The main events of the Catholic Church
in Malta during 2001

Daniel Bartolo, MaltaMedia's Contributing Editor on Religious Affairs, looks at the main events that shaped Malta from a religious standpoint.

January

14 During the 14th and 17th of January, Mgr. Archbishop Joseph Mercieca and the auxiliary bishop Mgr. Annetto Depasquale together with 66 parish priests (pastors) had a Live In in the Seminary so as to discuss the praxis (everyday life) of the church.
25 The Curia announced that there were 1,782 religious marriage during the year 2000s.

February

Nazju Falzon and Adeodata Pisani

6 There was the announcement that the Pope was coming to Malta during the 8th and 9th of May 2001. It was going to be a journey on St. Paul's footsteps, 26 hours in all. On the 9th of May the beatification of Dun Gorg Preca had to take place too.
21 The healing with the intercession of Nazju Falzon and another by Adeodata Pisani were declared medically unexplainable.
24 It was announced that the Diocesan assembly of the synod had to meet for the first time on the 2nd of June.
27 Mgr Archbishop announced the themes of the synod: Culture-Society-Church; A vision of the church - communion/people with charism and different ministries; Laity; Word/Proclamation; Liturgy/Sacraments; Deaconship/Justice; Marriage and Family; Youth and adoloscents.

March

11 Beatification of Don Vicente Scicluna, a Spanish priest (Maltese descendant) in Rome.
23 The College of Parish Priests encourages discussion about the Maltese celebration of Patron Saints especially problems arising from such celebrations.

April

4 The theologians council declares the healing by the intercession of Ven. Marija Adeodata Pisani and another by the Ven. Nazju Falzon was scientifically unexplainable.
23 The above statement was approved by the congregation of Cardinals and the congregation of bishops in Rome.
27 The bishop Mgr. Joseph Angelo Grech starts officially his work as a Bishop of the diocese of Sandhurst, Australia.
28 A Pastoral letter of the bishops in Malta in preparation for the Pope's visit.

May

The Granaries in Floriana were packed with the faithful during the beatification mass of three Maltese persons in May 2001.

8 The Pope John Paul II starts officially his visit to Malta. He pays a courtesy visit to the President of Malta. People wait for hours in the hot sun in order to have a glimpse of his face.
9 Celebration by the Pope on the granaries (Fosos) in Floriana. He beatifies Dun Gorg Preca, Nazju Falzon and Marija Adeodata Pisani. It is the first time that Maltese people are beatified and the first time too that it takes place in Malta. In the afternoon the Pope visits the Society for Christian teaching (MUSEUM) in Blata-l-Bajda. Both these events were covered extensively by MaltaMedia in this Special Feature.

June

2 The first time in Maltese History that a synod assembly of the archidiocese takes place with the participation of a great number of laity.
4 The authorities of the church in Malta proclaim that the Feast of Christ the King in Paola is cancelled. The reason is because a new band wants to participate in the feast (There was a prohibition of new bands participating in Feasts earlier because of division and fighting caused in other villages whenever two bands were present).
6 The external celebration of the feast of the Holy Trinity in Marsa is cancelled too. The reason is because of bad behaviour on the previous day.
15 A group of 268 people - including 143 lay people - start the first session of the synod. The Archbishop urges all to hear each other in an atmosphere of dialogue. He encourages everybody to speak with full liberty, sincerely, and with lots of love and respect.

July

2 The report of Dun Benny Tonna concerning the signs of times is published. Incidentally the priest died just days before the publication. The report Maintaining Momentum shows great changes in the Maltese youth. They are still very religious although their way of expressing their spirituality starts to differ from that of their parents. In morality, significant changes were taking place which could bring about radical changes in their lives in the near future.
26 The Pope appoints a new Maltese bishop, Fr. Robert Camilleri OFM. He is to be an auxiliary bishop of the diocese of Esperitu Santo in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

August

3 The ordination of 7 new priests takes place. They are: Fr. Charlo Camilleri O.Carm, Fr. Christopher Caruana OP, Rev. Joseph Joseph, Fr. Martin Cilia MSSP, Rev David Muscat, Rev. Albert Schembri, Rev. Norman Zammit.
8 The Pope nominates Mgr. Archbishop Luigi Conti as an Apostolic nuncio for Malta.
15 A Pastoral letter of the bishops of Malta dealing with the Pope's visit to Malta.

September

Archbishop Guzeppi Mercieca

4 Mr. Joseph Camilleri, a member of the lay society for Christian Teaching, is nominated by Pope John Paul II in order to take part in the tenth general assembly of the bishops' synod in Rome between the 29th of September and the 27th of October.
28 The Archbishop celebrates his 27th bishops' ordination anniversary. He insists that nobody is called to remain closed in his group but rather to give a helping a hand to all.
28 The bishop of Gozo (Mgr. Nikol Cauchi) goes to Rome to represent Malta in the bishops' synod.

October

4 A sub-committee regarding the environment starts operating. It has to discuss with other environmental groups.
5 The report about the second year of the Diocesan Synod is published. There is some information about the work being done by each eight groups. Each group has to present a pastoral (practical) document on how the church in Malta needs to tackle the subject chosen. All the documents are to be discussed in the synod. All the chairpersons are lay people.
5 A commission for Sacred Music is to organise two courses for all sacred music lovers.
8 The Catholic Enquiry Centre of the Segretariat for Emigration and Tourism together with the Faculty of Theology and the Pastoral Secretariat of the Church in Malta are to organise a formation course for all the laity involved.

December

Apostolic Nuncio Luigi Conti meets President Guido de Marco on December 17 2001

6 Archbishop Monsignor Luigi Conti who was nominated by the Pontiff as the new Apostolic Nuncio for Malta arrived and met with Archbishop Guzeppi Mercieca.Mgr. Conti was born at Ceprano (Frosinone) Italy, on 2 March 1929. He was ordained priest on 29 September 1954 and is a Doctor in Utroque Iure (Canon and Roman Law). Mgr. Conti initiated his service with the Diplomatic Corp of the Holy See in 1959. He served at the Apostolic Nunciatures in Indonesia, Venezuela, Belgium and France. From 1971 to 1975 Mgr. Conti was the Permanent Observer of the Holy See at the UNESCO. On 2nd August 1975 Mgr. Conti was nominated Apostolic Nuncio in Haiti and Apostolic Delegate in Antille. On 19th November 1983 he started serving as Pro-Apostolic Nuncio in Iraq and Kuwait, while on 12th April 1991 was nominated Apostolic Nuncio in Ecuador. As from 15th May 1999, Mgr. Conti was nominated Apostolic Nuncio in Turkey and in Turkmenistan.In Malta, Mgr. Conti will be succeeding Archbishop Mgr. Luigi Gatti who at the end of last June was nominated Apostolic Nuncio in Lebanon. He is fluent in French, Spanish and German.
17 Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Monsignor Luigi Conti presented his letters of credence to President of Malta Guido de Marco.

A special thanks to Charles Buttigieg for his outstanding help. Mr. Buttigieg is the PRO at the Curia, headquarters of the church in Malta. .