Remembering Archbishop Cremona

Archbishop Emeritus Paul Cremona is being honored today with a state funeral. Born in Valletta on January 25, 1946, Mgr. Cremona served as Archbishop of Malta between January 26, 2007, and October 18, 2014, before resigning at 68. He completed his primary education at the Montessori school in Valletta and then pursued the secondary level at the Lyceum in Ħamrun. In September 1962, he joined the Dominican Order and professed on September 29, 1963. He studied philosophy and theology at the College of St Thomas Aquinas at the Dominican Priory at Rabat and was ordained priest on March 22, 1969, precisely 56 years ago. After his priestly ordination, Mgr. Cremona was sent to follow higher studies in Moral Theology at the Pontifical University of St Thomas Aquinas in Rome (Angelicum) where, in 1973, he graduated Doctor in Theology presenting the thesis The Concept of Peace in Pope John XXIII. Between 1974 and 1980 he was prior at the priory of Our Lady of the Grotto at Rabat. He was re-elected to the same office in 1997 and again served two terms up to 2003. In 1981 he was chosen Provincial of the Maltese Dominican Province, an office he held for two four-year terms. On termination of office, he was entrusted with the parish of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima in Gwardamanġia as its parish priest. In 2005 Mgr. Cremona was chosen as Parish Priest of the Parish of Jesus of Nazareth in Sliema. His nomination as Archbishop of Malta was made public on December 2, 2006, and he was ordained Bishop on January 26. Archbishop Cremona initially spent his retirement at the Dominican Friary in Rabat, Malta, before relocating to Id-Dar tal-Kleru in Birkirkara in more recent years. He will always be remembered for his pastoral approach, his humility and his ever-present smile. May God grant him eternal rest.