Church document 'putting all feasts in one basket'

j n ebejer

Nov 28th 2009, 22:43

Some of the behaviour seen in festas is just an expression of bad tastse and disrespect for tradition and culture. There is nothing traditional or cultural in most of what is happening in our festas. Most of the many unasked for novelties coming up is lack of knowledge of traditions and threaten traditions.

Those who pretend to run the show just because they shout loud should stop shaming our beliefs and carry out the degenerate behaviour on some other occasion.

They should get involved in some community work worth the time and money spent rather than on stupid decorations and distasteful surprises. It is the necessities of the most needy and the more important things of the parish which should dictate what energies should be on a christian community's agenda . The feast should come and if it manages to satisfy those necessities and as an expression of religious beliefs and not a satisfaction of someone's exesses or obsessive interest to frivolities.

C. Busuttil

Nov 28th 2009, 22:39

@John Micallef

No twists or special treatments are wanted but Justice, Street decorations have NEVER been controversial. He did not give one valid reason for all the restrictions he wants to impose. You should speak in private with parish priests who would tell you that they are against this issue because it does not make sense. With very few exceptions if not rare no controversies have ever arisen from decorations. Besides parish priests recently have issued a statement that when read carefully you will notice they are trying to reach out and avoid a confrontation that will only see the church badly bruised. As usually Your Mons Gouder fails or lacks the courage to tackle the real few problematic feasts

@Michel Bencini
The Immaculate Conception and St.Paul's feast have none of the behaviour you mention, Not even the basics !!!!!!!

@a.Agius
Those who donate money for feasts are among the first to donate for charity because they are of a generous heart, others hide behind all kind of excuses to avoid donating money to either !!!!!!!!!!

Francis Bezzina

Nov 28th 2009, 21:00

The Church under the direction of Mons Gouder decided to punish all instead of controlling the abusers. It is realy a shame that instead of righting what is wrong only eg: discos during feasts, band marches with supporters insulting each other etc.. Fr gouder and his group of puritan advisors decided to attack everything including creativity and art. I cannot understand the rationale behind all this, why giving a hard time to youngsters and people who dedicate a lot of thier time creating, repairing and assisting the parish priest in maintaining the artifacts and at the end push them to abandon such noble work! Christ left the 99 to go for one sheep, while Fr Gouder and his hard headed advisors dont give a damn!!

Mario Cassar

Nov 28th 2009, 19:30

@ a.agius

the money donated by people for the organisation of feasts has to go just for that purpose. There are various marathons where one can give donations in aid of others, but what is given for the feasts has to be used for the feasts. Let me decide how to spend my money. I don't need anyone telling me I should have spent my money better.

John Micallef

Nov 28th 2009, 19:13

What's the point in this statment, some one is expecting a ziguzajg to acomdate other & others are victims.

Keep it up father Gouder, father & minsters like you we need!! That when they start something they bring it to a controlled end. Don't give up, like you never did!!

Michel Bencini

Nov 28th 2009, 17:57

Directions on matters of faith and spirituality should be the prerogative of the church. In the old days, all social Christian festivities were organized by the church and revolved around a central vein of veneration and public mores reflected that sentiment.
A few years ago, I witnesssed a carnevalesque attitude at the Good Friday procession which I deemed inappropriate and disrespectful for what used to be a solemn occasion. People could not contain their loud banter, and there was interference with too many taking pictures and camcording the event, not to mention the cacophony of cell phones constantly buzzing. Christmas is no different either. It is truly a pagan orgy of shopping, vanity and self absorption. It is going to be very difficult for modern society to stray away from the superficial excitement it exudes unless a major crises shakes it back into the reality and true significance of religion. For the average joe, the festa of the Immaculate Conception or St.Paul's is neither a conception nor a propagation of one's faith. It seems to be a superficial public indulgence mainfested by druken behaviour and outbursts of silliness.

renald williams

Nov 28th 2009, 16:57

would it be better if we heard what Paul told us and concentrate on Sunday the day of the Lord?
- you observe days and months and seasons and years. I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain - Galatians 4:10-11 www.justforcatholics.org

Joseph M. Meli

Nov 28th 2009, 16:38

Secular Festivities which will UNITE a Locality residents for the duration of the "Festa time" in the various Towns and Villages can be offered as an alternative Feasts.

No more my Saint is "better" / "greater" than yours type of bull, but a UNIFYING, make-feel-PROUD of my Locality Festivals can now become a reality as early as from Summer 2010.

Thank you Curia !!

a.agius

Nov 28th 2009, 16:00

At the beginning of time the Catholic Church celebrated the feasts of various saints to instil their pious ways into the believers' hearts. Thus values & attitudes were given a base upon which to erect the future character of all true Christians & well meaning folks.
With the passage of time Christian values degenerated to what we see & feel around us today. A few, who call themselves Christians have bit by bit started to wander away from the main significance of the Holy event by initiating various cultures leading to different avenues of the village feast.This led to what's in it for me logo intended to fill their own or their organisation's coffers.
So we all ended up with having to put up with lots of uncontrolled abuses like loud bangs,
smelly sulphuric fumes, main village arterial roads closed for traffic for ten days in advance & a never ending list of incovenient might is right acts. All money gone up in smoke, could have been better utilised if passed to various homes & institutions.
Will we ever learn to act in a mature manner, by supporting a noble cause instead of........

h galea

Nov 28th 2009, 14:39

It was about time the church took this action.Next step should be the prests,when they get hold of a microphone somehow abuse in the way speach is used.This is not only in church but also on radio programs.The first foul word at age 10 i heared it in church on top of his voice in Sliema.We used to help,and we polished a piece of brass but we had no time to clean the others.

Chris Ebejer

Nov 28th 2009, 14:31

The document presented by the Curia under the auspices of Mons Gouder (the main culprit of this mess) supported by Fr.Toledo & Fr.Overend, has resulted into a total flop from the very first second it was launched weeks ago.

Presented with a dictatorial fashion, more imposing rather than observing the current logical and democratic structure, it was written out of touch from reality.

It is evident to notice that it distanced away more people from the church itself with outraged angriness and irritation than filled people with awe of willpower and determination.
Dialogue rather than diatribe has better chance of success in the pursuit of a common objective. Perhaps Fr.Toledo & Mons Gouder can take some hints of suggestions from this counter - proposal document presented today. Work hand in hand altogether to obtain successful reforms without impositions rather than hijacking what is truly at heart for the people!