Archbishop Charles Scicluna celebrated a Mass to commemorate 209 years since the founding of the Malta Police Force at St John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta.

The mass was attended by the President of Malta, George Vella, the Minister for Home Affairs, Security, Reforms, and Equality of Malta, Byron Camilleri, the Police Commissioner, Angelo Gafà, and members of the Diplomatic Corps.

During his homily, the Archbishop referenced the story of Joseph who was sold as a slave by his brothers because they were jealous of him, before then realizing the consequences of their ill actions.

The Archbishop urged the present members of the Police Force to continue to openly listen to every cry of anguish they hear with care. He also said that otherwise, should we as people begin to shy away from these calls for help, we will not be able to escape from the guilt that shall remain weighing on our hearts. The Archbishop then stated that “Our Lord is merciful, but he still prays for us to be kind and merciful to our own neighbours.”

Mgr Scicluna continued his homily by stating, “You are the ears for our society’s cries and its peoples’ heartbreaks and have the responsibility to show kindness and mercy to our most vulnerable. You must continue to treat the people you encounter with care in order to continue responding to your duties effectively, competently, and correctly with dignity. Together we shall pray so that the sense of loyalty towards the values of our Republic shall remain in your hearts, so that future and new squads shall continue to act upon valuing respect towards the fundamental rights of all people and their liberties, but also towards the strong will to fight evil and injustice – irrespective of who commits it.”