Leone Band Club roars at Bishop of Gozo

Victoria's Leone Band Club yesterday criticised Gozo Bishop Mario Grech for failing to meet its representatives since he was nominated two years ago, and reiterated that it should have been consulted over the appointment of a new parish priest for the Cathedral.

Among the reasons listed by the society as to why it should have been consulted was that it was the legitimate and legal representative of the parishioners of the Cathedral parish in the Pastoral Council. As such, it said, it had a legitimate role to play in promoting and defending parishioners' views and rights.

Furthermore, the society said, Canon Law urged the diocesan bishop to seek the opinion of the parishioners on the appointment of a new parish priest.

Bishop Grech appointed Mgr Joseph Attard to replace Mgr Joe Vella Gauci as Cathedral parish priest on September 18, as well as replacing the parish priest at Victoria's other parish, St George's Basilica.

It said that Mgr Grech had never told the society that it had acted incorrectly at any point. For these reasons, the society went on, it could not accept claims by "sources in the Bishop's Curia" which had sought to justify the removal of the parish priest because they "cannot continue to tolerate the farcical episodes that are happening in Gozo".

The society did point to incidents it considered to be farcical, such as the removal of the main door of the Astra Theatre (which should have been kept closed on the eve of the Santa Marija feast), the alleged discharge of ammonia into the street as its band approached the Astra, and the ringing of the bells at its rival church, St George's Basilica, as the Leone band march arrived in St George Square.

However, it said, the Leone Band Club said it had nothing to do with these incidents, and nor did the parish priest.

"Such arguments by the (Gozo) Curia lead us to conclude that the bishop has harvested the wheat with the grass and thrown everything into the fire. In this way, the good has been burnt with the bad, something which goes against the law of God and which, rather than dampening parochialism, is likely to weaken parish communities."

The society said the bishop would have cause for concern not when it made its voice heard, as was its duty, but when everybody ignored what was happening and indifference set in.