Pope Benedict en route to Malta: Like St. Paul, we must take opportunities that life's shipwrecks afford

Jenna Murphy

April 17, 2010
The Holy Father received the warmest of welcomes from Maltese dignitaries upon disembarking the Alitalia flight this evening in Malta. Despite concerns that the flight would not take place due to residual hovering ash clouds from Iceland's volcano eruption this past Thursday, The Holy Father's plane landed right on schedule with dozens of journalists, Vatican officials and clergy in tow.
Holy Father arrives just before 5 PM Malta time despite Iceland ash cloud worries
Within moments of landing, S+L's live coverage team was on the line with Carol Glatz, Catholic News Service journalist and Vatican correspondent who told us that because of the short duration of today's flight, the Holy Father gave a simple address instead of fielding questions from the press as is his usual practice aboard Alitalia.
In his en route address, the Holy Father, aware of the media murmurings surrounding his visit to Malta and whether or not he would address the recent sexual abuse scandals, drew upon the example of St. Paul in times of crisis. When his ship first "ran aground" in Malta in 60 AD, St. Paul chose to "make the most" of the shipwreck. In this same way, the Holy Father emphasized, we must take advantage of life's shipwrecks. This, Carol Glatz said, was considered to be an unmistakable reference to the "shipwrecks" in the form of abuse scandals that have been wrecking very public havoc as of late. Moments later in his welcome address at the Luqa airport, the Holy Father encouraged us to see life's events (and even life's misfortunes) with eyes of faith and hope.
"Some might consider Saint Paul’s arrival in Malta by means of a humanly unforeseen event to be a mere accident of history. The eyes of faith, however, enable us to recognize here the workings of divine Providence," the Holy Father said.
After his address at the Luqa International airport, the Holy Father was whisked away to Valletta for a visit at the Presidential palace where he was greeted with song by thousands of faithful who were gathered to welcome him.
See below for transcript of the Holy Father's address at the Luqa International Airport. The italicized text in brackets is translated from the original Maltese.
Mr President,
Dear Brother Bishops,
Distinguished Authorities,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
[I am delighted to be here with you!]
It gives me great joy to be here in Malta with you today. I come among you as a pilgrim to worship the Lord and to praise him for the wonders he has worked here. I come also as the Successor of Saint Peter to confirm you in the faith (cf. Lk 22:32) and to join you in prayer to the one living and true God, in the company of all the Saints, including the great Apostle of Malta, Saint Paul. Though my visit to your country is short, I pray that it will bear much fruit.
I am grateful, Mr President, for the kind words with which you have greeted me in your own name and on behalf of the Maltese people. I thank you for your invitation and for the hard work that you and the Government have done in order to prepare for my visit. I thank the Prime Minister, the civil and military authorities, the members of the Diplomatic Corps and everyone present, for honouring this occasion by your presence and for your cordial welcome.
I greet in a special way Archbishop Paul Cremona, Bishop Mario Grech and Auxiliary Bishop Annetto Depasquale, as well as the other Bishops present. In greeting you, I wish to express my affection for the priests, deacons, men and women Religious and all the lay faithful entrusted to your pastoral care.
The occasion of my visit to these islands is the nineteen hundred and fiftieth anniversary of Saint Paul’s shipwreck off the island of Malta. Saint Luke describes this event in the Acts of the Apostles, and it is from his account that you have chosen the theme of this visit: [“But we are to be stranded on some island”] (Acts 27:26). Some might consider Saint Paul’s arrival in Malta by means of a humanly unforeseen event to be a mere accident of history. The eyes of faith, however, enable us to recognize here the workings of divine Providence.
Malta, in fact, has been at the crossroads of many of the great events and cultural exchanges in European and Mediterranean history, right up to our own times. These islands have played a key role in the political, religious and cultural development of Europe, the Near East, and North Africa. To these shores, then, in the mysterious designs of God, the Gospel was brought by Saint Paul and the early followers of Christ. Their missionary work has borne much fruit over the centuries, contributing in innumerable ways to shaping Malta’s rich and noble culture.
On account of their geographical position, these islands have been of great strategic importance on more than one occasion, even in recent times: indeed, the George Cross upon your national flag proudly testifies to your people’s great courage during the dark days of the last world war. Likewise, the fortifications that feature so prominently in the island’s architecture speak of earlier struggles, when Malta contributed so much to the defence of Christianity by land and by sea. You continue to play a valuable role in the ongoing debates on European identity, culture and policy. At the same time, I am pleased to note your Government’s commitment to humanitarian projects further afield, especially in Africa. It is greatly to be hoped that this will serve to promote the welfare of those less fortunate than yourselves, as an expression of genuine Christian charity.
Indeed, Malta has much to contribute to questions as diverse as tolerance, reciprocity, immigration, and other issues crucial to the future of this continent. Your Nation should continue to stand up for the indissolubility of marriage as a natural institution as well as a sacramental one, and for the true nature of the family, just as it does for the sacredness of human life from conception to natural death and for the proper respect owed to religious freedom in ways that bring authentic integral development to individuals and society.
Malta also has close links to the near East, not only in cultural and religious terms, but even linguistically. Allow me to encourage you to put this ensemble of skills and strengths to ever greater use so as to serve as a bridge of understanding between the peoples, cultures and religions which surround the Mediterranean. Much has still to be done to build relationships of genuine trust and fruitful dialogue, and Malta is well placed to hold out the hand of friendship to her neighbours to north and south, to east and west.
The Maltese people, enlightened for almost two millennia by the teachings of the Gospel and continually fortified by their Christian roots, are rightly proud of the indispensable role that the Catholic faith has played in their nation’s development. The beauty of our faith is expressed in various and complementary ways here, not least in the lives of holiness which have led Maltese to give of themselves for the good of others. Among these we must include [Saint George Preca], whom I was pleased to canonize just three years ago (3 June, 2007). I invite all of you to invoke his intercession for the spiritual fruitfulness of this, my first pastoral visit among you.
I look forward to praying with you during my time in Malta and I wish, as a father and as a brother, to assure you of my affection for you and my eagerness to share this time with you in faith and friendship. With these thoughts, I entrust all of you to the protection of Our Lady of Ta’ Pinu and your father in the faith, the great Apostle Paul.
[God bless all the people of Malta and Gozo!]
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