Gozo Bishop Mario Grech has urged priests not to exclude people because of the choices they made, insisting everyone had a place in “Peter’s boat”.

In a strongly-worded homily at the investiture ceremony of Sannat parish priest Fr Michael Curmi last week, the bishop said it was not the competence of priests to determine who was good and bad.

“It is not our job to classify people and label them good and bad, those who can attend community meetings and those who are excluded, left outside the door. Who are we to pass judgement?”

Mgr Grech urged the parish priest to cast a wide net and reach out to everyone. Nobody was lost because everyone could change his ways and grow in Christ’s intimacy, he added.

“We must not lose faith in people,” he said.

It is not our job to classify people and label them good and bad

The bishop’s words build on other messages he has conveyed since attending the synod on the family at the Vatican last year, which discussed morally-charged issues including the situation of remarried divorced Catholics and gay couples. The second part of the synod is expected to be held later this year.

However, Mgr Grech’s message also focused on the “trash” that held back the Church, in what appears a veiled reference to the religiosity the bishop has often criticised. Without elaborating, he said it was his intention to clean the Church from such problems.

“The net cast by the Church has space for all types of people but we also have useless trash... You know that I wish to clean the Church from the trash that has been collecting over the years. I know this is not an easy mission because there are a lot of lay people who do not understand me. But if we do not clear the net we risk tearing it and losing all the fish,” Mgr Grech said.