Malta's Catholic Culture

The small island of Malta may seem like a surprising choice for a papal visit, but that country's rich Catholic culture drew Pope John Paul II to travel there twice. Pope Benedict XVI made the trip in April, and U.S. ambassador Douglas W. Kmiec says that the pontiff seemed rejuvenated after his tour of some of the country's many parishes. Ambassador Kmiec also discusses the pope's meeting with sexual abuse survivors, and what living in Malta taught him about his faith as he grieved the death of his father. Read Ambassador Kmiec's article on his father's death in the June 21-28 issue of America.