The ordination of Archbishop Paul Cremona was greeted with much enthusiasm and what seems to be genuine affection from the public. Yet now the real work starts, with 54.5 per cent of respondents to an online poll on The Malta Independent website calling on the Church to work to strenghten family values.

Mgr Cremona seems to have taken the flock to his heart, and by and large the feeling seems to be mutual. The ever-beaming smile has endeared him to the public and this has gone hand in hand with the message he started to spread from the moment of his ordination.

Analysing his words, and also his actions, it is clear that the Archbishop knows that a different approach has to be taken on by the Catholic Church to be more relevant to the people.

He has already started to “market” both himself and the Church to the faithful. The people have realised this and they seem to have given him a vote of confidence – quietly acknowledging that religion and the Church are still relevant in their lives. On his part, the Archbishop has taken on an unusual approach – similar, one could say, to the style of Pope John Paul II, whilst at the same time retaining the qualities that make him distinctly “Pawlu.”

He has shown that he is prepared to change – but that his message will not be any different to what has already been preached by others, including former Archbishop Joseph Mercieca and Jesus himself – that of love, compassion and faith.

In this week’s online poll, TMID put the question: “What should the Archbishop’s priorities be?” Respondents were given the alternatives of: strengthening family values, increasing Sunday Mass attendance, tackling sexual abuse by the clergy, bioethical issues or increasing the number of vocations.

Although the poll is not a scientific survey, it gives a clear indication of what the people would like to see from Mgr Cremona.

The absolute majority of respondents (54.5 per cent) want him to help in strengthening family values. This theme has long been in the undercurrents of society – particularly opinion writers, who have long been trumpeting the dangers of the collapse of what is perhaps Malta’s most treasured of things – the family.

However, whilst this holds is true, Mgr Cremona has his work cut out for him with the ever-increasing demand for the introduction of divorce and the ever insistent discussion on abortion. Quite how the Archbishop is going to help strengthen family values is a matter of debate – but we are sure that it is high, if not at the very top, of his agenda.

The issue which came next on the list was that of the need to tackle the problem of sexual abuse by members of the clergy (29.8 per cent). Again, this is a very touchy subject and perhaps what people are demanding is harsher treatment of perpetrators of abuse and more transparency from the Church. This could also stimulate local debate on the issue of celibacy by men and women of the cloth.

These two issues were highlighted by respondents as being on top of the agenda, with the other three points seemingly being relegated as matters of little importance. Next on the list was the need to increase vocations (7.58 per cent). While this does not seem to be important to the public, one can assume that this will be high on the list of priorities of the Church, especially in view of the falling numbers of men and women who are willing to consecrate their life to God.

The need to increase Mass attendance was another relatively poor showing with only 5.56 per cent of respondents saying that it should be a priority. This is very much in tune with the local trend of ever-decreasing attendance, and while the Archbishop would surely love to see churches packed to the rafters, his priority seems to be the spreading of the message that, like Jesus, we should first and foremost try to live good Christian lives.

Last on the list – very much contrary to international trends – is the issue of bioethics. We have had very little debate about it in this country and it has largely been relegated to adjournment speeches in parliament and this is reflected by the very poor 2.56 per cent of respondents who said it should be a priority.

What is clear is that the people have sent a loud message to the Archbishop – they want the Church to be more relevant in their lives and they want the Church to try and help them to be good Christians.

The Church and the people have walked, in past years, down diverging paths. But the ordination of Mgr Cremona is a beacon of hope to many. While one hopes he will listen to the people, we must realise that as with everything, this is a two way street.