Synod documents approved

The Archbishop, Mgr Joseph Mercieca yesterday signed a decree by which he approved eight documents prepared by the Diocesan Synod of the Archdiocese of Malta.

The decree was signed immediately after his homily during a Thanksgiving Mass at St John's Co-Cathedral on the occasion of the 29th anniversary of his episcopal ordination.

The decree states that the Synod of the Archdiocese of Malta, inaugurated by the archbishop on September 29, 1999, which included various phases to ensure the full involvement of the people of God in Malta, reached its conclusion on June 7, 2003.

The Synod documents - the fruit of the activities of the Synod Assembly - cover various important aspects of the life of the Church in Malta, including the relation of the Church to present-day culture and society and the role of lay people in the world and in the Church.

These documents are considered to be a useful tool for the formation of the Church in Malta and for indicating the direction its pastoral activity should take.

The documents are the result of a long synodal process expressing the innermost feelings of the Church in Malta, Mgr Mercieca said.

The documents will be published during the coming weeks as a pastoral guide for the life and mission of the Church in Malta.