Archbishop Cremona's meetings with children

The Archbishop, Mgr Paul Cremona, OP, will be having a series of six meetings with children aged between eight and 12 years old. The purpose of the meetings, according to a Curia statement, is to involve children more closely and in a practical way in the life of the Church and also for the archdiocese to set up a Children's Commission.

The first three meetings will be held in the summer, while the other three will be held in the winter. In October/November, in between the two sets of meetings, a children's assembly will be held in the parishes.

"In this process of encouraging the children to play a greater role in the life of the Church, the children will have the opportunity of sharing their thoughts about the five objectives which the Church in Malta is striving to meet in the light of its Pastoral Plan," the statement explained.

These aims are: to enable Christian children to build upon their faith through spiritual formation, and how they will convey this experience of faith to others; to strengthen the sense of communion among themselves and with others, and engage in dialogue with the rest of society; to serve and show solidarity with others who suffer; to celebrate, in a lively manner, their meetings with God during Mass and in the sacraments; and to live their experience in the family as best they can.

The first of the three meetings which Archbishop Cremona will have with children this summer will be held tomorrow at Marsascala. There he will be meeting children from Fgura, Zabbar, Vittoriosa, Cospicua, Senglea, Kalkara, Luqa, Paola, Santa Lucija, Tarxien and Marsascala.

The second meeting will be held on Tuesday in Qawra, for children from St Paul's Bay, Mellieha, Manikata, Burmarrad, Gharghur, Mgarr, Mosta, Naxxar and Qawra.

The third meeting is being held on Thursday, September 6, in Birzebbuga, for children from Gudja, Ghaxaq, Marsaxlokk, Zejtun, Kirkop, Mqabba, Qrendi, Safi, Zurrieq and Birzebbuga.

The summer meetings will be held on the parvis of the parish churches of the three localities mentioned from 7 p.m. and will last about 75 minutes.

Information about the three winter meetings will be given later.