Joseph Mercieca facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Most Reverend Joseph Mercieca S.Ġ. |
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| Archbishop of Malta | |
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| Native name | Ġużeppi Mercieca |
| Church | Roman Catholic Church |
| Archdiocese | Archdiocese of Malta |
| Province | Malta |
| Appointed | 29 November 1976 |
| In Office | 1976–2006 |
| Predecessor | Mikiel Gonzi |
| Successor | Paul Cremona |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 8 March 1952 |
| Consecration | 29 September 1974 by Mikiel Gonzi |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 11 November 1928 Victoria, Gozo, Malta |
| Died | 21 March 2016 (aged 87) Żejtun, Malta |
| Buried | St. Paul's Cathedral |
| Nationality | Maltese |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Previous post | Auxiliary Bishop of Malta (1974–1976) Judge of the Sacred Roman Rota (1969–1974) Consulter to the Congregation of the Sacraments and of the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith (1974–1976) Rector of the Gozo Major Seminary (1959–1969) |
Joseph Mercieca (Maltese: Ġużeppi Mercieca) was an important Maltese prelate, born on 11 November 1928. He served as the second Archbishop of Malta from 1976 until 2006. He is remembered for bringing peace and stability to the Maltese Church. This happened after a period of disagreement between the Church and the Malta Labour Party during the time of his predecessor, Mikiel Gonzi. Joseph Mercieca passed away on 21 March 2016.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Joseph Mercieca was born in Victoria on the island of Gozo in Malta. He was baptized on 14 November 1928. He received his other sacraments at the parish church of St George in Victoria.
He began his studies for the priesthood at the Gozo seminary. Later, he continued his education in Rome at the Gregorian University and the Lateran University.
Path to Priesthood
In 1952, Joseph Mercieca was ordained as a priest. This ceremony was performed by Bishop Joseph Pace of the Diocese of Gozo. The ordination took place at St James's Church in Victoria, Gozo.
In 1958, he was chosen to be the rector, or head, of the Gozo Major Seminary. This was an important role in training future priests.
Serving the Church
In 1969, Pope Paul VI appointed Father Mercieca to be a judge on the Roman Rota. This is a high court within the Roman Catholic Church.
Five years later, in 1974, Pope Paul VI appointed him as an Auxiliary Bishop of Malta. An Auxiliary Bishop helps the main Archbishop. In this role, he assisted Archbishop Gonzi.
He became a bishop on 29 September 1974. The ceremony was led by Archbishop Mikiel Gonzi at St. John's Co-Cathedral in Valletta.
Archbishop of Malta
When Archbishop Gonzi retired in 1976, Bishop Mercieca took his place. He then served as the spiritual leader of the Archdiocese of Malta for the next thirty years.
Restoring Stability
Archbishop Mercieca is known for bringing peace to the Maltese Church. Before his time, there had been disagreements between the Church and the Malta Labour Party in the 1950s and 1960s.
During the 1980s, a new disagreement arose between the Church and the Labour government. This time, it was about church schools and property. However, Archbishop Mercieca helped resolve this issue without causing lasting problems.
Later Years and Retirement
In 1995, Mercieca was honored by being appointed a member of the Xirka Ġieħ ir-Repubblika. This is a high award in Malta.
Archbishop Mercieca offered his resignation to Pope John Paul II on 11 November 2003, as is customary when a bishop reaches a certain age. He remained Archbishop until 2 December 2006. He was succeeded by Paul Cremona in January 2007.
Death and Legacy
Archbishop Mercieca's health began to decline. He was unable to attend the appointment of Charles Scicluna as Archbishop in February 2015.
On 20 March 2016, it was reported that he was in critical condition. He passed away the next day, on 21 March 2016, at 7:20 am in a house in Żejtun. Archbishop Charles Scicluna announced his death on social media. Many important Maltese leaders, including President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca and Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, also shared their sadness. Flags on government buildings were flown at half-mast for three days to honor him.
His funeral was held on 23 March at St. John's Co-Cathedral in Valletta. He was buried at St. Paul's Cathedral in Mdina. The funeral was attended by many high-ranking officials from Malta.
Images for kids
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Gravestone in St. Paul's Cathedral
