The controversial reshuffle in the Gozo diocese, particularly the replacement of the archpriests of the Gozo Cathedral and St George's Basilica, were the talk of the town in the sister island yesterday.
On Tuesday, the Gozo Curia announced the appointment of five parish priests and archpriests including Mgr Guzeppi Attard as archpriest of the Cathedral parish and Mgr Pawl Cardona, archpriest of St George's parish. Both had been working in Rome for a number of years.
The new appointees are replacing Mgr Joe Vella Gauci and Mgr Guzeppi Farrugia, former archpriests of the rival Cathedral and St George's parishes respectively.
The Leone Philharmonic Society of Victoria, which is closely associated with the Cathedral parish, strongly deplored the removal of archpriest Mgr Vella Gauci and urged parishioners to show their disapproval in a civil manner. In a statement, the society expressed surprise at the "absurd" way the change of its archpriest was carried out, recalling that for the last 40 years, it had been consulted regularly in the choice of spiritual director.
The society deplored the way Mgr Vella Gauci was substituted by "someone who never had any connection with the Cathedral parish community" and reaffirmed its unconditional loyalty to Mgr Vella Gauci.
Apart from urging parishioners to show their disapproval towards the decision to replace Mgr Vella Gauci, the society insisted that the ecclesiastical authorities immediately revise the "mistaken decision" that has been taken.
This would turn out to be in the spiritual interest of the parish in general, parishioners individually and of the Gozo diocese, the society added.
In a Curia statement announcing the changes, Gozo Bishop Mario Grech said the choices made would be beneficial not only to the respective parish communities but also to the whole Church in Gozo.
Mgr Grech also appealed to the faithful to pray for the new parish priests and archpriests so that together with other parish priests they would continue to build communities that would have Jesus Christ at their centre.
The other appointed parish priests are Fr Lino Vella, parish priest of Fontana, Fr Nazju Borg, parish priest of San Lawrenz and Fr Gwann Sultana, parish priest of Kercem.