On Thursday 29th April, 2010, Archbishop Paul Cremona OP will leave Malta for Canada and New York on a pastoral visit to the Maltese communities in Toronto, Detroit and New York.
Archbishop Cremona will arrive at Toronto International Airport on Friday, 30th April at 2.30 a.m (Malta time). Among other commitments in Toronto, the Archbishop will meet with the Auxiliary Bishop, Mgr William McGrattan and with the Maltese patients who are receiving treatment at the Runnymede Hospital. Next Sunday, 9th May, the Archbishop will celebrate Mass at the Church of St Paul the Apostle, on the occasion of the 100 year anniversary of the foundation of the Missionary Society of St Paul. In Detroit, the Archbishop will meet with the Archbishop, Mgr Allen Vigneron.
On Saturday, 15th May, Archbishop Cremona will leave Toronto for New York. Besides meetings with Maltese emigrants, the Archbishop will celebrate Mass with the Archbishop of New York, Mgr Timothy Dolan at St Patrick’s Cathedral. While in New York, the Archbishop will also meet with the Apostolic Nuncio for the United Nations, Mgr Celestino Migliore.
In a message which was sent to the Maltese in Canada, the Archbishop expressed his joy for having this opportunity to meet Maltese emigrants. He explained how through this visit, he wishes to share this joy with all those who have achieved success as well as sympathise with those who have experienced situations of suffering, after having emigrated to Canada. The Archbishop stated that, above all, he wishes to encourage them in their faith and share with them the message which Pope Benedict XVI conveyed to the Maltese people during his recent Apostolic Visit to Malta.
The Archbishop will return to Malta on 20th May 2010. He will be accompanied by Fr Alfred Vella, the Archbishop’s delegate and Chairperson of the Emigrants Commission.