News • November 16 2003

It’s the Pope’s decision

Reacting to what has probably been a barrage of questions from the media on the successor of Archbishop Joseph Mercieca, the Vatican’s representative office in Malta yesterday said that the "canonical process will start at the opportune moment: when the Pope deems fit."
The Apostolic Nunciature, in a rare public announcement remarked that the Maltese archdiocese still had somebody at its helm and "he remained worthy of the respect and gratitude of the people in the diocese."
Commenting on the future the Nunciature said: "One augurs that more than just inquiries and surveys to identify the person who has to be chosen when the time is ripe, more attention is devoted to spiritual preparedness through prayer, for the deeper renewal of the local church."
Despite handing in his resignation earlier this week upon reaching the age of 75, no successor has yet been nominated to take the place of Archbishop Joseph Mercieca.