Archbishop Joseph Mercieca returns to the heavenly Father’s House

Tħabbret il-mewt tal-Arċisqof Emeritu Mons. Ġużeppi Mercieca. Huwa twieled ir-Rabat, Għawdex, fit-12 ta’ Novembru 1928. Ġie ordnat Isqof fid-29 ta’ Settembru 1974. Kien innominat Arċisqof ta’ Malta fid-29 ta’ Novembru 1976 u ħa l-pussess ta’ Arċisqof fit-12 ta’ Diċembru tal-istess sena. Huwa rtira minn Arċisqof fit-2 ta’ Diċembru 2006, fl-età ta’ 78 sena, wara n-nomina tal-Arċisqof il-ġdid, Mons. Pawlu Cremona O.P.

L-Arċisqof Mercieca, li kellu 87 sena, miet fis-7:20 a.m. tal-lum, it-Tnejn, 21 ta’ Marzu 2016.

Fl-aħħar sigħat ta’ ħajtu huwa kien imdawwar mill-Arċisqof Charles J. Scicluna, l-Isqof Mario Grech u l-Arċisqof Emeritu Pawlu Cremona O.P.

 

Mgr. Joseph Mercieca B.A. (Lond.), S.Th.D. (Greg), J.U.D. (Lat.) was born in Victoria, Gozo on the 12th November 1928. He was educated at the Gozo Seminary, and later proceeded to Rome to continue his studies there. He was ordained priest on the 8th March 1952. He was Rector of the Gozo Seminary from 1959 to 1969, till his appointment as Judge of the Sacred Roman Rota in 1969; he was also consultor to the Congregation for the Sacraments and to the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith. On the 27th July 1974 he was appointed auxiliary bishop of Malta and ordained titular bishop of Gemelle in Numidia on the 29th September of the same year. He succeeded Mgr M. Gonzi as Archbishop of Malta on the 12th December, 1976; he was appointed Consultor of the Sacred Roman Rota in 1992 and later judge of the Segnatura Apostolica. On November 11, 2003, His Grace offered his resignation from Archbishop of Malta to His Holiness Pope John Paul II, in accordance with the requirements of Canon Law regarding Diocesan Bishops who reach the age of 75 years. Mgr Mercieca retired on the 2nd December, 2006, after the nomination of the new Archbishop, Mons. Paul Cremona O.P.