Celebration of Sunday Mass to be improved

Improving the way Sunday Mass is celebrated is among the projects being launched within the Archdiocese of Malta in a plan aimed at implementing the decisions of the diocesan synod.

Synod coordinator Fr Joe Galea Curmi told a press conference yesterday that the projects, to be carried out over this year and the next, were based mainly on six priorities:

¤ Enlivening the faith.

¤ Celebration of the Sunday Eucharist.

¤ Formation according to the guidelines of the synod.

¤ Particular attention to the family as well as adolescents and youths.

¤ A way of life in the spirit of the synod.

¤ Dialogue in society and social commitment.

Fr Galea Curmi said an institute for pastoral formation, based at the Catholic Institute, in Floriana, would be set up with the purpose of coordinating all activities promoted by the archdiocese.

Outlining the projects, he said there would be several activities in parishes aimed at improving the celebration of the Sunday Mass. Later this year a census of Mass attendance will also be held, he said.

One of the planned programmes was aimed at strengthening the family, both through an improvement in the courses of preparation for marriage and the care of families within the parish.

The latter applied particularly to young families and married couples in difficulty. A study of the current state of the family would be carried out and support groups set up for separated couples.

Considerable importance was also being accorded to adolescents and youth. A number of pastoral initiatives were aimed at increasing their participation in the life of the Church.

The Church would also continue to work hard towards the promotion of the value of human life in all its stages.

A culture commission was to be established to help promote culture with a Christian inspiration through a dialogue with current cultural trends.

Fr Galea Curmi said a science council would be set up to focus mainly on problems of an ethical nature in the light of current scientific developments.

He said special attention would be given to persons living on the fringes of society. More groups would be formed to support persons facing difficulties and various congregations were offering their services to help those who were most in need.

Pastoral secretary Fr Charles Cordina said the synod was not just an important event for the Church in Malta during the years 1999-2003 but also an event that gave vision and direction for future pastoral action. The conclusions of the synod, which were recorded in the relative documents, were now being translated into action, Fr Cordina said.

He said each parish in the Archdiocese of Malta had worked out its own plan for these two years, based on the aims of the pastoral plan and including concrete initiatives based on the needs of the community.