Mgr Tarċisju Gatt (left) with his sister Anastasia Tabone and Bishop of Gozo, Mgr Ġużeppi Pace.

One of the lesser known benefactors of the Gozo Cathedral Church was Mgr Tarċisju Gatt, a priest from Victoria who passed away some 40 years ago.

It is almost impossible not to hear his name mentioned every year during the annual festivities in honour of the Assumption or Santa Marija in Victoria.

He became not only part of the history of the Cathedral parish but of the entire island of Gozo because, as a priest, he was of an exemplary conduct and loved by all.

Mgr Gatt was born on February 18, 1912, the son of Ġorġ Gatt and Marija Roża, née Scicluna, and was baptised at St George’s parish in Victoria. When young, his parents brought him up in the Catholic faith so dear to them.

The church, the school and his home were the three places he frequented during his childhood and early youth. When he was only 17, he lost his dear father. It was during this period of his life that he began to feel the first seeds of the priestly vocation. He left his mother and entered the Diocesan Seminary not far from his home.

As a student, Mgr Gatt was quite bright and he did well. He used to come first in class and also had a strong, spiritual side to his personality. He was ordained a priest on July 25, 1937, at St John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta by Mgr Michael Gonzi, then Bishop of Gozo, who later became Archbishop of Malta.

From the beginning of his ministry, Mgr Gatt put God at the centre of his life. He was sought after as a preacher in Gozo; he never accepted to preach on the sister island of Malta because he hated travelling. No pulpit was foreign for him in the Gozo diocese. He was a refined preacher whom everybody liked to hear; he never tired his listeners because of his ability in the preaching ministry. The Bishop of Gozo, Mgr Giużeppi Pace, made him chaplain to the police sector of Gozo and later on he was chosen as spiritual director of the Leone Band of Victoria. He also worked in various praesidiums of the Legion of Mary in Gozo.

He was a great devotee of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Every time he preached about the her, the faithful used to think he was about to jump out of the pulpit

Mgr Gatt had the education of youth very much to his heart; he was instrumental in the building of the new Don Bosco Oratory, established by Fr Paul Micallef of Victoria. He taught the Italian language, which was so dear to him, in the Gozo Seminary; he also taught the novices of the Augustinian Order in their convent in Victoria and was sought by the Catholic Action groups to deliver conferences to them too.

Mgr Gatt was at his best during the liturgical celebrations; besides having a special voice – he was, in fact, a renowned tenor – he was a great devotee of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Every time he preached about her, the faithful used to think he was about to jump out of the pulpit.

Mgr Gatt was at his best while singing the Salve Regina. In 1946, Mgr Pace chose him as his master of liturgy; he always gave his best at such services.

Mgr Gatt will also be remembered as a benefactor of the Gozo Cathedral. He paid from his own money for various new altar dressings and other sacred objects that are still in use today, especially during the kwindiċina – the 15 days preceding the titular feast of Santa Marija, celebrated with great pomp on August 15.

As spiritual director of the Leone Band, he urged the members of the society’s committee to donate to the Cathedral parish the statue of St Mary, which was kept in their premises. He also established the Fraternity of St Mary in 1975 to help in the preparation of the feast of the Assunta.

In 1956, Mgr Pace chose him as monsinjur kuġitur (canon co-adjutant) of Mgr Salvatore Attard. He was installed as effective canon with the title of monsignor in June 1956.

From 1962 onwards, his health began to deteriorate due to diabetes and his eyesight started to suffer. When Mgr Gatt passed away on February 5, 1966, all of Victoria mourned him.

Today, his remains are to be found in one of the side chapels of the Gozo Cathedral – the church he loved so much – only a few metres away from the niche of Santa Marija, the heavenly Queen whom he loved with all his heart.

His memory will never die out – Gozitan poet John Cremona, who was also a friend of his, dedicated one of his best poems to him.