The Pope's trip to Malta:
In the sign of St. Paul and
of Christian traditions
Translated from
the Italian service of
April 13, 2010
Vatican press director Fr. Federico Lombardi in a briefing Tuesday on the Pope's coming visit to Malta on April 17-18 said it was a trip in the sign of St. Paul, commemorating the 1950th anniversary of his shipwreck off Malta, where he then preached for three months before proceeding to Rome. This will be the 14th trip abroad for Benedict XVI. Alessandro Gisotti reports:
The issue of immigration, the firm Christian roots of the Maltese people, the challenges of secularization: these will be some of the themes that Pope Benedict XVI will speak about during his apostolic visit to Malta.
In his briefing on the trip, Fr. Lombardi underscored its Pauline significance, since the occasion for it is the 1950th anniversary of the Malta episode in the life of the Apostle of the Gentiles.
After reviewing the main events of the visit - prayer at St. Paul's Grotto in Rabat, Mass in Floriana, and the meeting with the youth in La Valletta wharf - Fr. Lombardi answered newsmen's questions.
First, of all, he said, he can neither announce nor rule out a meeting between the Pope and a group sexual abuse victims. He recalled how similar meetings had taken place previously:
"The Pope, as you know from past experience, has met some victims, but in an atmosphere, intentionally, of discretion and solemnity, without any media pressure, to provide an occasion for listening and for interpersonal communication. The trip is rather brief and the program is intensive."
To a question on the atmosphere in the Vatican these days in the light of the media focus on the sex abuse scandal, he said:
"If you are asking whether the Vatican feels it is under siege, I will say: I don't feel besieged and I have never taken that attitude".
He then pointed to the publication of the "Guide to understanding the procedures of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith with regard to abuses committed by members of the clergy":
"It is a normal procedure in the process of dialog, and it comes by way of an answer. Clarifications have been demanded, and it is useful to make them, if only to enable a more effective understanding of a situation that is often confused by an accummulation of diverse questions and statements."
Fr. Lombardi said that preparations for the trip to Malta have been going along well and called on the newsmen to consider any possible demonstrations against the Pope as minority protests.
He said the Pope would speak English during the trip, but will say a few words in Maltese, in which he is being helped by his other private secretary, Mons. Alfred Xuereb, who comes from Malta.
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 14/04/2010 19:40]