The Church in Malta is celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Episcopal Ordination of Archbishop Emeritus Mgr. Joseph Mercieca with a Thanksgiving Mass on Monday.

The Curia said that for this occasion, Archbishop Paul Cremona O.P. will celebrate Mass at the Mdina Cathedral on Monday, at 6.30 pm.

The Apostolic Nuncio, Mgr. Aldo Cavalli, Bishop Mario Grech, Bishop Charles J. Scicluna and Auxiliary Bishop Joe Alessandro OFM Kapp. will concelebrate, while Archbishop Joseph Mercieca will assist during Mass.

Christians are invited and encouraged to attend this Mass of thanksgiving to God for the service Mons. Mercieca offered to the Church over the last 40 years, the Curia said.

Mons. Joseph Mercieca was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Malta on the 27th of July 1974 and consecrated Bishop on the 29th of September of the same year, after five years in the service of the Sacra Romana Rota at the Vatican, as a judge.

He was appointed Vicar General until he became Archbishop of Malta on the 29th of November 1976, and took over the leadership of the Archdiocese of Malta on the 12th of December 1976, he was appointed adviser of the Sacra Romana Rota in 1992 and later judge in Segnatura Apostolica.

On the 11th of November 2003, the Archbishop offered his Holiness the Pope his resignation as Archbishop of Malta, as required by the law of the Church. He served as spiritual pastor of the church in Malta until the 26th of January 2007.

Mons. Joseph Mercieca was also Consulter to the Congregation of the Sacraments and of the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith (1974-1976) and Rector of the Gozo Major Seminary (1959-1969).

Mons. Joseph Mercieca is now 85-years old and live in the residence of the Archbishop, Mdina.

Monday’s Thanksgiving Mass will be broadcast on TVM2, RTK and Radio Marija.

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