Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Galea-Curmi called for a “zero tolerance” approach to any threat to life at any stage of it, and noted that life begins at conception, and that life is not determined according to the quantity of cells present.

Galea-Curmi stated this in his homily on the occasion of the Celebration of Life Day 2022.

Galea-Curmi paid homage to the death of Paulina Dembska, a Polish girl who was brutally murdered on the morning of 2 January in Sliema, which caused a large outcry within the Maltese community.

He also invited the audience to reflect and think of Rayan, a five-year-old Moroccan boy who fell down the bottom of a well. After a five-day rescue operation with emergency crews doing great efforts to keep the boy alive, he was found dead.

The bishop highlighted that these two contrasting events should surely strengthen the public’s commitment in recognizing that human life is invaluable, and every effort must be done to protect and save it.

“The value of life was further understood following the difficult experience of the Covid-19 pandemic, which we have lived and are still living. It is a virus which threatens our health but also the lives of many - and we must remember that it has become a daily occurrence to hear of how many died that day. This harsh experience helps us realize how precious life is and it needs to be protected from all that threatens it. We must show appreciation to all who have worked and are working to protect lives at the time of the pandemic,” said Galea-Curmi.

The bishop continued to say that it is not the quantity of cells which determine whether a life is human or not, and that even a scan of an unborn baby shows the gradual development of life. “It is science which tells us this, and not the Church,” he said.

“Science tells us that human life has begun. Our faith, in turn, helps us in our human life to get to know the image of God, as God created us in his image,” said the bishop.

“The protection of life is a commitment that we must make, a principle that we do not embrace solely in the convenience of time,” he said. “The protection of human life, even in its infancy and to protect the life of the unborn, is a matter of conviction, not convenience,” he added.

Galea-Curmi also said that the protection of life must be done at any point of a human life, such as those found in danger due to difficult conditions, those who resort to drugs, and those who are sick or elderly among others.

“As human beings with principles, we must have zero tolerance for any threat for life, and we must encourage all kinds of actions in favour of life, such as the protection for the environment, donating blood, responsible driving, caution when it comes to construction and helping victims of domestic violence to escape their life-threatening situation,” he said.

The bishop also acknowledged those who are currently suffering from difficult situations, such as women with difficulties during their pregnancies.

Galea-Curmi ended the homily with a prayer to always protect life with love.