The Maltese bishops could be described as surprised but reassured in regard to the results of the questionnaire in preparation for the upcoming Synod on the Family in October, according to the Sunday Times of Malta. The results show that 70% of people in Malta live according to Church teaching regarding life and family issues, even if 44.3% find it difficult to do so. His Excellency Msgr. Mario Grech, bishop of Gozo, noted that this is reflective of the present reality and that he even finds himself among those in the 44.3%.

In the 7,000 responses received, 50% reported following the Church’s teaching on Birth Control, and 62.5% consider marriage as the indissoluble union of man and woman with the objective of procreation. 43% were distressed at the impossibility for the divorced and remarried to receive the sacraments, but only 17.2% felt they should be permitted to do so. 28.7% of cohabitating couples felt close to God but not the Church. 62.1% pray together as families, with 65.2% going to mass and 53.1% doing so often – though participation in the holy mass is down 10% with regard to that of 2006 according to the Times of Malta. Msgr. Grech noted that they expected the results to be worse and found the numbers to be enouraging. He also added that prudence must be exercised in facing the cultural wave that is confronting society with regard to divorce and homosexual unions, and stressed the need to remain vigilant.