A popular church group will close its doors after 45 years tomorrow following a long standing internal rift and administrative problems.

The council of Fergħa Ewkaristika, based in Marsa, is waiting for a decision by the Curia on its future after no one volunteered to be on its council. It also cited “difficulties” with sister organisation Ulied Maria Ewkaristika.

Fergħa Ewkaristika was set up in 1965 by George Grima, known as Is-Superjur, after he was told by a “young man dressed in fine white clothes” to set up the prayer group.

Focusing on Eucharistic adoration and the celebration of Holy Mass, the group has a chapel in Marsa and is linked to a branch of lay women living together called Ulied Maria Ewkaristika, which was also founded by Mr Grima, a former MUSEUM member.

Fergħa Ewkaristika is claiming the women’s group is not acting in accordance with the founder’s intentions, in particular because they have not helped out at the chapel since 2005 when a row broke out during the annual general meeting.

Fergħa Ewkaristika is also alleging the women disrespected the founder’s memory by claiming he did not have the money to pay off the Żebbuġ house they live in – which it insists is its property.

In a reaction, however, the women said the founder wanted them to live in that home, and that his wish was for their institute to be consecrated.

“At present, the community is in the process of being recognised by the local Church authorities,” the women said in a statement. However, a 2006 decree signed by then Archbishop Joseph Mercieca states the women do not form part of a community or a consecrated institution. It directed them not to dress in a manner which gives the impression they are nuns or members of a consecrated institution.

The large Żebbuġ house was previously the base of many activities related to Fergħa Ewkaristika, but nowadays it is being used solely by the women’s community.

The women said: “Fergħa Ewkaristika has for a long time been making baseless claims against our community, the last of which is an attempt at showing us in a bad light”.

They said their community had “always cooperated with the Curia whenever anything was required” and that they had “no intention of contesting the allegations made by Fergħa Ewkaristika” publicly – but would instead go through the proper channels.

“We want to live the vocation we live in our heart, and want to keep working for the purpose we have been set up for,” the women’s community said.

In the meantime, Fergħa Ewkaristika is waiting for guidance from the Curia, from which it takes orders, on how to go about resolving the situation.

“The chapel will reopen when this guidance is imparted,” the group said in a statement.