Cogs are an essential element in keeping things moving. No cogs, and your gearwheel will not function. Actually, it will break down.
The same happens when the cogs of an organisation stop functioning. They may only be playing a small part, as they usually do, but any body, like our body, is made up of so many bits and pieces which have their place in the whole jigsaw. Take any one away, and your have a functional problem.
In this day and age, as it must have been since time immemorial - even if to a different degree - parishes are kept functioning by cogs, the few or many of the faithful who give part of their time and energy to do things the parish priest, and the priests around him - if he has any these days - cannot cope with and should actually not try to cope with himself but delegate to others. They are lay people, housewives, pensioners, doctors, architects, accountants, teachers, people from all ranks of society, who manifest their religious commitment by taking an active part in the running of the Church.
They sit on parish councils to give their views on what to be done or what not to be done; they sit on commissions that take the responsibility of organising a hundred and one things in the parish; they help in the maintenance of the church; they give useful secretarial help in the parish office; they knock doors to collect things for the parish's annual bazaar; they keep the parish's accounts in proper form; they deliver notices and magazines throughout the parish; and a host of other things...
They cross each other's path many times a day, exchange words, information and ideas. On various occasions through the year they have some social gathering. Once a year they attend the Parish Assembly, an institution set up in recent years on the occasion of the Diocesan Synod that came to a close some three years ago, to review the pastoral work performed by the various parish entities through the past year and make suggestions for the following one.
This year's Balzan parish assembly was held on October 20 and 21. Most church helpers were there, taking an active part in workshops that discussed various aspects of pastoral ministry. They reported progress on suggestions made in 2004, or found that these had not been implemented and asked why.
Their guideline was the Pastoral Plan for the Parish of the Annunciation approved by the Parish Pastoral Council for 2005-2006. In its turn this was based on the Diocesan Synod documents. Some commissions, such as the Deaconry and Family Commissions, were actually set up following decisions taken by the Synod. Others have been there for quite some time, as is also the case of organisations like the MUSEUM, the Catholic Action, the Neo-Catechumenal Way, the Legion of Mary, and the Mother and Child Club.
Small cogs, some groups probably having no more than ten members, some even less, seeing to the needs of the parish and its faithful. All with one aim in mind, serving the Lord in being of service to His flock. There are those who visit parishioners in old people's homes or in hospitals. Others keep a discreet but attentive eye on elderly people who live on their own, paying them a visit every now and then, or running errands for them.
Elderly people who live on their own are sent a birthday card; so also in the case of births and of newly married couples. People who come to live in the village are welcomed to the community by street helpers who keep them informed of what's going on or introduce them to the parish.
There are organisations or movements which are more dedicated to evangelisation, and therefore meet regularly for personal formation and to share the Eucharist. Many of their members involve themselves in parish life by contributing to activities organised by the several commissions and by the parish in general.
Youths also play their part in the building of the Christian community. Balzan has one of the most active Youth centres on the island and this keeps its members very busy throughout the year. A number of teenagers keep regular contact with members of the MUSEUM and the number of young people in their teens and twenties who are members of the Neo-Catechumenal Way is substantial. Some 20 of these latter went on pilgrimage to the World Youth Day at Cologne last August.
This year several initiatives were held in connection with the 350th anniversary of the erection of the parish of Balzan in August 1655. A programme of civic, and, mainly religious activities culminated in the inauguration of a commemorative plaque near the medieval church, also dedicated to the Annunciation, in Three Churches Street. The festivities were organised by an ad hoc commission chosen by the Parish Pastoral Council.
Emphasis was made on the need to have more active participation in the Sunday Mass. The Liturgical Commission in fact had the Curia's Liturgy specialist, Fr Jesmond Manicaro, talking to its members and to a large number of parishioners who in one way or another help in the celebration of the Mass. Animators and lectors are to be trained to perform better, and power point presentations have been used in some Lent and Advent Masses to visualise the social message of the liturgy.
One initiative which certainly drew unanimous support was the opening, in 2004, of the Church of Adoration in the old chapel of St Mary. It has been described, both during the Assembly and by parishioners, as a blessing on the occasion of the Year of the Eucharist. The flow of people at any time of the day is an encouraging sign that the faithful are aware of the importance of the Eucharist in their Christian life, very much in line with what has been discussed at the Synod of Bishops that came to a close last Sunday.
Again, a group of lay people are responsible for the upkeep of the church and its functioning.
Small cogs in a wheel that makes the Church a living community that every single day gives praise to the Lord - "hallowed be thy name" - in deed and in fact.