The bishops say it is a great honour for our country that the Universal Church authorities chose the Maltese Islands, the Islands of Paul, to gather together hundreds of priests worldwide. “Yet, this is not only an honour,” they add. This is a very special and significant experience that also carries a responsibility.
The bishops encourage the Maltese people not only to greet the priests with the greatest joy and kindness, for which the Maltese are known and praised even in the Scripture, but also to do their utmost so that this extraordinary occasion bears strong spiritual fruit in these priests and in Malta.
The theme chosen for the congress’s study and prayer is “Priests for the formation of Saints for the new millennium – in the footsteps of the Apostle Paul”. This topic has a direct bearing on the priestly mission, the bishops say. “Our mission is to strive to sainthood and to help others to become saints.”
Both the Church and the priesthood are passing through difficult times. Yet the Lord always remains faithful to the Church, and goes on calling youths to the priesthood. Malta is a fine witness to this fact.
The apostles who proclaimed Christ on the first Pentecost went through many similar experiences. They all lived with Christ. Some of them renounced or abandoned him. They all repented. They were all pardoned. Notwithstanding their sins, they all received the same mission: “And you shall be my witnesses... to the ends of the world”. Jesus knew beforehand the weaknesses and sins of each of those he chose. Still he chose them just the same and also sent them to convert the world in his name.
This is the crux of the mystery of priestly life, the bishops said. God makes use of weak and sinful human beings to sanctify the world. This does not mean that sin can be disregarded. On the contrary, sin hurts the life of many. It is also a stumbling block in the Christian way and a burden in the Church’s mission. But this is also the school where one is taught humility. None deserves to be a disciple, and much less an apostle, and yet God chooses them just the same.
Today, more than ever, the Church needs priests who love God more than themselves; who seek the glory of God more than their own; who dedicate themselves and their time wholly to spread the Gospel; who lead the people of God by being their servants; who are merciful and humble because they realise their own weakness; who are capable of preaching the truth even if they are despised; and who have a great zeal to win man for God.
“We priests have the mission to form Christians to sanctity through our life. If priests are people of faith, the people of God will find it easier to believe. If priests lead a saintly life, the people of God will find it easier to heed the call for sainthood. Vatican Council II teaches us that, through the Sacrament of Holy Orders, the priest receives a spiritual power that is given to him precisely to be able to build the people of God,” the bishops said.
In conclusion, the bishops encourage people to participate in this congress as another moment of grace and invite them to keep this congress in their prayers.
Furthermore, the bishops know that the large majority of Maltese and Gozitans have a great love and respect for the priest. They would thus like to encourage all to pray for the priests in Malta and in the world.