Cardinal Grech: "The Church should be more flexible"

On his first visit since his ordination last February, Maltese Cardinal Prospero Grech says that it would have been good for the Church of Malta to have been more flexible over the divorce issue. He said this during an informal meeting at the Curia premises with journalists on Monday morning.

ONE News asked the Cardinal, who has been living in Italy since 1946, what has the Maltese Church to learn from the divorce issue, especially in the light of the upcoming IVF discussion, our country is facing. 

Prospero Grech emphasized the need of separation between the Church and the State, but reminded that the Church's duty is to evangelise. At the same time, he said that the Maltese Church needs to be more flexible.

 "More elasticity would have caused less damage, certainly. But even flexibility has its limits," the Cardinal said.

He mentioned how young people today have departed from the church, although they are still spiritual. He added that young people eed to understand the teachings of the Church and that marraige is a sacrament.

On the other hand, he said that the Church can never say that its doing enough, and needs to work tirelessly to attract  young people.

Asked about the Church's stance on same-sex marraige, Cardinal Prospero said that there is nothing wrong with persons of the same sex loving each other but the Church cannot accept sexual intercourse between homosexuals as it does not lead to the creation of new life.

Referring to the discussion on IVF, Prospero Grech gave his full support to the Archdiocese leaders and said that he was pleased with last Saturday's pastoral letter.

He said that the bishops followed in the Vatican's congregation footsteps. 

Photo by Photocity, Valletta