The Archbishop believes it would be “more worthwhile” for people to pray at home rather than hold a public prayer meeting on Wednesday to support the Church’s leadership, a Curia spokesman said yesterday.

The spokesman was reacting to plans by a group of people to gather outside Archbishop Paul Cremona’s residence in Attard to show him their solidarity through prayer.

“While encouraging any form of prayer, His Grace is of the belief that it would be more worthwhile and pertinent if families were to come together in their own homes to pray for the Church,” the spokesman said.

The Archbishop’s position has been called into question by certain priests who raised concerns over a perceived “leadership vacuum”.

Auxiliary Bishop Charles Scicluna said he was “uncomfortable” with the idea of a public demonstration of solidarity which was being organised independently of the Church.

“It is not being encouraged, neither is it being discouraged (by the Curia),” he said, though added he found it “strange”.

“We do appreciate people wanting to support the Archbishop and in fact we pray for him during every Mass... but I don’t see any need for that external manifestation... however, I do appreciate the good intentions of so many people.

He shared the Archbishop’s view that the show of support would be best channelled through “prayer and Christian witness”.

Among those supporting the event is Curia delegate Charles Tabone. Contacted for a reaction to Wednesday’s meeting, Fr Tabone said he was supporting it on a personal basis and not as a Church representative.

Writing in his column in The Sunday Times of Malta two weeks ago, Fr Joe Borg had said the situation within the Maltese Church’s leadership was worse than the Nationalist Party’s when it lost the 1976 general election.

Rocking the boat to wake up the captain does not mean mutiny

Contacted for his reaction to the planned public gathering, Fr Borg declined to comment, saying that he believed the meeting was being organised to show support for the Archbishop, and nothing else.

A Facebook page inviting the public to light a candle outside the Archbishop’s residence elicited mixed reactions.

Writing on the page, Vincent Attard rejected speculation that Fr Borg’s comments formed part of a coup within the Church ranks.

“Rocking the boat to wake up the captain does not mean mutiny,” he said.

Elizabeth Borg, on the other hand, voiced her objection to the meeting, and asked why Christians were picking on the Archbishop.

“How can certain priests expect the Church to attract people, if they can’t stand our spiritual leader,” she said.

Meanwhile, an online petition also showing support for the Archbishop has so far collected more than 1,600 signatures.