Archbishop Gonzi of Malta resigns

By a special Correspondent THE Vatican has accepted the resignation of 91 year old Archbishop Gonzi of Malta.
He announced his intention during a "last spiritual testament" homily at a Christ the King ceremony last Sunday.
"In a few days, with regret, I will ask His Holiness the Pope to entrust the archdiocese to one who is dearer than I am," he said to a silent audience.
His final phrase could indicate that he may not he at all happy at this turn of events. For a number of years he had resisted pressures to make way to a younger mind.
Michael Gonzi has led the Maltese diocese for 33 years. Before that he had served for another 20 years as Bishop of sister island Gozo.
He was born in 1885 and was ordained in 1908. As a young priest he represented the Labour Party in the Maltese Parliament. In 1944 he was made Knight of the British Empire. Last July many Maltese priests made clear their dissatisfaction with him when he showed distinct unwillingness to make public a Vatican statement which harshl!, criticised Mr Mintoff for introducing civil marriage for Maltese Catholics, thus abolishing Canon Law provisions. Archbishop Gonzi's decision not to step down then was supported by the Maltese government, which claimed that it would have to be consulted about the appointment of a successor, The Vatican has pointed out that the right to consultation lapsed when Malta became independent in 1964. The timing of Gonzi's resignation may have been the result of the Malta, Labour Party's consolidation of its position in government following the Maltese September elections. The Vatican, anxious to be at peace with whoever would win, must have kept its options open. These may not have been very wide, but Gonzi's removal was a foregone conclusion as far as political diplomacy was concerned.
Recent goings-on showed that the end was near. The Papal Nuncio to Malta, Mgr Del Giudice, met the Pope a fortnight ago. He was followed by Malta's Ambassador to the Holy See, Paul Farrugia, who also happens to be a very close friend of the Archbishop and his personal physician. Bishop Niko! Cauchi of Gozo went to Rome at the end of the week — an ad liming visit was given as the official reason. No one would be surprised were he to come back as Malta's Archbishop. The diocese would have gained a wise and pious man with a lot of pastoral sense.