Priestly vocations in Malta. A psychosocial analysis

Abstract

The Maltese archipelago, situated about 90km south of Sicily, is composed of 3 islands, Malta, Gozo and Comino. It covers an area of 246 square kilometres. The largest island, Malta is 27 km long and 14 km wide, and has a population of about 375,300. Gozo, has a population of around 22,000. Malta is an independent state since 1964, and a member of the EU since 2004. The official languages are Maltese and English. Malta and Gozo are two dioceses, each with its own seminary. Together they form the Maltese Ecclesiastical Province. The number of Catholics is officially around 366,000 and corresponds to about 95.6% of the population. The Archdiocese of Malta is one of the oldest Sees in southern Europe. It goes back to the year 1090, with the Norman conquest, following a long period of Arab domination. [excerpt]