An appeal to priests, religious and laity to put into practice the conclusions of the Synod of the diocese of Malta that ended on 7 June has been made in recent days by the archbishop of Malta Msgr. Joseph Merciega, in a pastoral letter published on 27 September. The Synod’s final document, the archbishop points out, speaks of the “role of the laity in the world and in the Church”, with particular attention “to the issues of marriage and the family, adolescents and young people”. It also examines three “fundamental ministries of the Church”: “the proclamation of the Word of God by all possible means, the celebration of the liturgy and the sacraments, and the acceptance of each person in a spirit of ‘diaconia’ and of the promotion of justice”. “The Synod demonstrates that, as the Church, we ought to be a communion says Archbishop Merciega . We ought to bear witness to this communion, and work for the unity of all our brothers and sisters. At the same time we ought also to work in contemporary society in a spirit of dialogue”. Moreover, he continues, the Synod “encourages us to be a Church that always works with a spirit of service; that means we should also work for a more just society. It encourages us to work with a spirit of solidarity, devoting special attention to those who have dropped out of the Church, or who do not feel themselves fully accepted”. The many recommendations contained in the synodal document also include the establishment of a Commission for the environment (for the first time in the history of the Church of Malta), a diocesan Commission for the family and a special Commission charged with the Synod’s implementation. The archbishop invites each group, parish, association or movement to assume responsibility for this task without having fear of “difficulties and problems”: “For each word of discouragement, weariness or indifference, we must be ready to help each other with words of encouragement, solicitude and enthusiasm”. “The Synod he concludes showed us that it is far finer, and far more useful, to light a candle than complain of the darkness”. In Malta out of a population of 353,000, there are 337,000 Catholics. There are 64 parishes, 321 diocesan priests, 434 religious priests, 27 seminarians, 529 members of male religious orders and 966 nuns. There are 83 Catholic schools and 44 charitable institutes.
