Malta will have its first saint, Dun Gorg Preca, the man who founded the Society for Christian Doctrine.

This is a big blessing for Malta, a country that is predominantly Catholic but which needs a boost at a time when religion does not seem to be given the same importance that it used to in the past.

The fact that only half the population regularly attends Sunday Mass, and the fact that today there are so many opinion-makers who try their best to influence people to act against the Church’s teachings, have put Malta in a difficult situation. The Church faces an uphill task in bringing these lost sheep back into the fold. The announcement that Dun Gorg Preca will be declared a saint on 3 June offers the Church the opportunity to make its voice heard.

Coupled with the fact that the new Archbishop seems to be a man with enthusiasm and a man with a smile, the sanctification of Dun Gorg comes at the right time.

Let us hope the Church takes the opportunity.

Joseph Zammit

Paola