Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1463655
6 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 3 APRIL 2022 NEWS PAUL COCKS DURING his visit to Malta, Pope Francis will be visiting refugees and immigrants at the Peace Lab in Ħal Far. Ironically, at the same time, German res- cue ship Sea-Eye 4 remains out- side Maltese territorial waters with 106 migrants on board af- ter its request to disembark the people was refused. The ship has asked the Maltese authorities to allow the disem- barkation of the migrants, in- cluding 22 children and solicit- ed the Pope's intervention in the wake of his visit to Malta that starts tomorrow. The plight of refugees, particu- larly in the Mediterranean, has always been close to Pope Fran- cis's heart and he has consist- ently called for greater respect of human beings, Fr Hillary Tagliaferro told MaltaToday. And with Malta – like Italy – often the destination of many immigrants fleeing North Afri- ca, Pope Francis would be sure to pass on his plea for more hu- manity when dealing with ref- ugees in his meetings with the country's politicians. "At present, the Pope is possi- bly the only person who enjoys worldwide respect," Tagliafer- ro said. "Unlike politicians and other leaders, when Pope Fran- cis speaks, others listen irre- spective of faith or race." He said that no papal visit is done for show and insisted Pope Francis's visit to Malta was no exception. The pope has frequently en- joined people to treat others with dignity, he said. "Coming days after a general election, visiting a country that remains sharply divided along politi- cal lines and ideologies, Malta stands to learn a lot from Fran- cis's message," Tagliaferro said. "We need to do away with our prejudices and division, and fo- cus on what unites all. That is the Pope's message at its core." Fr Jimmy Bonnici, Rector of the Archbishop's Seminary in Rabat, agreed. "The Pope instils a sense of hope in all those he meets and addresses," he said. "And his message is relevant because the Pope has a way of looking at things from the periphery, experiencing and talking about issues in a way that touches everyone, instead of looking at issues from a centralised point of view, as many leaders tend to do. "Pope Francis provides a mor- al presence that serves as guide, even in these times, as global changes are bringing people of different backgrounds closer than ever before," Bonnici said. He said that as expressed in his third encyclical, Fratelli Tutti – published in October 2020 – Pope Francis extols the merits of fraternity and social friend- ship. And the Pope's perspective is not limited to a strict religious interpretation to the exclusion of other views, Bonnici said. "Francis's science background allows him to be able to look at vital issues with an open mind, as he has demonstrated when discussing climate change and the limits of resources," he said. "Because of his ability to make science and religion converge in a manner that works, Pope Francis's message is universal and not limited to Catholics." Bonnici said that for the Catholic community, the Pope's visit should serve as as proof that maintaining traditional val- ues does not – and should not – mean remaining trapped in the past. The Pope's visit and mes- sage allows Catholics stuck at a crossroads between modernity and traditional values to move ahead knowing that their faith remains relevant even in the 21st century. "The Pope encourages Catho- lics worldwide not to discard their faith but to leave them- selves open to debate and to challenge themselves," Bonnici said. "And with this visit, Fran- cis can help Malta too grow without having to lose its values and identity." Neil Falzon, director at Adi- tus Foundation, said that from a human rights perspective, the importance of the Pope's visit is two-fold. On one hand, it is an opportu- nity for Pope Francis to shine a needed light on the situation of migrants and refugees in Malta. "His presence will remind Mal- ta and Europe of the need to ap- proach the situation humanely, and in a way that respects the dignity and fundamental rights of all persons," Falzon said. "We also hope he will under- line those values and principles that should inform governance: transparency, accountability, honesty and courage." Falzon said he hoped that the Pope's visit, on the other hand, would not be relied upon by the authorities to weaken Malta's stance in relation to the LGB- TIQ+ community and the rights of women. "The equal dignity of all per- sons must remain the focus of Malta's governance," he said. He said that Pope Francis's vis- it to the Peace Lab could be read as a direct message. "To migrant and refugees, it is a message of welcome, soli- darity and respect," Falzon said. "To Malta, he is showcasing the humane treatment offered by Fr Mintoff against the dark and ignoble Ħal Far tent village, just next door." Fr Jimmy Bartolo SJ, Rector at St Aloysius College, said that with Europe once again in the grip of war following the Rus- sian invasion of Ukraine, Pope Francis will be bringing to Mal- ta a message of peace and of the need to stop needless death. "Although visiting Malta, the Pope's message is global and his diplomatic standing on a world stage means that everyone will be listening," he said. Bartolo said that the papal visit should also serve as a remind- er for Catholics to renew and strengthen their faith. And the visit to the Peace Lab was indeed very relevant. Bar- tolo noted that Pope Francis's first pastoral visit had been to Lampedusa, which – like Malta – often provided a first landfall for many refugees and irregular immigrants. "The importance of treating these people with dignity has always been at the top of this pope's agenda," Bartolo said. "He has always been consistent on this, even during his past vis- its to Greece and Cyprus." The big question is how Malta will react, Bartolo said. "Are we going to live up to our fame of being a hospitable people?" 'Will Malta live up to its fame of being a hospitable people?' "To Malta, he is showcasing the humane treatment offered by Fr Mintoff against the dark and ignoble Ħal Far tent village, just next door"