I refer to the article by Fr Joe Borg, ‘Ecclesiastical blood transfusions: Take 3’ (The Sunday Times of Malta, August 23).

I wonder why Borg was so upset at the Mosta archpriest’s request to the Archbishop for the Mosta church to become a basilica. Sometimes I even wonder why our archpriest asked for such an upgrade. Thinking it over, maybe it’s because of the church’s architectural grandeur including the fact that it has one of the largest unsupported domes in the world.

Or perhaps it could be because the Mosta church hosted several important religious events like the International Eucharistic Congress, the Centenary of St Paul, the Dogma of the Virgin Mary and many more. It could also be because of the large number of devotees who regularly attend the church services, as witnessed by the Archbishop himself.

Certainly the church’s upgrade to a basilica would come as no surprise to the thousands of tourists who visit this magnificent structure every day.

I think Borg’s comment was not at all helpful. As a pastor of Christ, I would have expected him to unite his flock and not instigate dissent between localities.

It seems that Borg, with all his intellect, was easily swayed by some of the posts on the internet.