Editorial

For many years now, the Church in Malta has been trying to put the celebration of religious feasts at the parish level back on the right track. Indeed, the consultation document launched a couple of weeks ago by the Archdiocese is the product of the experience gained through the various educational, regulatory and disciplinary efforts that have been made to date, which unfortunately have not found the widespread cooperation needed to ensure true Christian dignity in all feasts.

The Church's teaching on celebrations in memory of its martyrs and other saints is clear enough: "By celebrating the passage of these saints from earth to heaven the Church proclaims the paschal mystery as achieved in the saints who have suffered and been glorified with Christ; she proposes them to the faithful as examples who draw all to the Father through Christ, and through their merits she pleads for God's favours".

Looking at the celebration of feasts at the parish level in the context of the Church's teaching, two basic aspects emerge: (i) the liturgical celebrations in the churches themselves, leading to the traditional procession on the actual feast day; (ii) the organisation of activities outside the church, which are supposed to be an external manifestation of the love parishioners have for the saint being celebrated and their determination to model their lives according to the same saint's evangelical witness in life.

The Archdiocese's consultation document deals with the various liturgical aspects of the feasts and seeks to establish new norms to be followed including what should and should not be done during processions. The measures proposed reflect the Church authorities' desire to see that liturgical celebrations, the heart of such feasts, are in themselves a good reflection of the teaching that Christ is always present in his Church, that they are organised in a way that attracts better participation especially from young people, and that they inspire believers to grow in evangelical values and as a community.

It would indeed be a big step forward if such liturgical celebrations were given the kind of effective injection they need in this direction and became the vehicle of a stronger spirit of solidarity among the people. Helping one to better understand the need to love and show respect for every human person, to commit oneself to the good of one's neighbour in a truly Christian way and to look beyond oneself in order to promote the good of others would help establish the kind of environment the Church feels is needed to place the external celebrations of feasts firmly within a Christian framework.

It is widely felt that often, the real motive behind having longer band marches, certain new "hymns", more elaborate decorations, bigger fireworks displays and all the rest, is not the desire to show one's love for a saint but arises from the senseless pique that devours certain persons in spite of the knowledge that it will lead to more tensions and divisions.

This is wrong and should be resisted and controlled through every possible moral and legal means. Church and civil authorities must ensure that they promptly and firmly put their foot down, hand in hand and in line with their own respective duties, against all that which is unchristian or illegal in the celebration of feasts.

Controlling undignified behaviour in band marches and ensuring that fireworks do not cause pointless suffering especially to the sick, the aged and small children, should be a priority in this regard.