Former Gozo Bishop Nikol Cauchi, known for his intellect, jovial character and ability to deliver profound messages using simple words, died in hospital early yesterday, aged 81.
The death of “Gozo’s father”, as many referred to him, shocked relatives and friends who were hoping he would soon be back at his home in Għarb as he was showing signs of recovery from pneumonia and heart failure.
“I was with Mgr Cauchi on Sunday evening and he was much the same as always: interested in the news, eager to share a joke and commenting with a wry smile that, unlike lunch, his evening meals at Mater Dei Hospital did not include dessert,” his friend, Steve Mallia, said.
“When the nursing assistant put him to bed and I was the last to leave his side, he fell asleep very peacefully – giving no indication that he would not be with us the next morning,” added Mr Mallia, the editor of The Sunday Times.
Mgr Cauchi was admitted to the Gozo General Hospital on October 27 and transferred to Mater Dei the following day. In critical condition, he was placed on a ventilator and was initially under sedation in the Intensive Therapy Unit. He slowly recovered and was moved to the Cardiac Surgical Ward on Friday. He died yesterday at about 6.05 a.m. after suffering from respiratory problems.
Mgr Cauchi’s youngest brother Achilles, a priest, was also by his side on Sunday and said he seemed to be doing well. He and his other brother and their two sisters had not expected the sudden death of their elder brother, he said.
Fr Renato Borg, who was Mgr Cauchi’s pastoral secretary for 14 years and his assistant for the past five, said the former Bishop was speaking to people normally while in hospital.
“His memory was still as sharp as usual and he recalled the names of people I couldn’t remember. He even asked me to deliver research material he promised to a priest to be ordained in summer.
“I think he was conscious of the situation he was in but would not show it,” Fr Borg reflected, adding he was always impressed by Mgr Cauchi’s love for God and society.
“His vocation included putting a smile on people’s faces. When we attended a Bishops’ Synod abroad, other cardinals came to his table to hear his jokes after a day of discussions,” he said.
Several friends and colleagues of Mgr Cauchi’s mentioned his “jovial” side.
“He was a great lover of the people with a great interest in society and the Church... What always struck me was he could convey good ideas and sound theory in clear, simple words that carried a profound meaning and used jokes to get his message across,” recalled former Archbishop Joseph Mercieca, his childhood friend and colleague.
Archbishop Paul Cremona said Mgr Cauchi had a way of turning one word into a joke “but there was thought behind his humour as he had an analytical mind”.
His death, he said, was a great loss for Gozo and for the Maltese Church and society. It would be wise if his writings on the social teachings of the Church were collated.
Agreeing to this, Gozo Bishop Mario Grech said his predecessor was a point of reference in terms of his theological and social teachings. He described him as an “all-rounder” and a rare point of reference he could rely on blindly.
He recalled the day when after being informed he would become Gozo Bishop, Mgr Cauchi called him to his office.
“He greeted me with that trademark smile on his face... He told me: ‘May God help you with your new mission. I’ve experienced it enough’,” Mgr Grech said.
President Emeritus and former Prime Minister Eddie Fenech Adami also spoke about Mgr Cauchi’s beaming smile.
He recalled the first time he met the Bishop as leader of the Nationalist Party, in 1977. “My recollection of that meeting was of a person who was very intelligent, very humorous, cracking jokes but sound in judgment,” he said.
He had asked the Bishop why the Church had not spoken up about the tense political situation in Malta.
“He said I was right but it was a problem to be dealt with by the two bishops during the (Episcopal Conference) meeting and he was a backbencher there. I laughed my heart out,” Dr Fenech Adami said adding that, after that, the bishop followed the situation in Malta.
Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi knew Mgr Cauchi from the days when he was active within the Catholic Action.
“He always impressed me as a person who was very down to earth and knew exactly what was happening around us. He was open to initiatives that addressed the major social issues in Malta...
“He had this special characteristic that would bring a smile when talking about very difficult or tense issues,” Dr Gonzi said, adding he considered Mgr Cauchi to be one of the major personalities in Malta who contributed towards social development in a number of areas.
Former friends and colleagues Vicar General Giovanni Gauci and Curia chancellor Saviour Debrincat said Mgr Cauchi introduced important reforms in the Gozo Church that were required by the Second Vatican Council and also organised a Synod in Gozo.
He also dedicated a lot of energy to the Seminary and sent priests to study and specialise abroad.
“I admired him because he was an intelligent man with a great memory who had an even greater heart. He was sometimes criticised because of that but he did not react publicly... He possessed the art of bringing calm and spreading joy,” Mgr Gauci said.
Mgr Debrincat added that he was a well-read man who could hold a conversation about anything under the sun. “They used to say that when he was a student all the books in the library passed through his hands.”
Fr Frankie Bajada said when the Bishop appointed him parish priest of Għajnsielem he emphasised communication with parishioners. “What always impressed me was the manner in which he came to the parish and met children and parents before they did their confirmation. He spoke to them in such a simple way,” he said.
Throughout the day yesterday, tributes poured in from political parties and organisations praising the work of Mgr Cauchi and offering solidarity to his relatives. These included the Nationalist Party, the Labour Party, Alternattiva Demokratika, the Għarb local council and the Curia’s Archdiocese in Malta.
Commenting about the words of praise directed at Mgr Cauchi, his assistant and friend Fr Borg said: “He probably would not like it. He was a humble man. But such words are about paying due respect to him.”
Funeral Mass will be held at Gozo Cathedral in Victoria at 3.30 p.m. tomorrow. His body will be transported to the sister island today with the cortege leaving Mater Dei Hospital at 12.30 p.m. for Marfa. On arrival in Gozo, the body will lie in state for about an hour at Għarb, Mgr Cauchi’s hometown. It will then be taken to the Gozo Curia where it will lie in state until 1 p.m. tomorrow.
Nikol Cauchi’s life
Mgr Nikol Cauchi was born at the family home in Għarb on March 2, 1929. The first of five children, he was named after his grandfather, a blacksmith. His father was a sacristan at the village church and two of his uncles were clergymen.
Mgr Cauchi was ordained on March 29, 1952. He then obtained a doctorate in philosophy from the Gregorian University in Rome before becoming parish priest of Fontana in 1956.
He was made Auxiliary Bishop of Gozo and Apostolic Administrator in 1967 and installed as the seventh residential Bishop of Gozo on July 20, 1972, succeeding Mgr Joseph Pace.
He was cast in the international media spotlight in the summer of 2000 during the controversy surrounding the fate of two Siamese twins whose parents, from Xagħra, contested, in line with Church teaching, a decision by the English Court of Appeal to separate the two – since this would automatically lead to the death of one of them.
The parents eventually agreed to separating the twins following an appeal decision.
Mgr Cauchi held the position until stepping down in January 2006 after sending his resignation to the Pope on his 75th birthday in accordance with Canon law. He had said he was looking forward to having more time to himself but had since then kept his hands full with writing, teaching and broadcasting.
One of his dreams was to open a secondary school for girls in Gozo which was opened, within the Bishop’s Conservatory, 10 years ago.
Bishop Emeritus of Gozo and Dean Emeritus of St George’s Basilica, he was decorated with the Grand Cross of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta in 2007 in recognition of his sterling service to the diocese of Gozo and to the Maltese Association of SMOM during his long episcopate.
Mgr Cauchi celebrated his 81st birthday last March.