The thorny issue concerning the introduction of divorce legislation has now been settled in the fairest and most democratic manner possible.

We next have to face other urgent and difficult problems with serious social and bioethical implications such as the matter of Assisted Human Reproduction or IVF.

The participation of the Church in the last referendum was duty bound and acceptable to the vast majority and crossed no red lines as some anti-clerical zealots maintain.

This same caucus should not now be allowed to stir up and reopen the status of the existing Church-State relations, as expressed in the Constitution.

Such agitation now rearing its head constitutes a grave disservice to Malta and should be nipped in the bud by unequivocal action from all responsible citizens.

Such terms as “the need to recalibrate Church-State relations” and “for the Church to resile” are more appropriate to a piece of artillery rather than the delicate question of balance between the Catholic Church in Malta and the Republic of Malta, taking into consideration our history and our cultural heritage.

The proponents of these terms threaten to revive a highly divisive national issue wisely laid to rest by our leaders in 1964 and 1969.

As to the 1995 agreement on the Marriage Act, revision is best left to the Curia and the government with minimal interference from outside.

Joseph A. Muscat

TA’XBIEX