Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1070939
13 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 13 JANUARY 2019 NEWS their beliefs. "Politics can never be dis- connected from its own soci- ety and this is why the country is witnessing a resurgence of religion and Christian values in local politics. Malta wants to remain a society that em- braces core values, despite attempts by some to guide it down another path. Any poli- tician or movement that tries to steer Malta away from our fundamental religious values will not last long." Fenech insists that this was already happening, as more and more people realise that they are worse off once they shed themselves of any values. "The Maltese remain a Catho- lic people and will never turn their back on the values and teachings that have moulded Maltese society over centu- ries." Vassallo too has his take on what is driving people to seek Catholic values in a political arena bereft of any considera- tion to basic social principles. "We have reached a point where people think that de- termining what is right or wrong should be based on 'popularity' and the wide- spread appeal of the subject matter," he said. "But this sys- tem does not respect man's dignity and that is what is ul- timately at stake in this coun- try." Vassallo insists that it is wrong for people to argue that subjects such as abortion and euthanasia – subjects that were once considering off-limits for politicians – are sentimental issues. Fenech says that ignoring Malta's moral and religious values, will turn it into a cruel society. "As we are already witnessing, it will be a cruel society that ignores the plight of the poor for momentary financial gain," he said. "This is what has hap- pened in Malta already with the rise in property prices and rents." Fenech says a section of so- ciety has already turned its back on core moral values and chosen "profit over solidarity" (interestingly, the former fi- nance minister turned corpo- rate services advisor is joined in Catholic Voices Network by other members of Malta's finance world, such as former stock exchange chairman Ar- thur Galea Salomone and for- mer FIAU director Manfred Galdes). "And a society that loses its morality becomes a savage and wild society," Fenech warn, ar- guing that liberalism can "only be taken so far before it starts leading more and more people into poverty and depravity." Vassallo agrees. The prob- lem, he says, is that liberalism in Malta is loosely interpreted according to whoever practic- es it. "These so-called Maltese liberals don't even have the basic decency to respect their opponents and any conflicting ideologies," he says, citing as an example the authors of the unending attacks on Adrian Delia – which actually include a host of Nationalist MPs – which he claims are due to the PN leader's stance on Catholic values and his obvious desire to take the party back to its founding roots. "These accusations and arti- cles against Delia, taking them to the extremes that we have witnessed in the past few days, are nothing but an attempt to shut down someone who does not share the pseudo-liberal beliefs of the misguided and who therefore poses a threat to the status quo established in this liberal atmosphere," he said. "But it is not just a ro- mantic few elderly die-hards who yearn for a return to a so- ciety based on sound values." As to the belief that today's youth are not interested in the message being put forward by Catholic Voices and other movements and individuals, Fenech laughed it off as a com- plete myth. "Many of those who have ap- proached us and attended our activities are in fact youths and teens," he said. "Youths have an innate de- sire to question everything, even in ultra-liberal societies. That need to question what goes on around them is what makes youths a fundamental and receptive audience when morals and values are at play. "Our basic beliefs centre around a number of questions that help guide each and every one of us: Where did I come from? What am I doing with my life? What is there after life?" he said. Fenech believes that mon- ey, power and wealth tend to drive people to ignore these fundamental questions. But once that momentary wealth disappears, people will natu- rally gravitate towards religion for answers that really matter and last. As for 2019, Vassallo foresees further descent into what he calls "moral anarchy", as peo- ple insist on identifying values with power and wealth. "I can see the country's moral defi- cit increasing this year, even as others continue to harp about surpluses and economic booms," he said. "The worst thing that can happen is for liberal partisanship to become this country's religion and for religion to be relegated to mere culture." pcocks@mediatoday.com.mt "The Maltese remain a Catholic people and will never turn their back on the values and teachings that have moulded Maltese society over centuries." Operation Programme II – European Structural and Investment Funds 2014 – 2020 "Investing in Human capital to create more opportunities and promote the well- being of society" Project part-financed by the European Social Fund Co-Financing rate: 80% European Union; 20% National Funds OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER MINISTRY FOR HEALTH THE MINISTRY FOR HEALTH INVITES APPLICATIONS FOR THE POSITION OF PROJECT OFFICER For the ESF Funded Project "NON-TECHNICAL SKILLS TRAINING FOR HEALTHCARE PERSONNEL"- ESF 02.052 More details about this call, and related conditions are available on the Government Gazette of 4 th January 2019. Applications will be received BY NOT LATER THAN NOON (CENTRAL EUROPEAN TIME) OF FRIDAY 18TH JANUARY 2019 The Catholic voice: a pro family demonstration outside the House of Representatives protests IVF legislation that would legalise embryo freezing, led by pro life group Life Network, fronted by (inset) Dr Miriam Sciberras Nationalist MP Edwin Vassallo says the PN was seduced by a liberal wave under its past two leaders, and says that Adrian Delia can take the party back to its roots but that he is being undermined by internal critics