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16 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 16 DECEMBER 2018 INTERVIEW As Gozo Bishop, you are a widely known public figure. Yet little is widely known about your personal background… for instance, why you chose a life dedicated to the Catholic Church. It is often talked of as a 'vocation'; but what were the specific circumstances that led you to make that choice in the first place? As a child, my experience of the Church was that of any other child. But time passed; I grew up, and I eventually got involved in the 'real' Church. It's an important difference: the Church is a different thing when you're young. There is an element of fun and games. I was an altar boy as a child; we used to 'play' at being members of the Church. But I remember one specific moment, when I was in fourth or fifth form. […] One of the priests, Dun Ma- nuel Curmi, used to organise activities for people with dis- abilities. Back then we were still in the very early days of public awareness, when disabled peo- ple were only just beginning to emerge from their homes. He invited me to help out at one of these activities; and I remem- ber that, at one point, I was as- sisting a young man in a wheel- chair – he was around the same age as me – and it was then that I felt my calling, my vocation. But naturally, it doesn't come about in a vacuum. God calls us, walks with us, in the context of everyday life. He talks to us through the people we meet. It was my experience with that youngster that first inspired me to reflect, and to consider the possibility of entering the priesthood. This calling would also expose you to realities beyond the narrow sphere of Gozo. As you rose through the ranks you will have been acquainted with the complexities of Church politics; conscious, perhaps, of a much wider world full of very different realities. Was there any point where this broadening of your horizons, also caused you to feel any doubt about your vocation? Not only did I feel it then, but I still feel it today… all the time. It's a constant tension: faith is not a static thing. It's not a choice you make once – even the choice of Christianity itself; not just the priesthood. Faith is dynamic. So constantly, these questions will be passing through your mind. Was it the right choice, or not? Does Je- sus Christ – who is the reason for the existence of the Chris- tian faith – have a message for me, or not? These moments between light and darkness, as it were, are not an experience from those times only. It is a continuous process. At the same time, the Catholic Church has traditionally portrayed itself as a beacon of light in the darkness; there has always been a sense of immutability about it, as though the truth of its faith is 'etched in stone'. Is this a flawed perspective of Catholicism? Faith is not 'etched in stone': at least, not in my case. And I believe that that is how it should be. To me, the Christian who says 'I have accomplished everything' [jien wasalt] is a dead Christian. The priest who is not open to self-doubt, so that his vocation continues to develop, and grows with him... to me, that is a weak priest. This, I believe, is the dynamic of Christian life. Let's talk a little about the Gozo Diocese in particular. Gozo has changed a lot in recent years, as has everywhere else. If you were to assess the current social climate in Gozo at the moment, what would your weather forecast be? Is it a time of storms or fair weather for the Gozo diocese? As you said, we are going through a period of change. And to me, this is a very posi- tive thing. But there are those who are nostalgic for the past; and they tell you, for instance: 'This morning I celebrated Mass for 20 people. A few years ago, the Church would have been half full…' That is certain- ly an indicator. But it doesn't mean that people no longer be- lieve. Nonetheless, the practice of religion is in decline, in Gozo as everywhere else. To us, as a Church, this poses great chal- lenges. On top of that, it also saddles us with responsibili- ties. For if we do not take note of these changes, if we choose to remain 'the Church of yes- terday'… we will end up being neither relevant to society, nor even fulfilling our mission as a Church… But it's not just in religious matters that life in Gozo has changed. Economic improvements have also raised people's personal aspirations, and global communications have undeniably broadened people's horizons. Could it be that the Church was also caught unprepared by the sheer pace of change? That it hasn't done enough to keep abreast of new realities? I am conscious [of the chal- lenges]; and I try to address them. I am a little less satisfied with how much participation there is in this vision, however. I think there are still those who have not yet woken up to reality of the revolution we're passing through. And by 'revolution', I don't mean it in a negative sense. To me, it is a very posi- tive development. In fact, you earlier asked me for an assess- ment of the current situation for the Gozo diocese… I would say we are living in the best of times. Why the best of times? Because, in the situation we are going through, God appears to be far from society's horizons at the moment. Today, people may be deriving satisfaction from other things; but it is an illusion of satisfaction. It still leaves us with a thirst. So, we will reach a situation where hu- manity – society, the individual – will feel the need to look for God. A man without God on his horizons, is disabled. If I've understood correctly, even the fact that people today are more empowered by social change, and have tasted of the 'forbidden fruit' of materialism – they own their own houses, have a car, go abroad more often, eat out more, eat what they like, wear what they like, etc. – is not enough, and people will eventually realise something is missing from their lives? The fact that we are in this sit- uation is suppressing the need for God. We are substituting the satisfaction only God can give mankind, with the satis- faction provided by material things. […] But even though the masses are moving in this di- rection, I still encounter indi- viduals who feel that what re- ally satisfies the human heart are not material possessions, but the Infinite. Now: what is the Infinite? I call it 'God', who revealed himself to us through Jesus Christ. For others, it may be something else. This is not something unique to the Church. To be open to the In- finite is something natural to all mankind. At the same time, these words are likely to resonate only with people who, as you said, already share that belief or vision. What about the masses who don't? Could this also be the reason that the Church struggles in today's environment? That this sort of language just isn't pushing the right buttons for the people you need to reach out to the most? We must be patient, so that when people come round to asking the truly fundamental questions of life, we will have an answer for them. Today, perhaps, is not the right time. The message might not be un- derstood. There is indifference. But this shouldn't dishearten us from carrying on our mission. And our mission is precisely to share this conviction, and this wealth, with all mankind. When talking about Gozo, the term 'insularity' often crops up. While the island has progressed in many areas, there still remains a 'connectivity' issue. Literally, in the sense that Gozitans are doubly isolated – an island within an island – but also when it comes to access to jobs, education opportunities, and so on. The Gozo Church, too, is often viewed as being Gozo Bishop MARIO GRECH reflects upon the societal changes his diocese is going through, and the challenges faced by the Catholic faith in an increasingly secular society Raphael Vassallo Raphael Vassallo rvassallo@mediatoday.com.mt Closer to the Infinite