New Bishop for Malta

Bishop Joe Galea Curmi, with the Bishops of Malta and Gozo behind him.

Malta has a new auxiliary bishop. He was consecrated yesterday in a solemn ceremony at the Mdina Cathedral. Msgr Joseph Galea Curmi was born of the late Paul and Josette née Mifsud Bonnici, in Birkirkara, on 1 January 1964, and is the third of six children. Mgr Galea-Curmi was educated at Stella Maris School, Balzan, at the Secondary School of St Paul's Missionary College, Rabat, and at St Aloysius College (Sixth Form), Birkirkara. He entered the Archbishop's Major Seminary in 1982.

The concelebrating Bishops, with Msgr Galea Curmi, third from right.

After completing his studies and a Licentiate in Sacred Theology at the Faculty of Theology, he was ordained to the priesthood by the Archbishop of Malta, Monsignor Joseph Mercieca, on 5 July 1991. Monsignor Galea-Curmi was sent to further his studies at the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome and obtained a doctorate in Pastoral Theology in 1998. His doctoral thesis was entitled "The Diocesan Synod as a Pastoral Event. A Study of the Post-Conciliar Understanding of the Diocesan Synod". The celebration was led by Archbishop Charles Scicluna and other concelebrants, bishops, and priests.