The spotlight has been focused on our parish church – dedicated to the Assumption of Mary, in Birkirkara – known as the Old Church. Recently, parishioners called for attention to this architectural gem because of structural damage. Then, one day, its front door was set of fire.

The burnt door of the Old Church. Photo: Mark Zammit Cordina

I have long contemplated this building because it helps me understand the story of the Church, as the people of God and these are some thoughts I wanted to share.

The first thing that strikes me about the façade is that it is unfinished, broken even. So is the Church, the Body of Christ. It is, as Jean Vanier puts it beautifully, a broken body, still on a journey, still with wounds, heading towards the promised land. So, we cannot expect perfection, from any of its members.

As Church, we need to be humble and realise that our perfection lies only in the head of the body, Christ and in the Spirit which gives us life.

The Old Church has an unfinished dome and I am thankful for that, because it reminds me that the Church does not exist in itself and for itself. Its foundation stone and its head is Christ. We can never expect our earthly authorities to have the complete answers. We need always to return to our roots and look to Christ for the ultimate guidance and answer.

The side of the church is pitted with holes of fired arms. Now, its door is charred. The Body of Christ, the hospital on the battlefield, needs to have these marks. It is a sign that good is being done. Persecution is to be expected and rejoiced in, especially when the Church works for social justice and against evil in the world.

Values are being undermined, I dare say strategically and structurally, through policies which undermine the values of life and truth

As Pedro Arrupe once said: “For this ‘world’ will not take it lying down… It will persecute, it will try to exterminate those who do not belong to it and stand in opposition to it.”

At the same time, we are still in the world and need to continue to dialogue with it and bring Christ to the world, through our own joyful presence, a joy which is fortunately experienced in our parish community.

The greatest worry of our community are the foundations. Architects monitoring St Mary’s have said that the church is sagging into the ground. So, too is the greatest concern for the Church in Malta. The foundations of our faith, the Christian values are sagging. This is visible in the lack of a prayer life from the faithful and in the lack of connection between our religious beliefs and our daily practice in life.

Our fast-paced and individualised culture continues to gnaw at these foundations.  Values are being undermined, I dare say strategically and structurally, through policies which undermine the values of life and truth. It was rather ironic, that authorities generously declared financial help for churches built of stone, while, with another hand, they are undermining its foundations.

Architects recommend strengthening the foundations of the church, though this is no mean task. The Church in Malta too needs to give more attention, apart from the buildings, feasts and religious titles, to strengthening the roots, the foundations, the true values of life which our society needs to reclaim its humanity. And that strengthening comes through more attention to its pastoral mission in the world. We need to be open to the Spirit who continues to guide us to be ‘living stones’ in the world today.

Christine Rossi is a parishioner of St Mary’s church, Birkirkara.