As part of recent spiritual discussions, and considering the horrific and continuous acts, One Church One Journey will host a session to address the trauma of femicide.

Beyond the politics and cultural issues, femicide deeply wounds us and threatens to numb our spirits. We need psychological and spiritual strength to protect ourselves from the subtle, pervasive effects while recognising the harm. We can gather in prayer as Christians and echo Jesus’ cry on the cross: “Why have you abandoned me?”— a cry that many women share today.

If you feel disturbed by the femicides, you fear for your or your daughters’ safety and you long for a day when patriarchy is a thing of the past, we invite you to connect for a ‘spiritual conversation’. The goal of a spiritual conversation is not to find solutions or fix a broken system, but to create a safe space where we can express our grief, support each other, and seek meaning in the face of this great harm. Together, we can work toward healing and find ways to protect ourselves from the dangers of femicide and gender-based violence.

The event is open to anyone looking for spiritual support in dealing with the harm and moral pain caused by violence against women. The spiritual conversation will take place on 21st August 2024 at 5:30pm at Swatar Parish.

Click here for more information.

The spiritual conversations form part of the synodal process for ecclesial renewal One Church, One Journey and serve as an opportunity for the local church to set out in the spirit of St Paul the Apostle, who proclaimed the gospel among us with gestures of healing so that we too can reach out with “unusual kindness” (Acts 28:2) to heal wounds. As we gather, we will be listening to one another and the Spirit as we discern what concrete actions are being called of the Church in Malta to go forth in, what Pope Francis calls, our field hospital after battlefield.