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Il-Vatikan – 06/04/2022
Udjenza Ġenerali tal-Papa Franġisku wara l-Vjaġġ Appostoliku f’Malta – 6 ta’ April 2022
“Għeżież ħuti, l-għodwa t-tajba u merħba bikom!
Is-Sibt u l-Ħadd li għadda żort Malta: Vjaġġ appostoliku li kien ilu żmien ipprogrammat; kien ġie pospost sentejn ilu, minħabba l-Covid u l-konsegwenzi tiegħu. Ftit jafu li Malta, imqar jekk hi gżira f’nofs il-Mediterran, bikri ħafna laqgħet il-Vanġelu. Għaliex? Għax l-Appostlu Pawlu safa nawfragu qrib il-kosta tagħha u b’mod tal-għaġeb salva hu flimkien ma’ dawk li kienu fil-ġifen, fuq 270 ruħ. Il-ktieb tal-Atti tal-Appostli jirrakkonta kif il-Maltin laqgħuhom kollha, u jgħid din il-kelma: “bi ħlewwa liema bħalha” (28:2). Dan hu importanti, ma rridux ninsewh: “bi ħlewwa liema bħalha”. Għażilt proprju dawn il-kelmiet: bi ħlewwa liema bħalha, bħala motto tal-Vjaġġ tiegħi, għax jindikawlna t-triq li għandna nimxu mhux biss biex naffrontaw il-fenomenu tal-migranti, imma b’mod iżjed ġenerali biex id-dinja ssir iżjed fraterna, post li iżjed tista’ tgħix fih, u ssalva minn “nawfraġju” li qed jheddidna lkoll, li ninsabu – kif tgħallimna – fuq l-istess dgħajsa, ilkoll kemm aħna. F’dan il-kuntest, Malta hija post-muftieħ.
Hija hekk qabelxejn ġeografikament, minħabba l-pożizzjoni tagħha fil-qalba tal-Baħar li jinsab bejn l-Ewropa u l-Afrika, imma li jaħsel ukoll ix-xtut tal-Asja. Malta hi bħal “warda tal-irjieħ”, fejn jiltaqgħu popli u kulturi; hija punt ipprivileġġjat biex minnu nosservaw 360o madwarna r-reġjun tal-Mediterran. Illum spiss nitkellmu fuq “ġeopolitika”, imma b’xorti ħażina l-loġika dominanti hija dik tal-istrateġiji tal-Istati l-iżjed b’saħħithom biex jaffermaw l-interessi tagħhom billi jwessgħu l-firxa tal-influwenza ekonomika, jew influwenza ideoloġika jew influwenza militari: dan qed narawh bil-gwerra. F’dan ix-xenarju, Malta tirrappreżenta l-jedd u s-saħħa taċ-“ċkejknin”, tan-Nazzjonijiet żgħar imma għanja fl-istorja u ċ-ċiviltà, li għandhom imexxu ’l quddiem loġika oħra: dik tar-rispett u tal-libertà, dik tar-rispett u anki l-loġika tal-libertà, tad-differenzi li jgħixu ma’ xulxin, kontra l-kolonizzazzjoni tal-iżjed qawwija. Dan qed narawh bħalissa. U mhux biss minn naħa waħda: anki minn oħrajn… Wara t-Tieni Gwerra Dinjija kien hemm min ipprova jqiegħed is-sisien għal storja ġdida ta’ paċi, imma b’xorti ħażina – aħna ma nitgħallmux! – baqgħet sejra l-istorja qadima ta’ potenzi kbar jikkompetu bejniethom. U, fil-gwerra ta’ bħalissa fl-Ukrajna, qed naraw kif l-Organizzazzjonijiet tal-Ġnus Magħquda huma bla saħħa.
It-tieni aspett: Malta hi post-muftieħ fejn jidħol il-fenomenu tal-migrazzjonijiet. Fiċ-ċentru ta’ akkoljenza Ġwanni XXIII iltqajt ma’ bosta migranti, li waslu fuq il-gżira wara vjaġġi terribbli. Ma għandna qatt negħjew nisimgħu x-xhieda tagħhom, għax hekk biss tinkixef il-viżjoni mgħawġa li spiss hawn iddur fil-midja tal-massa u nistgħu nagħrfu l-uċuħ, l-istejjer, il-ġrieħi, il-ħolmiet u t-tamiet ta’ dawn il-migranti. Kull migrant hu uniku; mhuwiex numru, imma hu persuna; hu uniku bħal kull wieħed u waħda minna. Kull migrant hu persuna bid-dinjità tagħha, l-għeruq tagħha, il-kultura tagħha. Kull wieħed u waħda minnhom iġorr fih għana bil-wisq ikbar mill-problemi li jġib miegħu. U ma ninsewx li l-Ewropa ssawret mill-migrazzjonijiet.
Bla dubju, il-laqgħa li nagħtuhom għandha tkun organizzata – huwa minnu dan – għandha titmexxa, u qabel, ħafna qabel, għandha tkun ippjanata flimkien, fuq livell internazzjonali. Għax il-fenomenu migratorju ma nistgħux nirriduċuh għal emerġenza, imma hu sinjal ta’ żminijietna. U hekk għandna naqrawh u ninterpretawh. Jista’ jsir sinjal ta’ kunflitt, jew inkella sinjal ta’ paċi. Jiddependi minn kif neħduh, jiddependi minna. Min f’Malta ta l-ħajja liċ-Ċentru Ġwanni XXIII għamel l-għażla Nisranija u għalhekk sejjaħlu “Laboratorju tal-Paċi”. Imma jiena nixtieq ngħid li Malta kollha kemm hi hija laboratorju tal-paċi! In-nazzjon kollu bl-atteġġjament tiegħu hu laboratorju tal-paċi. U jista’ jwettaq din il-missjoni tiegħu jekk, mill-għeruq tiegħu, ifittex jikseb dak li jagħti l-ħajja lill-fraternità, lill-ħniena, lis-solidarjetà. Il-poplu Malti flimkien mal-Vanġelu rċieva dawn il-valuri, u grazzi għall-Vanġelu jista’ jżommhom ħajja.
Għalhekk, bħala Isqof ta’ Ruma, mort inwettaq lil dak lil-poplu fil-fidi u fil-komunjoni. Fil-fatt – it-tielet aspett, dan – Malta hija post-muftieħ anki mill-perspettiva tal-evanġelizzazzjoni. Minn Malta u minn Għawdex, iż-żewġ Djoċesijiet tal-Pajjiż, ħarġu tant saċerdoti u reliġjużi, imma anki fidili lajċi, li wasslu x-xhieda Nisranija fid-dinja kollha. Bħallikieku l-passaġġ ta’ San Pawl fosthom ħalla l-missjoni fid-DNA tal-Maltin! Għalhekk iż-żjara tiegħi kienet qabelxejn att ta’ rikonoxximent, gratitudni lejn Alla u lejn il-poplu qaddis u fidil tiegħu f’Malta u Għawdex.
Madankollu, hemm ukoll qiegħed jonfoħ ir-riħ tas-sekulariżmu u tal-psewdokultura globalizzata msejsa fuq il-konsumiżmu, in-neokapitaliżmu u r-relattiviżmu. Hemm ukoll, allura, wasal iż-żmien ta’ evanġelizzazzjoni ġdida. Iż-żjara li, bħall-Predeċessuri tiegħi, għamilt fil-Grotta ta’ San Pawl ħaditni nixrob mill-għajn, biex il-Vanġelu jista’ jgelgel bil-qawwa f’Malta bil-freskezza tiegħu tal-bidu u jżomm ħaj il-wirt kbir tagħha ta’ reliġjożità popolari. Dan hu ssimbolizzat fis-Santwarju Nazzjonali Marjan ta’ Ta’ Pinu, fil-gżira ta’ Għawdex, fejn iċċelebrajna laqgħa intensa ta’ talb. Hemm ħassejt tħabbat il-qalb tal-poplu Malti, li tant għandu fiduċja fl-Omm Qaddisa tiegħu. Marija terġa’ teħodna dejjem għall-essenzjal, għand Kristu mislub u rxoxt, u dan għas-saħħa tagħna, grazzi għall-imħabba ħanina tiegħu. Ħa tgħinna Marija nżommu mkebbsa l-fjamma tal-fidi mixgħula min-nar tal-Ispirtu s-Santu, li jżomm ħajja minn nisel għal ieħor it-tħabbira tal-Vanġelu, għax il-ferħ tal-Knisja hu li tevanġelizza! Ma ninsewhiex dik il-frażi ta’ San Pawlu VI: il-vokazzjoni tal-Knisja hi li tevanġelizza, il-ferħ tal-Knisja hu li tevanġelizza. Ma ninsewhiex għax hija l-isbaħ definizzjoni ta’ min hija l-Knisja.
Naħtaf din l-okkażjoni biex inġedded il-ħajr tiegħi lejn is-Sur President tar-Repubblika ta’ Malta, hekk ta’ qalb tajba u fratern: grazzi lilu u lill-familja tiegħu; lis-Sur Prim Ministru u lill-Awtoritajiet ċivili l-oħra, li laqgħuni b’tant ġentilezza; kif ukoll lill-Isqfijiet u l-membri kollha tal-komunità ekkleżjali, lill-voluntiera u lil dawk kollha li seħbuni bit-talb. Ma rridx ninsa nsemmi ċ-ċentru ta’ akkoljenza għall-migranti Ġwanni XXIII: hemm dak il-patri Franġiskan li qed imexxih, Patri Dijonisju Mintoff, għandu 91 sena u xorta qed ikompli jaħdem hekk, bl-għajnuna tal-kollaboraturi tad-Djoċesi. Hu xempju ta’ żelu appostoliku u ta’ mħabba lejn il-migranti, li llum tant għandna bżonn minnhom. Aħna, b’din iż-żjara, qed niżirgħu, imma huwa l-Mulej li jkabbar. Ħa tkun it-tjieba bla qies tiegħu li tnibbet frott kotran ta’ sliem u ta’ kull ġid għall-poplu għażiż ta’ Malta! Grazzi lil dan il-poplu Malti tal-laqgħa tiegħu hekk umana, hekk Nisranija. Grazzi ħafna.”
maqluba għall-Malti minn Francesco Pio Attard
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Paul VI Hall, Vatican City – 6 April 2022
The Holy Father’s General Audience of Wednesday, 6 April 2022, following his Apostolic trip to Malta.
“Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
Last Saturday and Sunday I traveled to Malta: an Apostolic Journey that had been planned for quite some time. It was postponed two years ago due to Covid and these things. Not many people know about Malta, even though it is an island in the middle of the Mediterranean. It received the Gospel very early. Why? Because the Apostle Paul was shipwrecked near its coasts and miraculously saved himself along with all those on the ship with him – more than two hundred seventy people. The book of the Acts of the Apostles recounts that the Maltese welcomed all of them, and uses this word: “with unusual kindness” (28:2). I chose these very words – with unusual kindness – as the motto of my Journey because they indicate the path to follow, not only to face the phenomenon of migrants, but more generally, so that the world might become more fraternal, more livable, and might be saved from a “shipwreck” that menaces all of us. For we are all – as we have learned – in the same boat, all of us. Viewed from that horizon, Malta is a key-place.
Above all, it is so geographically, due to its position in the centre of the Sea between Europe and Africa, that also bathes Asia. Malta is a sort of “wind rose”, where peoples and cultures meet. It is a perfect place to observe the Mediterranean area from a 360º degree perspective. Today we often hear about “geopolitics”. But unfortunately, the dominant logic are the strategies of the most powerful countries to affirm their own interests, extending their area of economic influence, or ideological influence, and/or military influence. We are seeing this with the war. In this scheme, Malta represents the rights and power of the “small” nations, small but rich in history and civilization that should lead toward another logic – that of respect and freedom – the logic of respect and also the logic of freedom, of the coexistence of differences, opposed to the colonization of the most powerful. We are seeing this now. And not only from one side: even from others… After World War II, the attempt was made to lay the foundations of a new era of peace. But, unfortunately – we never learn, right? – the old story of competition between the greater powers went on. And, in the current war in Ukraine, we are witnessing the impotence of the Organizations of the United Nations.
Second aspect: Malta is a key-place regarding the phenomenon of migration. In the John XXIII welcome centre, I met numerous migrants who landed on the island after terrible journeys. We must never tire of listening to their testimonies because only this way can we emerge from a distorted vision that is often circulated in the mass media, and the faces, the stories, the wounds, the dreams and the hopes of these migrants can emerge. Every migrant is unique. He or she is not a number but a person. Each is unique just like each one of us. Every migrant is a person with dignity, with roots, with a culture. Each of them is the bearer of a wealth infinitely greater than the problems they bring. And let us not forget that Europe was made of migrations.
Certainly, welcoming them must be organized – this is true – and supervised; and first, long before, it must be planned together, at an international level. The phenomenon of migration cannot be reduced to a crisis; it is a sign of our times. It should be read and interpreted as such. It can become a sign of conflict, or rather a sign of peace. It depends on how we take it; it depends on us. Those who gave life to the John XXIII Centre on Malta made the Christian choice. This is why it is called “Peace Lab”: laboratory of peace. But I would like to say that Malta in its entirety is a laboratory for peace! The entire nation through is attitudes, its own attitudes, is a laboratory for peace. And it can realize this, its mission, if it draws the sap of fraternity, compassion and solidarity from its roots. The Maltese people have received these values, together with the Gospel. And, thanks to the Gospel, they will be able to keep them alive.
For this reason, as Bishop of Rome, I went to confirm that people in the faith and in communion. In fact – the third aspect – Malta is the key-place from the perspective of evangelization as well. From Malta and from Gozo, the country’s two dioceses, many priests and religious, but even lay faithful, left to bring their Christian witness all over the world. It is as if Paul’s passing through there left his mission in the DNA of the Maltese! For this reason, my visit was above all an act of gratitude – gratitude to God and to the holy, faithful people from Malta and Gozo.
Nevertheless, the wind of secularism, of a globalized pseudo culture based on consumerism, neocapitalism and relativism, blows there as well. Therefore, it is time for the new evangelization there too. Like my predecessors, the visit that I made to the Grotto of Saint Paul was like drawing from the spring so that the Gospel might flow through Malta with the freshness of its origins and revive its great heritage of popular religiosity. This is symbolized in the National Marian Shrine of Ta’ Pinu on the island of Gozo where we celebrated an intense moment of prayer. There I heard the heart of the Maltese people beat. They have an immense trust in their Holy Mother. Mary always brings us back to the essentials, to Christ crucified and risen. And this for us, to his merciful love. Mary helps us to revive the flame of faith by drawing from the Holy Spirit’s flame that attracts generation after generation to the joyful proclamation of the Gospel, for the joy of the Church is to evangelize! Let us not forget this, this phrase from Saint Paul VI: the vocation of the Church is to evangelize. The joy of the Church is to evangelize. Let us not forget this any longer: it is the most beautiful definition of the Church.
I take this opportunity to renew my gratitude to the President of the Republic of Malta, so courteous and brotherly: thanks to him and to his family; to the Prime Minister and the other Civil Authorities who welcomed me with such kindness; as well as the Bishops and all the members of the ecclesial community, to the volunteers and to all who accompanied me in prayer.
I would not want to neglect to mention the welcome Centre for migrants, John XXIII: and the Franciscan Friar there (Father Dionysius Mintoff) who keeps it going at the age of 91, and continues to work thus with collaborators from the diocese. It is an example of apostolic zeal and love for migrants which is very much needed today. Through this visit, we sow, but it is the Lord who gives the growth. May His infinite goodness grant abundant fruit of peace and every good to the dear Maltese people!
Thanks to the Maltese people for such a human, such a Christian welcome. Thank you very much.”
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