The church in Malta rejoices today as three young men are being ordained priests in St John’s Cathedral in Valletta. We remember them in our prayers as they start their pastoral service, which may include some more academic studies. The three new priests are: Fr. Matthew Sammut, 25 years old from Pemborke, a diocesan priest; Fr. Johan Bugeja SDB, 33 years old from Gharghur, a member of the Salesian order; and Fr. Shawn Wong, 35 years old, originally from Singapore, but studying in Malta since 2016, a member of the ICPE Mission. This ordination coincides with the start of Pope Leo XIV’s pontificate as he will be crowned tomorrow at the Vatican. The number of vocations have dwindled in Malta over the last few years. When I was in the Seminary in the 1970s, we were over 80 seminarians living together and studying, spread around 4 courses, ordained respectively in 1972, 1974, 1977 (my class) and 1979. Presently there are 6 seminarians and a few students in various religious orders. Unfortunately Malta has now become a mission country when we have to import priests to help run our parishes. I have been suggesting over the last 9 years that parishes should introduce an English Mass at least on a Sunday, since most people prefer a Maltese Mass, they will however have to get used to following Mass in English, unless the foreign priests who will eventually come from Africa, India, Korea and Vietnam, among others, will have to learn Maltese, which is a difficult language to learn. Of course I celebrate an English Mass, along with the other 4 Masses in Maltese I celebrate on the weekend. Ad Multos Annos to the 3 new priests.
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