Controversial Dominican friar to face Order's head

Controversial Dominican friar Fr Mark Montebello is expected to be asked to tone down his speeches and articles during a meeting with the head of the Dominican Order later this month.

Fr Montebello has been called to Rome for a meeting with the Order's head, Fr Carlos Aspiroz Costa.

"I expect Fr Aspiroz Costa to ask Fr Montebello to be careful about what he says," sources told The Times.

Although Fr Montebello would not comment when contacted, the source confirmed he would be heading to Rome for the meeting. Fr Montebello and Fr Aspiroz Costa had studied together in Rome.

The General Workers' Union's weekly It-Torċa reported that it was Archbishop Paul Cremona who insisted that the Dominican Order take steps against Fr Montebello, following articles he wrote on newspapers about divorce and paedophilia as well as the priest's defence of Nigerian Monday Iseki, who was charged with resisting arrest.

The Curia was asked about this report but no reply was forthcoming by the time of writing.

Last November, Fr Montebello was disciplined by his superior in Malta for "offending the sentiment of the Maltese" after he said he believed that Jesus was in favour of divorce and that crucifixes did not need to be "flaunted" in public buildings.