Solidarity with the Bishop of Gozo

I would like to express my greatest respect and true solidarity towards Mario Grech, Bishop of Gozo. I am here expressing these feelings in my name as well as in the name of the committee and all the members of The Holy Name Society.

I must admit that we were very distressed when we heard about the insolent graffiti that appeared on the walls of the Gozo Curia. There could have been disagreements or even possibly some kind of hurt.

But this does not justify the way these were expressed. If there are disagreements or if there are hurts, then surely one can express them civilly through the media or better still discuss them around a table with the people concerned. One can express one's views with love, well-chosen words and with respect towards the people in authority.

The Holy Name Society would like to show its solidarity because we believe that while we rejoice with our spiritual leaders on happy occasions, so we share their sadness when they are insulted and hurt.

We would like to thank Mgr Grech for his leadership, wisdom, words of comfort and encouragement. We will continue to pray for him that God may give him the strength he needs in his sacred mission.

We can only be true followers of Christ if we accept the good and bad things that come our way in manifesting ourselves as Christians. By bearing the ills we are praising God because we are participating in His passion in the same way He accepted the beatings and humiliations. We praise God by our patience, by our example and above all by forgiving the wrongdoer, praying for him and loving him as God loves each and every one of us.