“We wish to make an appeal that during these turbulent times we all seek to work together, with a calm sense of purpose, to promote truth and justice with charity and respect for one another”. The three Catholic Bishops, Charles Scicluna, Archbishop of Malta, with his Auxiliary Bishop, Joseph Galea-Curmi, and Mario Grech, apostolic administrator of Gozo, issued an official joint statement today in support of the “appeal for unity” made by the President of the Republic, George Vella, on 1 December, in the wake of public unrest calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Joseph Muscat. “The difficult times we are going through should not exacerbate division”, the Bishops wrote. On the contrary, “they challenge us to work together in a spirit of collaboration and for the greater good of Maltese society in general, so that our institutions may carry out their duty with due diligence and with impartiality”. “As in every society, disagreement is inevitable”, the Bishops continued. However, “we are always called to express our legitimate opinions with respect for one another and with respect for the truth, without falling into the trap of hatred, lies and violence”. The Bishops called on everyone to “seek the common good in a spirit of true loyalty to the principles of the Constitution of the Republic of Malta”. With reference to the Advent Season, the statement ends with a prayer that “our people’s passion for justice, truth and honesty, is expressed with respect towards each other, and with a strong rejection of violence, whether verbal or physical”.