Sunday, 15th June 2008
Feast days are religious occasions - Archbishop
Archbishop Paul Cremona yesterday made an appeal to parishioners to respect the religious nature of Malta's feasts and he urged them to discard other elements.
Mgr Cremona said he was aware that many enthusiasts worked hard in preparations for the feasts but this dedication was not always driven by religious values. Speaking at the start of the feast season, he said some people did not differentiate between setting up a religious feast and any other activity.
Mgr Cremona called on all those who had Malta's feasts at heart to ensure that their religious value was not lost. Quoting Saint Paul, he highlighted how celebration could be carried out in a Catholic way.
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Comments
A few priests need to change their attitude followed by band clubs' administrators and by the general public.
Many are not "devoti" but they are "dilettanti" of their patron saint. Many also use the feast to let out their frustrations.
Feast should belong to everyone and not to just the celebrating village. If more maturity is displayed, the feast will be much more successful, entertaining and could reflect honor towards the patrron saint.
Fighting and insulting others shows ignorance and invites condemnation from outsiders. Parish priests, priests and band clubs need to work hard on disallowing abuse and turn the feasts into what they are suppose to mean: honoring the patron saint and celebrating his or her glorious life.
I don't least doubt the integrity of intentions of Bishop Cremona letter about feasts. However, it's too little & too late...
What seriousely worries me is the mentality of some of the clergy at large..the kind of "stop it I like it"...
Having said this I don't expect any changes in attitutes of "village mentalities"
A generation has to go..before things will change. Personally I won't be around, I won't be missing feasts..until then to each his own.