Appreciation - Mgr John Dimech

Rev. Geoffrey G. Attard, writes:
In the late morning hours of January 6, Mgr John Dimech passed away in the Gozo General Hospital after an active life of 86 years.

Mgr John Dimech was born in Floriana in December 1922 and educated at St Aloysius College and the Gozo Seminary. After a few years, his family moved to Balzan. Then, during World War II they moved to Gozo.

He was ordained to the priesthood in 1949 and was assigned numerous diocesan responsibilities. He was co-founder of the Christus Rex Society in 1958 and he became private secretary to Archbishop Michael Gonzi, whom he served between 1961 and 1968.

Mgr Dimech was also spiritual director and counsellor in government and private schools for more than 25 years. He served as ecclesiastical assistant for the Catholic Action Teachers' Movement and rector of Our Lady of Victories church in Valletta. Later on he became assistant national chaplain for the Young Christian Workers and assistant secretary for the Pauline centenary celebrations.

Mgr Dimech became magistral chaplain for the Sovereign Military Order of Malta on October 19, 1971, principal chaplain for the Maltese Association SMOM in 1983 and conventual chaplain ad honorem on October 19, 1991.

Pope John Paul II chose Mgr Dimech as one of his chaplains on July 23, 1998. He was also honorary canon of St Paul's collegiate parish church, Valletta and honorary canon of St George's collegiate basilica, Victoria.

A decree issued on June 25, 2002 by (the late) Grand Master Fra Andrew Bertie conferred Mgr Dimech the honour of Grand Cross Conventual Chaplain ad honorem. He received the insignia from Grand Master Bertie on August 2, 2002.

Mgr Dimech was also a renowned writer and researcher. He is the author of numerous articles on the history of Balzan and about Archbishop Gonzi. He authored The History Of Balzan in 1996.

He also devoted a lot of his time to research work on various aspects of the history of the Order. In 1989, he published The Biography Of Saints And Blessed Of The Order and, in April 2006, he published Spirituality And Formation Of Members, Future Members And Volunteers Of The Sovereign Military Order of Malta.

Mgr Dimech was working on a new book, The Order Of Malta And The Island Of Gozo, and also on a book about his personal experience as secretary to Archbishop Gonzi.

Over the past years he celebrated Mass regularly and offered his service at the Cana Movement headquarters in Victoria from where he also supervised the Gozo group of volunteers of the Order of Malta.

For many years he used to accompany the sick and disabled on pilgrimages to Lourdes. Mgr Dimech will be remembered as a priest who dedicated his entire life for the service of mankind, especially the poor and those in need.

His funeral Mass took place at St George's basilica, Victoria yesterday presided over by Gozo Bishop Mario Grech.