Maltese people are so friendly. I made friends last time I was here and am making new friends. In such a small country, friendship and family form the basis of a cohesive society. I sincerely hope this never changes here, but I am afraid it is. There are so many wonderful Catholics here, generous and noble and loving.
Like all nations, there has to be a basis on national pride and national feeling. Now, the Maltese people have a noble past, especially regarding the winning of the Siege of Malta against foes far greater than themselves.
The nobility of the men has passed down, but I am concerned that the same type of watering down of masculinity which has happened in America and Great Britain, in Eire and in France, is happening here.
This is the emergence of the Peter Pan men. Those men who do not grow up and do not want to take responsibility learn to opt-out at an early age.
Why is another question, but the what is clear. Last year, I noted that Malta is a matriarchy. That is, the women seem to be in control of the families. This is not always the case, but in many families, as I have been told by the men, this is so.
That the new generation of young men may not be inheriting the great genes of the warriors who were victors in the Siege is a growing threat. Watch the upcoming elections. See what happens and how youth vote.
One of my young friends here who is a bright, thinking Catholic said yesterday that his generation does not think. We had a short conversation about the busyness of youth-going here and going there. That these youth have friends is great (the culture is an extrovert culture) but that social life and distractions take them away from prayer and family is sad.
As in Eire, the adult appropriation of the Faith is rare here. That adults sailed on into their middle years in Ireland without making a serious, mature commitment to the Church is happening here. One cannot take for granted that a socialist run country will preserve the Church's teaching in the schools, or in the market-place.
Again, I return to a theme of this blog from day one. All Catholics must learn how to think like Catholics, and not socialist, not Marxists, not relativists.
The future of the culture-war has been lost in the States. I hope it is not lost here in vibrant Malta.