The guns of the Gozo Cathedral (1)

I agree fully with Mgr Anton Gauci's and Mr Joseph Apap's letters (The Sunday Times, May 13 and May 27, respectively) asking for the return of the Gozo Cathedral bronze guns after the well deserved restoration.

But, I am afraid, their plea came too late, and is like crying over spilt milk. They should have done this before the infamous event took place to prevent it or at least disapprove of it! As they say, Melior est conditio possidentis, in other words, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

I, for one, wrote ad nauseam in The Times and other papers to show my disapproval of the bizarre idea of taking away our beloved guns and I wrote after they were taken too.

But, to my dismay, even if Dr Mario Tabone was kind enough to send a prenotice letter a month before, to inform the bishop of Gozo, which letter, I think, the bishop forwarded to the Cathedral archpriest and Chapter on time, no one seemed to bother or offer resistance.

Neither the bishop, nor the Cathedral Chapter and not even the so-called Historical Cultural Group seemed to raise a finger publicly to disapprove! They seemed to be happy enough with the two huge brand new bronze monuments of Pius IX and John Paul II that replaced the old guns.

Now, it is a lost battle, and we are at the mercy of Heritage Malta, and perhaps in the kind hands of the Minister for Gozo.

May God help us!