Maltese Cardinal Prosper Grech

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Maltese Cardinal Prosper Grech, an Augustinian priest and expert on the fathers of the early Church, died Dec. 30 at the Santo Spirito Hospital near the Vatican. He was 94.

In a message of condolence to the prior general of the Augustinians, Pope Francis said he had “great esteem” for the cardinal, “both because of his personal witness of Christian and consecrated life, as well as for his exemplary service to the formation of new generations, especially of priests.”

Cardinal Grech’s Funeral Mass was offered Jan. 2 in St. Peter’s Basilica with Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, vice dean of the College of Cardinals, presiding. Pope Francis led the rite of final commendation.

The cardinal was a “wise and compassionate religious” with a “great sense of humor and humanity,” said a statement released Dec. 30 by the bishops of Malta: Archbishop Charles Scicluna, Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Galea-Curmi and Bishop Mario Grech, apostolic administrator of Gozo.

Although he already was over 80 and ineligible to vote in the conclave to elect a successor to Pope Benedict XVI in March 2013, the cardinals chose him to give the first meditation inside the Sistine Chapel when they gathered for the election.

Five months later, the Vatican newspaper published the text of Cardinal Grech’s talk, which included reminders of the importance of presenting the Catholic faith in its entirety, the need to recognize the errors of Church members and the need for unity within the Catholic community.

The Church is called to proclaim the Kingdom of God and the Good News of salvation through Christ, he said. “The Church does this presenting the Gospel without shortcuts, without diluting the Word.”
Listing threats to the Catholic Church, the cardinal first cited a lack of understanding of Church teaching. He also saw a gathering storm of threats to the Church’s unity. “Between ultra-traditionalist extremists and ultra-progressive extremists, between priests rebelling against obedience and those who don’t recognize the signs of the times, there always will be the risk of small schisms that not only damage the Church, but go against the will of God,” he said.

Born in Birgu, Malta, he entered the Augustinians in 1943. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1950 at Rome’s Basilica of St. John Lateran.

After studies in Malta, he moved to Rome, where he earned his doctorate in theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University and a licentiate in sacred Scripture from the Pontifical Biblical Institute.

In 1965, he was appointed dean of the new Augustinian Theological Institute in Rome, which operated under the auspices of the Pontifical Lateran University. In 1969, the future cardinal founded the “Augustinianum” Institute for Patristic Studies, where he was dean, 1971-1979.

On Jan. 6, 2012, Pope Benedict XVI announced he was making Father Grech a cardinal. The cardinal-designate was ordained a bishop one month later and was created a cardinal Feb. 18, 2012.—CNS

Maltese Cardinal Prosper Grech