Mgr Joseph Mercieca became Archbishop of Malta at a time when Prime Minister Dom Mintoff was focused on proceeding with the introduction of a series of civic reforms he believed in. These included measures which were bound to create friction with the Church in Malta, which he considered as “one of the most backward in Christendom”.

The first meeting the two leaders had following the December 12, 1976, installation of Mgr Mercieca, was held at Castile just 11 days after Mgr Mercieca received the reins of the Church in Malta.

It was a generally calm but also very difficult meeting. On one side, it reflected the determination of Mr Mintoff to push on with his plans. On the other, it put in evidence Mgr Mercieca’s skill in managing problems with a kind of courage ingrained in his full faith in the help of God and sustained by an extraordinary ability to remain calm.

Relations between Mr Mintoff and Mgr Mercieca became sour to the extent that the Prime Minister refused to negotiate with the Archbishop regarding Church matters and insisted on negotiating directly with the Vatican. Yet, Mgr Mercieca had and continued to enjoy the full confidence of the Holy See, particularly of Pope John Paul II who used to follow what was happening in Malta with particular attention and great concern.

The worst part of the crisis centred around the plans of Mr Mintoff’s government regarding Church schools and Church property. Things went from bad to worse.

The impasse was solved through a 1984 personal and direct initiative by Mgr Mercieca which opened the door for new positive and productive negotiations leading, step by step, to an agreed workable solution.

From then onwards, relations between Mr Mintoff and Mgr Mercieca became very positive. Mgr Mercieca continued with his constant practice of sending birthday greetings to Mr Mintoff, something which Mr Mintoff used to appreciate a lot.

On August 10, 1987, Mr Mintoff wrote as follows to Mgr Mercieca: “Your Grace, It was indeed very kind of you to send me your good wishes and your blessing on my birthday, especially now, when old age and other circumstances have become a serious obstacle to my wish to be of help to our peoples in these uneasy times. While reciprocating your warm thoughts may I also augur that one day our parallel paths shall meet for the greater benefit to our little island. Sincerely yours, Dom Mintoff.”

Mgr Mercieca appreciated such feedback from Mr Mintoff. However, the letter from Dom Mintoff which Mgr Mercieca treasured most was the one dated August 9, 1989, wherein Mr Mintoff acknowledged to him as follows: “Your Grace, It was very kind of you to send greetings on my birthday – a gesture of friendship for which I feel I have a very little claim. My wife and I thank you and wish you good health and happiness. Yours sincerely, Dom Mintoff.”

Mr Mintoff and Mgr Mercieca continued to meet on a friendly basis every now and then. In the first part of August 2012, Mr Mintoff was admitted to the Intensive Therapy Unit of Mater Dei Hospital. Mgr Mercieca visited him repeatedly. During their exchanges, Mr Mintoff spoke to Mgr Mercieca about how much he had come to value and recognise Mgr Mercieca’s work in and for the Church in Malta.

Mr Mintoff passed away on August, 20, 2012. When approached for a comment on Mr Mintoff, Mgr Mercieca spoke well of him. He also attended Mr Mintoff’s state funeral.

“I bid farewell to him as a friend. I thanked God for all the good the Lord did through him. I thanked Mr Mintoff for all the good he did in his lifetime, especially in his zeal to see his country and the people of these islands moving ahead according to what he used to believe was best. I prayed the Lord to receive him in his arms and grant him eternal rest in the Lord’s never ending love, radiance and peace. Every day, every morning, I think of him and pray for him,” states Mgr Mercieca in his 2014 Memoirs.

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