Mgr Joe Vella Gauci presenting his diplomatic credentials as Malta’s representative to UNESCO to Director-General Irina Bokova.

Mgr Joe Vella Gauci’s appointment as the Government’s envoy to UNESCO in Paris was not approved by Gozo’s ecclesiastical authorities, The Sunday Times of Malta has learnt.

Sources close to the Gozo Curia confirmed Mgr Vella Gauci did not seek the permission of Gozo Bishop Mario Grech over this appointment, as he was obliged to do under Canon Law.

When contacted, Mgr Vella Gauci – who has also been approved to act as Malta’s Permanent Representative to UNESCO from an office in Gozo, where he resides – said there had been other instances where priests were given appointments by the State.

However, when pressed to declare who he meant and whether they had sought the Church’s permission first, he asked for questions to be sent by e-mail.

Despite reminders, Mgr Vella Gauci declined to reply to further questions about his appointment.

He said: “After having considered your questions at some length, it is evident that these are not bona fide questions to which I should reply.”

The Sunday Times of Malta asked Mgr Vella Gauci to state whether he had sought the Gozo Bishop’s permission prior to accepting a public appointment.

Sources close to the Gozo Curia told this newspaper that Canon Law made it quite clear that priests were prohibited from holding public posts.

According to article 285 of Canon Law, “clerics are to refrain completely from all those things which are unbecoming to their state, according to the precincts of particular law”.

Sub article 3 particularly states: “Clerics are forbidden to assume public offices which entail a participation in the exercise of civil power.”

Sources said the Gozo Bishop and Mgr Vella Gauci were “not on the best of terms” since the latter was replaced as Archpriest of the Cathedral in 2007.

The Leone Philharmonic Society of Victoria had openly opposed Mgr Grech’s decision, instructing parishioners not to take part in the bishop’s functions at the Cathedral.

The society had described Mgr Vella Gauci’s removal as “humiliating” and against the wishes of parishioners.

Mgr Grech had also replaced the Archpriest of St George’s Basilica in Victoria.