Opinion

Deaths in prison

A few weeks ago, the country woke up to the news of another death in prison. This was the 14th death in Malta’s Corradino Correctional Facility since the beginning of 2018.  An inquiry has been set up to unearth all the facts, reasons and dynamics which lie behind this disturbing and alarming statistic. And yet, the inmates, their families and the whole country can no longer afford to wait any longer before everyone concerned starts pulling the same rope to ensure that prison is a safe place and truly an institution which places reformation and rehabilitation at its heart, and where the dignity of all is respected… Read more »

An Option that’s not Optional: The Preferential Option for the Poor

One of the major themes in Catholic social teaching in recent decades has been the preferential option for the poor. The phrase was first used in the late 60s by the then superior general of the Jesuits, Father Pedro Arrupe, in a letter to his order. The term was later picked up by the Catholic bishops of Latin America, who emphasized the use of option as a verb rather than as a noun, before becoming one of the main principles which guides the reflection and action of Christians in today’s world… Read more »

Hopelessness is contagious. But so is hope.

When asked which part of the world they would rather live in, only around 27% of youths interviewed in a recent survey chose Malta.

In the upcoming General Election, 16-year-olds will for the first time have the right to vote. And yet, this same cohort is telling us that they would rather vote with their feet – by leaving the country – than at the polling booth… Read more »

A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho

Leaving him half dead: In the parable of the Good Samaritan, the robbers who beat up the man and left him half dead, remain unknown, unnamed. The person who allegedly dumped Lamin on the side of the road on Selmun road in Mellieħa like a bag of disposable waste has already been identified and will face justice.

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The wheel of injustice: Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German Theologian who courageously stood up against Nazi oppression once said that “we are not to simply bandage the wounds of victims beneath the wheels of injustice, we are to drive a spoke into the wheel itself”… Read more »

Seeing the truth, beyond our inconsistencies

It has often been said that Church should sell all its riches and use that money to feed the poor and do something for the wellbeing of society.

In fact, this week, a controversy has erupted precisely because the Church decided to dispose of a plot of land which had been sitting on its balance sheet for ages, making it look rich, but without serving any social purpose… Read more »

To see or not to see

On Sunday 27th of September, the worldwide Church celebrates the World Day of Migrants and Refugees. The horizon towards which we are invited to journey is that of “an ever wider we” in which we are mutually enriched by diversity and by cultural exchanges and in which the Church widens her tent to embrace everyone. However, by explicitly linking this dream of a more inclusive society with the care for our common home, Pope Francis is also warning us that the minute we try separating what is intrinsically linked, this dream can very quickly turn into a nightmare… Read more »

The fast-paced life

This saying from the book of Ecclesiastes, hearkening to a reflective, paced concept of time, couldn’t contrast more with the mad chaos of today’s world. As we live whirlwind lives, constantly striving to beat the clock, wanting to do as much as possible in as little as possible a time, we lose our sense of wonder and appreciation of things that grow slowly, and take their time to bear fruit… Read more »

Plastic: A versatile yet environmentally damaging material

Lately, I’ve been trying to reduce the amount of plastic I use in my everyday life…and realising how hard it is. Sometimes I forget to take a cloth bag with me from home when going shopping.  At other times, I have to insist that I do not need a bag with shop owners.  Frequently, I forget to take water with me and buy a plastic bottle. 

Actually, plastic is a very versatile material.  It is durable, does not degrade, does not react with other materials… Read more »

Falling into oblivion

Dozens of people trying to climb aboard the wings of a US Air Force C-17 while taxiing at Kabul Airport. Seconds after take-off, at least two people fell from the landing gear to a horrible death.

This is the dramatic footage which probably best represents the sense of chaos and despair which has descended on Afghanistan and its capital Kabul in the last few days, after the Taliban’s stunning takeover of the country… Read more »

Let us Dare to Bother

Rising temperatures and sea-levels, stronger and more frequent storms and heat waves, combined with intense drought and desertification, are unavoidable in the coming years, according to a new report released on the 9th of August by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel (IPCC) on Climate Change.

The report makes for sobering reading and should truly serve as a moral and spiritual wake-up call. The authors do not mince their words in describing the catastrophic consequences which we will all face if we fail to act now and decisively to at least avert the most serious predictions outlined in the report… Read more »