Balzan parishioners held their annual parish assembly on October 16 and 17 in the evening to discuss how they could give life to the motto: "To Jesus by means of the Church".

It is a statement that many tend to take for granted, not realising its deep implication for one's relationship with God.

Christ was sent by the Father to redeem mankind. His three-year evangelisation mission is recorded in the Gospels and further developed in the other writings of the New Testament that integrate, so to speak, those of the Old Testament and place them within the context of the history of salvation that was to unfold in Christ's passion, death and resurrection.

The Gospel message was left in the hands of the apostles and disciples who were catechised by Christ himself. And before leaving them he gave them the mandate to go and preach to all nations within a structure, a Church.

Hence man's relationship with God, and with Jesus the Christ, even if it has a very personal dimension, has to keep this reality in mind. The way to Christ is communitarian. There is a definite tie between one's love of God and one's love of man. The commandment of the love of God and that of the love of man are but two facets of one commandment that inspires the community as a whole and its single components individually.

The theme was discussed in eight workshops. Participants were asked to discuss a number of questions and come up with concrete proposals for pastoral action. Which is why the whole exercise was conceived within the framework of the Synod of the Maltese Church that is entering a vital phase after having pinpointed eight major themes and is presently discussing them in specific groups.

Pastoral activity in the parish has to reflect the national priorities set by the Diocesan Synod while adapting them to the particular situation of every parish.

In order to enable participants get the synodal feeling, they were shown a video presentation of the highlights of the Synod. A representative of the Balzan parish at the Synod also recounted his experience.

Every workshop held two sessions, the one on Thursday discussing the experience of the Synod, its communitarian aspects and the link between the Synod and parish activity. On Friday a more practical approach was adopted and every workshop was expected to suggest three initiatives the parish could take within the coming year to help its members develop their relationship with Christ through the Church.

There was a general consensus that the Synod constituted a milestone for the Church in Malta. This was the first time that the laity were so strongly represented and they were making a very positive contribution to the Synodal proceedings. It was very evident that the Church abounded in human resources that could be garnered to make it an effective sacrament and tool of evangelisation.

The roots were not to be put aside, but fresher ideas of living the faith in practice, closely related to the realities of modern life, and on the lines suggested by Vatican II, were needed. These could herald a new pastoral style, open to all whatever their status or condition.

The eight themes on which the Synod was concentrating had all been suggested by the faithful. They reflected what the People of God in the diocese of Malta felt should be the priorities to which clergy and laity alike should dedicate their efforts.

Many expressed the hope that collaboration between the various Church organisations and movements would be strengthened, following their experience at the Synod. They all had their particular charism, but this diversity should not be allowed to blur the unity of intent and the common purpose they all believed in. This aspect of unity should also be reflected at parish level. It would also offer the laity wider and closer participation at all levels of pastoral life, and give a more concrete sense to the dictum "we are the Church".

Several participants suggested that the parish should create more occasions for contact between the members of the various groups.

It was noted that, as in so many other parishes, in the main lay people involved in parish activities were members of Church organisations and movements. They formed only a small percentage of parishioners, sometimes less than two per cent. Most parishioners were more or less satisfied with attendance at Sunday Mass and the occasional participation in a church function or procession. These latter should be the object of the evangelisation effort the Pope has so often spoken about.

In this context there we those who complained that at times parishes looked more like administrative entities rather than pastoral ones. This blurred the image of the Church whose mission was, and is, to spread the Word of God and administer the Sacraments that sanctify the Christian community.

Friday's session was opened with a short symbolic play based on the theme of the parish assembly. It was put up by the pre-teens group of the Balzan Parish Youth Centre.

Those taking part, and other members of the centre, took a very active and lively part in the workshop discussions that followed. They stressed the need for a Sunday homily that was well prepared, practical and related to the needs of daily life. It was even suggested that the group should discuss the gospel of the day and give their conclusions to the celebrant to enable him build his homily accordingly.

The relation of the homily to daily life was also raised by several other participants.

Several suggestions were made for greater participation of young people both in the liturgy and in parish activities. A weekly Youth Mass should be organised by youths themselves and with accompanying modern religious music.

Emphasis was made on the need for a new catechesis aimed at reaching those with little or no contact with the Church. In this context one of the groups suggested that, over a period of some months, the various parts of the Mass should be explained to enable the congregation understand better the Sacrifice of the Eucharist.

Children should be invited to attend baptisms to welcome the newly born within the Christian community and get a better understanding of the real meaning of the sacrament.

Some expressed the wish to have a permanent Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament in one of the small historic churches at Balzan.

Others called for regular home visits by the parish clergy.

There was a strong call for the setting up of a formal diakonia service in the parish. A lot of work is already being done among the elderly, refugees, single mothers and problem families. There was a generation of "the new poor" that had to be seen to, and this called for a more organised and professional approach.

In fact, Balzan is one of the parishes currently engaged in a Caritas survey of "social needs" that would help in formulating "a programme of service". This would make the parish a reflection of the early Christian communities which had a deaconate to serve the needy.

One of the workshops suggested that the parish Website be upgraded in order to serve as a means of Christian evangelisation and formation.

Fr Kalcidon Vassallo, parish priest of Balzan, when closing the Assembly announced that from that same evening the Website (www. balzanparish.com) was having a new look. Instant response or telepathetic premonition!