The Church in Malta: A "living" Church. Malta: 316 km2, 9 islands, of which only 4 are inhabited - with almost half a million people altogether. In terms of area size, the country holds the 184th place …More
The Church in Malta: A "living" Church.
Malta: 316 km2, 9 islands, of which only 4 are inhabited - with almost half a million people altogether. In terms of area size, the country holds the 184th place in the world. But Malta is more than just numbers: it is a Mediterranean archipelago that belongs to the European Union, a country where the Church has an astonishing vitality.
"The greatest wealth of the Church in Malta is the Catholics themselves, who comprise a great part of the population of the Island of Malta; a population which in total is 450,000 people. However, most people born in Malta are Catholic, and so participate in the life of the Church."
With a population that is 94.4% Catholic, the Church in Malta is an exception in Europe. The two dioceses of Gozo and Malta have approximately 850 priests and more than 60 seminarians. It is in this way that the Church of Malta can help other countries, especially thanks to its numerous religious, such as the fathers of the Missionary Society of St. Paul, founded on the island only 100 years ago.
"The great number of missionaries, priests, religious men and women -- there are a lot of sisters too -- and lay people -- there are many lay people as well who dedicate part of theirs lives to missionary activity -- is a living sign that the Church is active. A living Church is not a Church that is simply dedicated to herself, but one that chooses to give, and to give to others."
The Christians of Malta owe this missionary fervor to the Apostle St. Paul. The archipelago celebrates this year the 1950th anniversary of the arrival of St. Paul on the island. Chapters 27 and 28 of the Acts of the Apostles retell the story of how a shipwreck brought the apostle to the island of Malta.
"It was providential; no one had planned or even thought about it. Luke says that when they arrived in Malta, the people -- which he calls indigenous, meaning the people of the island -- were very good to them and showed, he says, a rare humanity."
The cave where, according to tradition, the apostle lived, is an important place of pilgrimage for the Christians of Malta. Benedict XVI will visit this site during his apostolic journey to the island from April 17th to 18th on Saturday evening.
Malta: 316 km2, 9 islands, of which only 4 are inhabited - with almost half a million people altogether. In terms of area size, the country holds the 184th place in the world. But Malta is more than just numbers: it is a Mediterranean archipelago that belongs to the European Union, a country where the Church has an astonishing vitality.
"The greatest wealth of the Church in Malta is the Catholics themselves, who comprise a great part of the population of the Island of Malta; a population which in total is 450,000 people. However, most people born in Malta are Catholic, and so participate in the life of the Church."
With a population that is 94.4% Catholic, the Church in Malta is an exception in Europe. The two dioceses of Gozo and Malta have approximately 850 priests and more than 60 seminarians. It is in this way that the Church of Malta can help other countries, especially thanks to its numerous religious, such as the fathers of the Missionary Society of St. Paul, founded on the island only 100 years ago.
"The great number of missionaries, priests, religious men and women -- there are a lot of sisters too -- and lay people -- there are many lay people as well who dedicate part of theirs lives to missionary activity -- is a living sign that the Church is active. A living Church is not a Church that is simply dedicated to herself, but one that chooses to give, and to give to others."
The Christians of Malta owe this missionary fervor to the Apostle St. Paul. The archipelago celebrates this year the 1950th anniversary of the arrival of St. Paul on the island. Chapters 27 and 28 of the Acts of the Apostles retell the story of how a shipwreck brought the apostle to the island of Malta.
"It was providential; no one had planned or even thought about it. Luke says that when they arrived in Malta, the people -- which he calls indigenous, meaning the people of the island -- were very good to them and showed, he says, a rare humanity."
The cave where, according to tradition, the apostle lived, is an important place of pilgrimage for the Christians of Malta. Benedict XVI will visit this site during his apostolic journey to the island from April 17th to 18th on Saturday evening.