Archbishop Charles Scicluna has announced the creation of an Episcopal Vicariate for Pastoral Coordination, aimed at ensuring the Church’s vision and priorities are effectively implemented.
Fr Andrè Zaffarese, 41, has been appointed to this role following last month’s Bishops’ Synod, where Pope Francis emphasised the significance of synodality in the Church’s mission and community life.
The Vicariate will be responsible for assisting the Bishops in coordinating the Archdiocese’s pastoral life and work, in collaboration with the Archbishop’s other vicars and delegates, each of whom addresses various facets of the Church’s mission and needs.
The Vicariate is also responsible for seeing that Church entities, commissions and groups are working together, encouraging them to refresh their approaches to pastoral care. This collaborative effort aims to keep the Church’s pastoral work relevant and sustainable in the years to come, contributing to the overall wellbeing of society.
Fr Andrè, who will be overseeing this work, received his priestly formation at the Archbishop’s Seminary in Tal-Virtù and completed a Doctorate in Pastoral Theology at the Faculty of Theology of the University of Malta.
He was ordained priest on 3rd July 2009. Currently, Fr Andrè’s pastoral ministry covers various areas, including serving as the Archbishop’s Delegate for Parish Life and Activity, Director of the Pastoral Formation Institute, and Rector of the Ta’ Mlit Pastoral Zone in Mosta.