The Bishop of Gozo, Mgr Mario Grech, recently addressed the general meeting taking place at St. Monica School, Msida, the meeting was attended by couples who were members of Grufan within the Cana Movement, and Mgr Grech spoke to them about the spirituality of separated persons.
"Although, every marriage is by nature long-lasting, experience indicates that there are marriages that are disrupted, and the couple had to separate. Very often separated couples pass through a traumatic experience, not only because the greatest project of their life fails, but also because they suffer a sense of social and spiritual abandonment. Unfortunately, there are separated persons who feel that they are forgotten by God and by the ecclesial community.
It would be a mistake if these people are not cared for or are excluded within the Church. Their presence demands a new and urgent pastoral action. Whoever displaces these people to the periphery of life in the ecclesial community, would be putting at great risk the image of the Church that received the mandate to preach the good news even in realities as complex as this.
If one were to looks at these persons, who are separated or who are in a second relationship, only from the ethical aspect, one would be taking a very narrow view; because, apart from the moral aspect, these situations have also a human and a spiritual dimension.
In spite of everything, we must believe that these persons can progress in faith and ecclesial maturity. The basis of Christian spirituality is Christ, and personal relationship with Him does not occur only in the celebration of the sacraments, but also when the human person opens his heart to the word of God proclaimed in the community. Therefore, the proposal for the walk of faith for these persons recognises the primacy of the Word that helps the person to enter into a dialogue with God, who is secure love, and also with the ecclesial community."