Fr Joseph Caruana, 87, of Paola is in critical condition after he was run over by a van at his hometown at about 10 a.m. yesterday.

Dun Guzepp, as the priest is known, was very popular with many generations of people in Paola having set up the first Catholic Action Movement's Paola Youth Centre way back in 1958.

The police said the incident occurred in Antoine de Paule Square, not far from the youth centre, when an elderly resident aged 87 (as the police referred to the priest) was crossing the road and was hit by a Toyota van driven by a 41-year-old man, also of Paola.

An ambulance took Fr Caruana to hospital where he was found to be suffering from serious injuries.

Fr Caruana who was awarded the national award Midalja Ghal Qadi tar-Repubblika in December 1994 for his work among youths, had set up the Paola youth centre with the help of the then president of the Catholic Action Movement, Mikiel Caruana after renting the premises known as the Trops Hall, just a few metres from where the accident happened yesterday.

The youth centre used to make use of a house owned by Fr Caruana in St Paul's Bay as a rest camp.

A youth centre for girls was opened in 1962.

Acquaintances of Fr Caruana said that even at the age of 87 he was still a very active man within the church and society. A few months ago he led a group of holiday makers on a visit to the Dolomites and also went on a cruise.

Magistrate Miriam Hayman opened an inquiry and appointed a team of court experts to draw up reports about the incident.

The police are investigating.

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