Scicluna vows to ‘face off the wolf with the crosier’

He worked closely with Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican, and was possibly the Maltese prelate who was ever closest to any Pontiff. And yesterday Mgr Charles Scicluna was installed Archbishop of Malta, to take up the task that had worn out his predecessor, Mgr Pawl Cremona, OP, who resigned for health reasons.

The weather was unfavourable, with a wind blowing rather wildly, and showers threatening, but Mgr Scicluna was greeted with fireworks and plenty of applause as he started his installation ceremony yesterday morning.

Starting at his hometown in Lija, the ceremony led to his being officially installed as Archbishop.

Scicluna was greeted by a small crowd and Lija Mayor Magda Naudi presented him with a bouquet which he then placed at the statue of the Saviour, where Scicluna led those gathered in prayers.

He then headed to Rabat, for his first stop at the Franciscan church of Our Lady of Good Health, where he met members of various voluntary organisations and some sick people, pausing for a short prayer in front of a statue of Our Lady of Good Health.

The third stop was at St Dominic’s Church, where a large crowd awaited him. Scicluna was greeted warmly by Archbishop emeritus Paul Cremona and the two prayed in silence at the grotto of Our Lady under the church.

Scicluna then moved on to St Paul’s Grotto, which has been visited by both Benedict and his predecessor as Pontiff, John Paul II. There he was met with the combined L’Isle Adam and Count Roger bands, and the new leader of the church in Malta also prayed to St Paul, the island’s patron saint, credited with having brought Christianity to Malta when he was shipwrecked here in AD60.

The bands then led Scicluna to his next stop, Ta’ Giezu church, resplendent just last Thursday for the feast of St Joseph, and soon to be sombre for the Good Friday procession. At Ta’ Giezu, Scicluna was greeted by an even bigger crowd. The Franciscans presented him with a small statue of a somewhat stout bishop, which Scicluna greeted with a hearty peal of laughter, showing his trademark sense of humour.

At his next stop at St Mark’s church, Scicluna met with all the parish priests of Malta and they spared a moment to pray altogether. After these visits, the procession moved on to Mdina, where he was greeted by more enthusiastic crowds. Outside St Agatha Chapel, in Mdina Scicluna greeted the leaders of other Christian Churches and Christian traditions in Malta. Later on, outside the cathedral at Mdina, he also greeted the head of the Muslim Community in Malta, Imam Mohammed Elsadi.

Scicluna entered the Cathedral to choir singing and a fanfare, as the procession entered the building. The President, Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, and Leader of the Opposition Simon Busuttil as well as ministers and shadow ministers were present at the ceremony. The congregation also included Scicluna’s parents, Gozo Bishop Mario Grech and his parents, as well as former prime minister Eddie Fenech Adami, and Archbishop emeritus Cremona.

One of the highlights of the ceremony, the reading of the papal decree officially instating Scicluna as the new head of the Maltese Church was read out at the start of the ceremony, and after a brief address from the president of the College of Chaplains, Gordon Refalo, Scicluna was also presented with the pallium.

In his address, Refalo expressed the clergy’s desire to follow his lead in fighting for the good of the people and said that he hoped Scicluna would be able to continue his work as a humble servant of God for as long as possible.

During the ceremony, Scicluna also greeted the highest figures of authority who were present, and he was also greeted by representatives of the clergy and lay people. Among those who went up to greet him were representatives from the Augustinian and Ursuline sisters, three Dar tal-Providenza residents and relatives of inspector Geoffrey Azzopardi, who was recently through a traumatic experience when a bomb went off at the family home in Zurrieq, leaving the family shocked but unhurt.

During his sermon, Scicluna quoted parts of the evangelical reading which described the event when Christ entrusted Peter with the leadership of his flock, saying that the words were particularly resonant to him on this day.

“This reading reminds me that the basis of all our work is love: the love God shows his people everyday, the love of His sacrifice for all of us.

“He has entrusted me with the leadership of such a precious crowd of good people, I hope to be a worthy shepherd in caring for His people,” he said.

With characteristic humility, Scicluna stressed that he understood that his duty was to take care and sustain the people of this church, who were entrusted to him for only a brief time.

“To be a shepherd means to care, nurture, feed, maintain, to comfort, and guide. This today becomes my duty and calling. I want to do this with words that inspire and by setting a leading example, above all. I want to do this with love and a spirit of kindness with every member of the flock, and when necessary, with the crosier when facing the wolf,” Scicluna said in a supplication to Jesus Christ during his homily.

“The lambs and the sheep are not mine but yours, my Lord. You entrust them to me and I have to be accountable to you. Be with me so that they see You in me, so that I am no obstacle but of help and comfort to them.”

Scicluna looked forward to collaborating with the Bishop of Gozo and Archbishop emeritus Cremona, who he said, was a good example to follow, a declaration that was met with enthusiastic applause.

Scicluna concluded by praising the work, not just of members of the clergy, but also of missionaries and ordinary people who cherish their families and do their duties while always following the example of Christ.

Additional writing and editing by Roger Mifsud