Former Xagħra archpriest, barred over child abuse claims, dies at 85

The former archpriest of Xagħra, Monsignor Eucharist Sultana, who was permanently barred from serving as a clergyman over child abuse allegations, has died at the age of 85.

The Gozitan diocese announced Sultana’s passing on Sunday.

“It is with sadness that we announce the death of Mons. Eucharist Sultana at the age of 85. He served as archpriest of the Xagħra Parish between 1973 and 2004. May the Lord grant him eternal rest.”

On Tuesday, the diocese provided details of his funeral arrangements. A procession will commence from the Gozo mortuary to the oratory of the Xagħra church at 1pm, followed by a vigil. The local band club will then lead a procession to the church, where the funeral, presided over by Gozo Bishop Anton Teuma, will begin at 3pm.

Sultana was permanently banned from exercising priestly duties in 2021 following a canonical penal process conducted by the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. The case was referred to the Vatican in 2018 by then-Gozo bishop, now Cardinal Mario Grech, after the Church’s Safeguarding Commission deemed allegations of sexual abuse against Sultana “credible.”

Sultana was accused of sexually abusing an altar boy for four years in exchange for gifts. The abuse, which allegedly ended when the victim turned 17, surfaced only years later when the victim reported his ordeal.

Although police investigated the allegations, Sultana was never criminally charged due to the case being time-barred.

His case reignited calls for the removal of time barring in cases of child sexual abuse.