New social year for Catholic Action

Catholic Action officially opened its new social year earlier this month with a concelebrated Mass led by Bishop Nikol Cauchi at its headquarters in Victoria.

The social year was opened by Gozo Catholic Action president Manwel Saliba and general president Ninette Borg.

"Besides opening the social year, we are also opening the Catholic Action congress is also taking place," Bishop Cauchi said, "so this is a time for reflection so that certain, sensible decisions can be taken. It is true that Catholic Action has its own structures, regulations, statute and site to be a dynamic organisation, but it needs to have its own spirituality, with three dimensions: apostolic, liturgical, and Eucharistic."

The Bishop said that we have not yet realised the full meaning of the liturgy, which teaches us and brings us closer to God and the people around us.

He added: "The Eucharistic year is now coming to an end, but that does not mean that we forget the importance of the Eucharist in our lives. This has been a special year where a number of meetings have been held and various resolutions made. But now it is important that one lives the Eucharist - the Eucharist as a sacrifice, a sacrament, and as a Real Presence."

Bishop Cauchi warned against two dangerous extremes: people who received Communion rarely and those who received Communion without examining their conscience.

He quoted Pope John Paul II's encyclical Ecclesia De Eucharistia which says that that whoever has mortal sins on his conscience must first confess before receiving the Sacrament.

He ended his message by appealing to Catholic Action to encourage people to spend some time in silent prayer every day wherever they may be, preferably in front of the Blessed Sacrament.