Religion in Malta

In the small Mediterranean island nation of Malta the predominant religion is Roman Catholicism.

Additionally, between a quarter and a fifth of mass attendees, are active members of a Church Movement, group or initiatives such as the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, the Neocatechumenal Way, the Legion of Mary, Opus Dei, Youth Fellowship, Society of Christian Doctrine and other Church groups within the parish. Malta also has the highest number of members of the Neocatechumenal Way per population in the World.

Malta is the only country in Europe that does not permit divorce. [cite web | author=Ivan Camilleri | year=July 18th, 2006| title=Malta cautious over EU divorce proposals| format= | work= Times of Malta | url=http://www.timesofmalta.com/core/article.php?id=231073| accessdate=2006-06-18] Performing abortion on Maltese territory is also illegal, though over the years several loopholes (non-inclusion of outer territorial waters, no mention of advertising) permitted individuals to circumvent the ban for limited time periods. [cite web | author=Steven Ertelt | date=17 July 2006| title=Malta pro-life advocates can't stop Spain abortion business from running ads| format= | work= Life News.com | url=http://www.lifenews.com/nat2422.html| accessdate=2006-06-18] In an SMS poll, Malta chose the Maltese cross to be the image on the Maltese Euro and rejected one of John the Baptist baptizing Jesus, which had garnered a strong majority in a previous poll, after attracting opposition even from the Local Bishops who did not see it fit to place Jesus' face on a coin. [cite web | author= | date=19 June 2006| title=Maltese choose cross for euro coin | format= | work=Catholic News.net | url=http://www.cathnews.com/news/606/96.php| accessdate=2006-06-18]

References

ee also

*Malta
*Culture of Malta
*Maltese people
*Maltese Italians
*Islam in Malta
*History of the Jews in Malta
*Religion by country
*Roman Catholicism in Malta
*Freemasonry in Malta

External links

* [http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/country/mt.html Profile of the Catholic Church in Malta]
* [http://www.maltachurch.org.mt/ Homepage of the Archdiocese of Malta]
* [http://www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=22&year=2006&country=7012 Freedom House Country Report: Malta (2006)]
* [http://www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=22&year=2005&country=6786 Freedom House Country Report: Malta (2005)]
* [http://www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=22&year=2004&country=2981 Freedom House Country Report: Malta (2004)]
* [http://www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=22&year=2003&country=439 Freedom House Country Report: Malta (2003)]
* [http://www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=22&year=2002&country=1680 Freedom House Country Report: Malta (2002)]