Ibraġ has a new parish priest. During an enlightening ceremony Archbishop Charles Scicluna gave the keys of the parish to Fr Mario Tong. In the official citation, those present were literally awestricken by the pastoral, spiritual and leadership track record of Fr Tong.

This is the sixth time Fr Tong has been appointed a parish priest. He has served his flocks in four parishes in Malta, one in Gibraltar and one in New York.

Archbishop Scicluna, who knows him best, sang his praises. We have it from the horse’s mouth that our new parish priest is a persevering, hardworking spiri­tual leader with a vision. One with a clear agenda. He is the type of leader who does not give up easily.

We now also know that Fr Tong accepted to be our parish priest on condition that the diocese of Malta provides him with help. He did not hesitate to remind the Archbishop of the latter’s promise to send more priests to Ibraġ.

I was happy to hear our Archbishop declaring that he loves our parish and our parish­ioners as they are. Yes, we are a parish with hardly any popular traditions of external manifes­tation of faith. We are a parish of sound faith.

Fr Tong will be the perfect leader to continue the good work of previous parish priests.

While our mayor, Noel Muscat, publically declared that our council will be unconditionally collaborating with the new parish priest whenever he needs us, we look forward to being asked to serve. I wish him great success and appeal to him to exercise his patience and understanding when we fail him in any way.

I would also like to thank Fr Tony Agius, who served as parish priest of our community for a record number of years. Ad Multos Annos to both.