Apostolic Journey to Malta

Mr President of the Republic, Members of Government and the Diplomatic Corps, Distinguished Religious and Civil Authorities, Representatives of Social and Cultural Life, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I greet you cordially and I thank you, Mr President, for your gracious words of welcome on behalf of your fellow-citizens.  Your ancestors showed hospitality to the Apostle Paul in his journey to Rome, treating him and his travelling companions “with unusual kindness” (Acts  28:2).  Coming ...

Beneath the Cross of Jesus, stood Mary and John.  The Mother who had given birth to the Son of God mourned his death, even as darkness enveloped the world.  The beloved disciple, who had left everything to follow him, now stood silent at the feet of the crucified Master.  Everything seemed lost, finished, forever.  Taking upon himself the woundedness of our humanity, Jesus prayed: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mt  27:46; Mk  15:34).  This is also ...

God of mercy, in your wondrous providence you wished the Apostle Paul to proclaim your love to the inhabitants of Malta, who did not yet know you. He preached your word to them and he healed their infirmities.
Saved from shipwreck, Saint Paul and his fellow travelers found here to welcome them pagan people of kindly heart, who treated them with rare humanity, recognizing that they were in need of shelter, security and assistance. No one knew their names, their place of birth or their social ...

“Early in the morning Jesus came again to the temple; all the people came to him” (Jn  8:2).  These words introduce the story of the woman caught in adultery.  The background is serene: it is morning in the holy place, in the heart of Jerusalem.  At the centre is are the people of God , who are looking for Jesus, the Master, in the courtyard of the temple: they want to listen to him, because his words are insightful and heartwarming.  There is nothing abstract in his ...

Dear Brothers and Sisters,
I am grateful for Archbishop Scicluna’s kind words on your behalf, but I am really the one who should be thanking you!  Thank you very much!
I would like to express my gratitude to the President of the Republic and the civil authorities, to my brother Bishops, to you, dear priests, men and women religious, and to all the citizens and faithful of Malta and Gozo for your warm and affectionate welcome.  This evening, I will meet some of our migrant brothers ...

Dear Brothers and Sisters,
I greet all of you with great affection, and I am very happy to end my visit to Malta by spending some time here with you.  I thank Father Dionisio for his welcome.  I am also very grateful to Daniel and to Siriman for their testimonies: you opened your hearts and shared your lives, and at the same time gave a voice to so many of our brothers and sisters who were constrained to leave their homelands in search of a secure refuge.
Let me repeat what I said ...

Matteo Bruni
Good evening everyone. Your Holiness, thank you for these two days with you. As you have seen, travelling with you in these days are around 70 journalists, of whom three are from Malta. And we can begin perhaps with a question from a Maltese journalist, who is Mr. Andrea Rossitto from Maltese Television. But first I will make a note: our time is limited because the airplane will begin landing soon. So we will be able to speak with Your Holiness until around 8:05. Then we will need ...