New Dominican Provincial

Fr Paul Gatt OP is the new provincial to head the Maltese Dominican Province.

The election of 49-year-old Fr Gatt of Valletta took place during the first session of the 45th Dominican Provincial Chapter at the Dominican Priory in Valletta.

The chapter not only selects the head of the Dominican fathers for the next four years but analyses and formulates policies for Dominicans living in Malta and in the mission in Albania.

Fr Gatt studied at St Thomas Aquinas Institute in Rabat and at the Dominican Studium in Bologna, Italy.

He was ordained by Pope John Paul II on June 24, 1979 and continued his theological studies at the Angelicum in Rome.

He was secretary of the General Postulation of the Dominican Order where he helped promote the beatification of Blessed Gorg Preca.

Fr Gatt was promoter of vocations, formator for novices and students, spiritual director and rector of St Albert the Great College and parish priest of Guardamangia and St Dominic's parish in Valletta.

As a provincial he succeeds Fr Charles Fenech who was the provincial for the past eight years.