Stressing the importance of the Church's role in society, Gozo Bishop Mario Grech said the Church was duty-bound to work towards the renewal of society.
Mgr Grech, who was speaking during the general assembly ushering in the new year of the Catholic Action, urged all members to make good use of the riches being offered by the Diocesan Mission in this Pauline Year.
The chosen motto for the mission (inspired by St Paul's Letter to the Ephesians) is 'Christ's love renews us'.
The general assembly, held at Catholic Action headquarters in Victoria, included Mass. Besides a poem by Marsette Xerri highlighting his teaching and a presentation by Fr Giovanni Curmi giving an introduction to the Apostle's missionary voyages, four members expressed their thoughts on how St Paul would react to the way the Maltese were living their faith today.
The movement's general president Joyce Pullicino, leading a delegation from Malta, introduced Mgr Paul Vella as the new ecclesiastical assistant general.