Mgr Charles Vella celebrated the 60th anniversary of his priesthood with a group of 20 friends from Italy and a large congregation at St Gregory parish church, Sliema. He was ordained in Rome in 1954.

Twenty priests concelebrated Mass with Fr Charles, including Mgr Philip Calleja, Mgr Prof. Ċensu Borg, Mgr Victor Grech, St Gregory parish priest Fr Victor Scicluna and Cana Movement director Fr Joe Mizzi.

The congregation included President Emeritus Eddie Fenech Adami, Opposition Leader Simon Busuttil, former prime minister Lawrence Gonzi, former ministers, Rev. Neil Robb of the Anglican Holy Trinity Church, and Cana Movement president Arthur Galea Salomone.

Mgr Angelo Spina, Bishop of Sulmona and Valva, in his homily, spoke about God’s presence in the priesthood and the beauty of the vocation. He described Fr Charles’s connection with many dioceses in Italy over the past 40 years as a pioneer of marriage counselling and family pastoral work in Italy, with the foundation of many counselling centres.

He also spoke about Fr Charles’s 28 years of work for San Raffaele Hospital. “To me, Fr Charles is like a brother, a friend and a father.”

The bishop also reminded the faithful of Pope Francis’s words about Fr Charles, describing him as one of the first in the Church to work for a solid preparation to marriage.

Congratulatory messages by Cardinal Angelo Scola of Milan, Cardinal Paolo Romeo of Palermo, Cardinal Dionigi Tettamanzi of Milan, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, Auxiliary Bishop Charles Scicluna and Bishop Ġorġ Frendo of Albania were read after Mass.

Fr Charles’s long-time friend, Al Bano, sang the Ave Maria.

Peter and Narcy Calamatta produced an illustrated folder featuring Fr Charles’s 60 years of priesthood.

Fr Charles and his family were entertained to lunch at Mareluna Restaurant, Sliema. Wine was provided by Al Bano from his own vineyard.