Archbishop asks God to forgive Malta’s greed and exploitation of foreign workers

On the 60th anniversary of Malta’s independence, Archbishop Charles Scicluna in his homily prayed for the nation’s forgiveness for greed, corruption, arrogance and exploitation of foreign workers.

In his homily, Scicluna used a prayer from a Maltese saint, Saint Ġorġa Preca, who thanked God for blessings but also asked for forgiveness. Scicluna began by thanking God for the foundations that have shaped Malta over the centuries and for the people who have worked to develop the country.

Addressing the highest dignitaries of Malta, Scicluna asked for forgiveness: “For all those times when greed becomes the poison that guides us, when we stole instead of giving, when we destroyed instead of building, or when we built, we built badly and only for money.”

He also asked for forgiveness for turning politics into a means of personal gain and for the “arrogance and corruption” that have tarnished Malta’s reputation, as well as for the exploitation of foreign workers. Scicluna prayed for forgiveness for the violence in words and actions that have led to the assassination of inconvenient voices.

The Archbishop urged the Maltese to follow the teachings of the gospel and embody the values ​​of Christ. He emphasized Jesus’ contempt for arrogance, vanity, lies and violence, and his love for humility, peace and compassion for the poor.

In conclusion, he called on people to cultivate the values ​​contained in the national anthem, the prayer Dun Karm Psaila: wisdom, mercy, strength, unity and peace.