It is appropriate, in my view, to consider the impact that the episcopate of Archbishop Joseph Mercieca has left and will leave on Maltese life. This is not limited to his own specific area of competence. He has influenced the lifestyle of the Maltese, and this to the benefit of all.

To put it succinctly, he has transformed the image of the Church from one of power to one of a mission in favour of society. This does not mean that he has transformed the teaching of the Church to accommodate tendencies which are incompatible with that teaching. He transformed the way that message was delivered; then it is for the individual to follow.

Those of us who have seen other times were impressed when we saw him driving his own car to Valletta. That appeared strange, coming after a time when the Archbishop had all the trappings of power and his chauffeur-driven car competed with those of the powerful. That was a minor sign of the times that were changing. The Church was also driven by another motor. What was important was the teaching, rather than the teacher.

One may say that this was possible after Vatican Council II. When one remembers the stance taken by one of our bishops in that Council, that the Church is a perfect society and therefore there should be no change, because you cannot change what is perfect for the better, one can easily understand that the change could not only come from Rome, but it had to be translated in the local context. That is what Archbishop Mercieca did. This does not mean that he did not meet resistance from quarters which are close to the Church and where tradition still prevailed. Although he was always a cautious man, he never failed to put his foot down in matters concerning local parishes, such as feasts, where tradition showed all signs that Christianity was only a pretext for pique and fighting.

His major contribution

Archbishop Mercieca's major contribution was to dissociate the Church from party politics. He did it in a very inconspicuous way. That did not stop him from propounding the teaching of the Church, but he embarked on a patient exercise to make all feel they were entitled to be within the Church.

Although it may sound sore, the memory of the Sixties still lingered in many people's minds, and those times were not easily forgotten. In my view, religious sensitivities cut deeper and take longer to heal. Archbishop Mercieca, without proclaiming any such intent to forget the past, in his own silent manner turned a new leaf, without also hurting the other side.

His political neutrality did not emanate from any declaration. It was quite by accident, if one may say so. His concentration on the Gospel, its true universal meaning applicable to all men, without innuendoes to suit any political opinion, made it comfortable for everyone to feel included, whatever their political beliefs.

Together with another Gozitan, Mgr Nikol Cauchi, the Bishop of Gozo, the pastoral letters were concerned with the teaching of values. In former times, such pastoral letters were manifestoes, sometimes overtly other times covertly, supporting one political view rather than another.

Archbishop Mercieca's style, if I may interpret it, was not to denounce and condemn, but to show by example, by word and sometimes even by patient silence that there was something that was not right.

This opinion was formed at a very difficult time for him. Those who remember the Church schools question must certainly remember his patience. It was almost expected of him that he should head a crusade with public procession and fiery messages, not very different from the political debate.

That situation could easily have exploded into another clash between Church and State, and although it might have been resolved on the face of it by a general election which overturned the government of the day, the spiritual damage that would have ensued would have lasted for decades. There are still a few who still remember the times of Lord Strickland and the conflict between the Church and the Labour Party in the Sixties.

For the future

Mgr Mercieca has drawn up a new roadmap for the Church in Malta. This should make it easier for his worthy successor, Archbishop Paul Cremona. Some friends have told me that Archbishop Cremona had dedicated his life as a spiritual leader, both as a parish priest and also as spiritual director, with a patience to match.

I am sure that Archbishop Cremona will follow in the path traced by Mgr Mercieca, and that the image of the Church in Maltese society would be that values are what count, rather than the imagery and the pomp. Archbishop Mercieca phased out the transition from a Church bound by useless traditions to a greater accent on personal responsibility.

To Mgr Mercieca, my word of thanks. To his successor, Archbishop Cremona, my sincere wish to continue in the same mission.

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.