The Voice of the Maltese (thunder from down under) Issue 68 NEEWWSSLLETTTTERR February 4, 2014 Edited by Lawrence Dimech -
[email protected]; & Malta desk: Joseph Cutajar -
[email protected] The Apostolic Nuncio in Malta Aldo Cav - alli and Malta’s Foreign Minister George Vella signing the agreeement in the pres - ence of Bishops Charles Scicluna and Mario Grech, and Archbishop Paul Cremona (on left) and Parliamen - tary Secretary Owen Bonnici (standing behind Dr Vella) ollyy SSeeee MMaallttaa aanndd HHo c rreevviisseedd ssiiggnn hhiissttoorriic n mmaarrrriiaaggee aaggrreeeemmeenntt oon n agreement described as historic has just been before the Ecclesiastical Tribunal. signed between the Maltese government and the Informal talks regarding the future of the Church-State Holy See. Known as the Third Additional Protocol, agreement concerning marriage commenced when Prime it includes amendments to the 1992 Church-State agree - Minister Joseph Muscat visited Pope Francis I at the Vati - ment on marriage. It will also repeal the Second Additional can in June, three months after the PL’s election victory. Protocol signed on January 6, 1995. In one of Dr Muscat’s first initiatives as Prime Minister The agreement was signed by the Apostolic Nuncio in he had sent a 'note verbale' to the Holy See to initiate dis - Malta, Aldo Cavalli and Foreign Minister George Vella fol - cussions on the abrogation of the concordat. lowing discussions that led to a revision of the agreement. The Church said in a statement: “Malta and the Holy See The main change is that the Ecclesiastical Tribunal is no have announced that, further to technical talks held be - longer superior to the Maltese Courts in marriage annul - tween representatives of both sides, agreement has been ment cases.