Faith and Christ’s teachings are no longer reflected in culture, the bishops said in a pastoral letter being read during this evening’s and tomorrow’s masses.

Archbishop Paul Cremona and Gozo bishop Mario Grech said that in order to live faith, one had to seek and find this in his heart through his choice of following Jesus.

“Only then we can call ourselves Christians in today’s culture”.

The bishops addressed their letter to all, but especially “those who are truly committed to be full active members within the Catholic Church in our country”.

This, they said, was not being done out of disrespect or to exclude anybody.

“Our intention is to encourage every person to realise what God’s call for him or her is, which will then help the individual to find the proper place within God’s church.

“Nonbelievers should see that there is a particular faith and attitude taught and shown by our Lord Jesus Christ in the church community.

“If then this nurtures a spiritual sentiment in their minds and hearts, this should lead them to actively join the Church.”

The Lord, they said, came to this world to bring temporary division to shed light on his message.

This division instilled a wish within believers to see others joining them in faith.

The right of freedom of opinion within the Church was not the same as within the State. “The rights reserved to the state’s members lie on the fact that they are citizens of a democratic state through birth or a requested and given citizenship by the state.”

One, however, joined the Catholic Church through baptism.

In the case of the newborn, the parents accepted to baptise their children because they want to pass on to their children their faith in Christ within the Church.

When a person matured, there should be a confirmation of the previous decision in total freedom. These decisions implied that one adhered to Christ’s life and teachings.

The bishops said that most faithful received their faith within a culture that passed on the Christian religion and faith.

"But “today’s culture embraces different ideas that sometimes distance us from God.

“This means that there are some individuals who do not make a conscious choice, as adults, to follow Christ, but still call themselves Christians.

“They are so driven by the culture of these times that they reflect more this culture than Christ.”

Some people felt comfortable choosing elements within the Catholic faith to accomodate their culture the bishops said adding that others called themselves Catholic even if they did not accept the “collective consciousness” of the Church.

“We wish to encourage these people to decide where to place their fundemental decisions.

“We know that this is not easy!

“We believe that when these individuals internally feel uncomfortable, torn between faith and culture, they should realise that this is already a positive sign that should help them take a decision.”

The bishops said others took the fundemental choice that confirmed the faith they recieved in baptism.

Jesus made the choice clear when he said that one could not serve both God and money.

“With the term money, Jesus referred to anything that hindered humans from serving God. He doesn’t want us to cheat ourselves. Whoever choses to serve money is quite clear in his thoughts: he can someday choose otherwise. Whoever chooses to serve Jesus is likewise clear: he wants to get closer to Jesus.”

The greatest tragedy was that there were people who did not take a decision and still called themselves “christians” because they were baptised, but who served modern culture, which no longer reflected Christ’s teachings, they said.