Gozo bishop tells priests not to seek popularity

Gozo Bishop Mario Grech has urged priests not to betray the Word of God by saying what others wanted to hear in a bid to be popular.

This message comes in the wake of a heated debate over whether cohabiting couples should receive Holy Communion.

Just yesterday, the Archbishop's delegate for Catechesis, Fr Renè Camilleri, told The Times the Church's role was not to dictate the law, but to help people discover God's grace.

Last Sunday Mgr Grech had said in homily that if a person's life was in "moral disorder", even if there were reasons excusing him, he could not receive the Eucharist because this would create "scandal to others".

The debate shows no sign of abating and last Friday Mgr Grech told priests, gathered for a prayer meeting to conclude the Year of the Priest, they should be encouraged by St John's decision to stand firm in his faith and face isolation instead of betraying the Word of God.

"This should give courage to priests who are being called upon to betray the gospel to make it more appetising for people," he said.

"There are those who are alleging that if our priests are loyal to the good news, they will be the cause of empty churches. Could it be the case that our churches, although full, are already barren?" Mgr Grech said.

He acknowledged that the Church was going through turmoil that was coming from an atheist society and those who were fighting to remain celibate in a "hedonistic and sexually ridiculous world", among others.