Sun, May 20, 2007: Wide Angle  -  Lino Spiteri

Dancing with thoughts Dialogue is a much-used term, but not that often put in practice. The Pastoral Formation Institute is filling part of that gap within the confines of the Church. It is doing so, among other things, by going outside those confines to encourage exchanges of views between and among lay persons and religious people.

http://www.timesofmalta.com/core/article.php?id=262066

Sun, May 20, 2007
Wide Angle
Lino Spiteri
Dancing with thoughts
Dialogue is a much-used term, but not that often put in practice. The Pastoral Formation Institute is filling part of that gap within the confines of the Church. It is doing so, among other things, by going outside those confines to encourage exchanges of views between and among lay persons and religious people.
In collaboration with a group of lay individuals (Equipe, chaired by Professor Salvino Busuttil), the institute is organising a three-part series of dialogues to probe into experiences in today's religious and wider world, with an eye on what one might expect in the future.
The second dialogue will be held tomorrow, at 7 p.m., at the Phoenicia Ballroom, and is open to the public. The first was held on Monday. It was as interesting as it could get.
Among other things, telling points were made on today's youth and their relationship, where they have one, with God.
Youths have doubts, a participant said. Doubt arising out of lack of information. But doubt is also due to an absence of hypocrisy.
Many young people do not want to be hypocritical, like some of us in the adult world. They hear about values, yet see important values being discarded regularly and with impunity.
Young people are searching, said another participant. We should look at the world through their eyes, to understand what it is that they see or are looking for. Is the Church relevant in today's world?
She is, provided her exponents use a correct language. That point was made most forcefully by a young person of evident religious commitment, but who said is put off by the droning offered by some priests in their homilies. The Church is relevant, said another, but she and those who militate within it need to speak without offering absolutes - we have to grow together; the Church should not impose criteria.
There is indeed a searching going on, I felt. A searching for understanding of what others are saying, or wish to say. There is a new breeze blowing.
A man recounted the advice given by Archbishop Cremona to group of people who are going abroad to work among the poor. Go and learn from the poor you are going to serve, said Malta's Paul.
Another person spoke of an event that was to be addressed by Mgr Cremona. It was notified to 21 members of the media. Not one turned up to cover it. The novelty has worn off, it seems. Rather that, I'd say, than continuing to project Archbishop Cremona as some superstar, or to have him on the media with the frequency of the political leaders and their tedious repetition.
Yet, when he makes important reflection, these should be circulated in a short media release. Such is the passive state of much of the media today.
The Maltese media, by the way, are dissected with great skill and aptitude by Dr Carmen Sammut in her book, Media and Maltese Society, based on her doctoral thesis. The book was launched on Thursday.
It is a marvellous piece of work, combining detailed academic research as a background to our way of doing things, with much analysis of what has been going on since the mid-Nineties, plus the author's own idea of an alternative media structure.
Nothing of relevance escapes Dr Sammut. She has produced a masterpiece, which deserves a wide readership.