Archbishop-elect Mgr Charles Scicluna has started a series of meetings with the country’s highest authorities, one week after being nominated as Malta’s head of the Church and two weeks before being installed at the Mdina Cathedral.

The first meeting this morning was with President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca.

In their meeting, both pledged to work together for the benefit of Maltese society.

At the end of the meeting, Mgr Scicluna thanked the presidency for the constant support it shows to non-governmental organisations, including Catholic ones. The Church acknowledges the importance of the Voluntary Organisations Act and urges all organisations to register.

President Coleiro Preca said the Church is playing an important role in society and was close to families in need. We must all reach out to aid families who are in anguish and in pain, she said.

Mgr Scicluna later met Prime Minister Joseph Muscat at Castille.

During his meeting with the Archbishop-elect, the Prime Minister emphasised the role of the Church in social life, where the work done complements the roll of the state. Amongst others, he mentioned the care provided to children coming from families with problems, the elderly and rehabilitation of drug users.

He appreciates the fact that the Archbishop is a person of strong opinions, adding that different opinions leads to sincere dialogue in Maltese society.

For his part, the Archbishop-elect thanked the State as well as government for their religious liberty guarantee. He said that the autonomy between the Church and State is an important value during the era we currently live in. He emphasised the respectable dialogue, both honest and loyal. The vocation of the Church is to help people. He said that collaboration with government is in favour of helping the poor, to end poverty.

Archbishop-elect Charles Scicluna also met Speaker of the House Anglu Farrugia.

 

The Speaker emphasised the importance of moral correctness and ethics amongs those elected, who represent the Maltese people. He made reference to the proposed bill tackling standards in public life.

His meeting with Opposition Leader Simon Busuttil is scheduled for Monday.

Photos Jonathan Borg