Bid to interview new Gozo Bishop fails

Gozo Bishop Mario Grech pulled out of an interview with The Times shortly before his Episcopal ordination ceremony and has since declined to offer an alternative date.

One day before the interview was due to take place, The Times was informed that Mgr Grech was busy at the pre-arranged time. But it then transpired that he was not available at all to give an interview.

Mgr Grech has undertaken interviews that were broadcast on RTK and TVM and he granted extensive access to Xarabank for the purposes of a television programme about him. The Times made the request to speak to the bishop at the same time as the other organisations to which he granted an interview.

A few days after the interview was cancelled, a spokesman for the bishop said Mgr Grech was willing to make "a comment". However, The Times insisted on an interview proper.

The Times provided the bishop with an opportunity to explain why he was not willing to be interviewed by the newspaper when he has carried out interviews with other media, but he has declined to make comments on the record.

Mgr Grech was ordained Bishop of Gozo on January 22.