What a great pleasure and honour it was to have the Archbishop of Malta, Mgr Paul Cremona, among us, the Maltese community of Melbourne, for a week, before he continued his journey to NSW to attend the World Youth Day.
He is so humble, very friendly, down to earth and always with a smile on his face.
He was full of energy, when after a long trip from Malta, he managed to attend so many functions within the community.
Everywhere he's been, he left a big impression.
Patiently he posed for hundreds of photos with members of the community.
He was given a well-deserved welcome at the Maltese Centre, Parkville, on the day he arrived. During that week he met several community groups and finally concelebrated Mass, along with our own Maltese Bishop of Sandhurst, Mgr Joseph Grech, and about 23 other Maltese priests, at St Patrick's Cathedral, East Melbourne.
Malta should be proud of having Mgr Cremona as its Archbishop.
I would also like to say how impressed we were with the Maltese youths who travelled with the Archbishop for the WYD08, young men and women, who, in this day and age, are full of life, happy and still have their religion close to their hearts.
We were most impressed with them.
Well done.