of Malta I cordially invoke God's abundant blessings of prosperity, joy and peace. "
This fatherly address of John Paul II has to be considered a great privilege and an honour for Malta. Evidently, it also carries with it a great responsibility and a challenge to all Maltese and Gozitans. In front of a challenge there's no place for inertia. No place to just live in our glorious past, without feeling it our duty to relive it in the present.
Indeed we all have to live meaningfully the challenging present marked by a virus of aggressive secularism and look forward to a promising future, inspired by the spirit of John Paul II and the encouragement of Pope Benedict XVI who will surely be acknowledged as a "humble genius" and authentic "servant of the Lord"
We have to face our challenges helped by love and truth. As Cardinal Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, said in his homily of the Mass on April 18, before the cardinals' conclave: "Love without truth is blind: truth without love is empty".