Ritratt: Arċidjoċesi ta’ MaltaTista’ taqra bil-
Malti.
Archbishop Charles Scicluna has called on government to use its Vision Malta 2050 strategy to urgently address the plight of struggling workers and the affordable housing crisis affecting young families.
Speaking during a meeting with economy minister Silvio Schembri, who presented the consultation document on Vision Malta 2050, the Archbishop welcomed the emphasis on quality of life but stressed that concrete social measures are needed to achieve this goal.
The Archbishop highlighted that one of the main challenges facing young people in Malta is that the current quality of life is preventing them from raising families in homes they can afford. He pointed to the serious demographic crisis the country faces, with low fertility rates threatening the cultural continuity and sustainability of Maltese society.
“Vision 2050 should take care of young couples and may it be an instrument of hope and provide an answer to the difficulties that Maltese society is facing,” Archbishop Scicluna said. “The Church is committed to continuing to assist the State for a better quality of life, particularly when it comes to human dignity.”
The Archbishop drew attention to the stark inequality in wages across Malta, noting that the monthly pension and salary of many people equals what some individuals earn in just one day. He argued that these factors are contributing to increased tension within society.
During the meeting, Schembri explained that Vision Malta 2050 includes specific goals for the next decade. “National identity shows the resilience of the nation. The third pillar of this vision lists the fact that investments must be increased in order to strengthen culture and historical aspects,” the minister said.
He emphasised that the measure of the country’s success will no longer be calculated solely on gross domestic product but on citizens’ quality of life.
The meeting was also attended by Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Galea-Curmi, the Administrative Secretary of the Archdiocese Michael Pace Ross, Episcopal Vicar for Pastoral Coordination Fr André Zaffarese, and President of the Justice and Peace Commission Daniel Darmanin.
