Church assessing implementation of Diocesan Synod decisions

The Church in Malta is evaluating the action taken to implement the documents drawn up during the Diocesan Synod at a two-day assembly that took off yesterday evening.

The assembly, which is presided over by Archbishop Joseph Mercieca, is being held at the Franciscan Minor Conventuals' centre in Birkirkara. It will resume this morning at 9 a.m.

An implementation report on which actions have been taken to put into practice the pastoral plan 2005-2006 is being used as a basis for discussion.

The document is a paragraph-by-paragraph analysis of all the proposals drawn up last year and an explanation of how each issue has been tackled, Fr Joe Galea Curmi, coordinator of the Diocesan Synod, said during a press conference at the Curia yesterday.

"The holding up of an assembly to evaluate the activities of the past year and cast a forward glance at the year which is to follow was itself a recommendation of the Synod," Fr Galea Curmi explained.

In the spirit of renewal which the Synod experience had brought on the Maltese Church, it was very important that the Church started working for a wider participation of people as well as for a new culture of accountability, evaluation and planning, he said.

Outlining some of the projects in the pastoral plan which have been implemented or which are expected to be implemented next year, Fr Galea Curmi said the Church was setting up an Institute for Pastoral Formation to coordinate the various formation activities being held in different areas throughout the Archdiocese. Quite a few initiatives were taken during the year to improve the celebration of Sunday Mass. A seminar was held for priests regarding the homily and emphasis was also placed on the importance of Mass animation through courses for animators.

Fr Galea Curmi said preparation courses for marriage had been improved and more attention was being given to families in parishes, particularly newly-weds and newcomers.

The Church was also placing emphasis on young people and adolescents through initiatives aimed at drawing them closer to the active life of the Church.

The Commission for Culture and the Commission for the Environment had been set up as a result of the Synod. Both had kept up an active role through promoting culture with a Christian inspiration and contributing towards the protection of the environment respectively.

Fr Galea Curmi said that while the government would be carrying out a census of the population, the Archdiocese would be conducting a census on Mass attendances, which would serve as an indicator for the Church's work.

He said that besides serving as plans for action, the Synod documents were clear expressions of the Church's policies. "The documents answer the question which is usually asked in the media: Why does the Church not speak out?

The documents show that on various issues the Church would have expressed herself clearly before certain issues crop up," he said.

Following the assembly, parishes will be holding their own evaluation meeting in October and November.

The local assemblies will be open to all residents of the parish and will be based on a similar evaluation of how the plans had been implemented.