Archishop’s New Year’s message emphasises encouraging, listening to young people

We should not only care for and worry about our young people, but also never discourage them, Archbishop Charles Scicluna said in his New Year's message today, as he gave his best wishes for the coming year to all.

Addressing a sizeable crowd of visitors and well-wishers at the Curia this morning, Scicluna said that archbishops from around the world will be meeting in October next year, in Rome, and discussing an important topic - that of young people.

He emphasised that it was important to give young people hope and the chance of expressing themselves, as he appealed to the Maltese community to pray for its young persons.

“I will be holding a series of dialogue meetings with young people and listening to what they have to say,” he explained, “They give us a message of encouragement.”

The archbishop exchanged New Year's greetings with visitors at the Curia

He also said he hoped that as a community we would keep giving value to life from its start to its end.

Regarding Valletta’s status as the 2018 European Capital of Culture, the archbishop remarked that people should find beauty in that which could bring them closer to God.

“Beauty is an integral part of our lives, and it affects the quality of that life,” he maintained.

He appealed for people to wait for the feast of the Epiphany, which this year will be on January 7, before dismantling and putting away their Christmas decorations.

In his concluding comments, Scicluna thanked the media for the service they gave to the country.

The archbishop was joined by Archbishop Emeritus Paul Cremona, and Vicar Joe Galea Curmi in exchanging seasons greetings with the visitors.

Below are the liturgical celebrations which the archbishop will be leading in January 2018:

January 1, 9am: Archbishop Charles Scicluna will be celebrating mass, within the context of Mary Mother of God and World Peace Day, at Dar tal-Providenza, Siggiewi

January 5, 12:15pm: The archbishop will celebrate mass in the Agenzija Appogg offices, for the employees of the Foundation for Social Welfare Services. At 7pm he will be celebrating mass in the Hal Luqa parish church, where Dun Michael Zammit will be made parish priest

January 6, 6:30pm: The archbishop will be celebrating mass in the San Gejtanu parish church, on the occasion of the anniversary of St Cajetan’s second miraculous appearance

January 7, 9am: The archbishop will celebrate mass on the day of the Epiphany, at St John’s Co-Cathedral, Valletta

January 13, 5:30pm: The archbishop will be celebrating mass for couples who are getting married in 2018, in St John’s Co-Cathedral, Valletta

January 14, 9:30am: The archbishop will be celebrating mass in the Qawra parish church at the start of his pastoral visit to the parish

January 19, 6:30pm: The archbishop will be leading an ecumenical diocesan service at the Basilica of the Birth of the Virgin Mary, Isla

January 20, 9am: The archbishop will be celebrating mass with the Little Sister of the Poor community of nuns on the occasion of the visit of their mother superior, Maria del Monte Auxiliadora

January 21, 6:30pm: The archbishop will be celebrating mass in the St Lucija parish church, where Dun Joseph Mizzi will be made parish priest

January 27, 9am: The archbishop will be celebrating a pontifical high mass on the feast of St Paul’s Shipwreck at the Church of St Paul’s Shipwreck, Valletta

January 28, 9:15am: The archbishop will be celebrating a pontifical high mass on the feast of the Conversion of St Paul, in the Mdina Catherdral