Like the Holy Curé

Yesterday, the, feast of Saint John Marie Vianney, the Holy Curé of Ars, was celebrated at the Cathedral in Mdina, where Archbishop, Mgr Charles J. Scicluna, together with the other coconsecrating bishops, Mgr Mario Grech and Mgr Paul Cremona O P, consecrated Mgr Joe Galea Curmi as auxiliary bishop of Malta.

Mgr Galea Curmi’s episcopal motto, vitam alere caritate (We cherish life with love), is really significant. This powerful phrase reminds me of that moving account when Jesus washed his disciples’ feet. As Mgr Galea Curmi said, “Life is beautiful when we live it with love. Because it is love that helps the human person to find the fulfilment of his and her life, as Jesus taught us”.

Obviously, that kind of love for human life which starts from its natural beginning to its natural end. In the Malta Independent online interview programme INDEPTH, Mgr Galea Curmi emphasized that human life should always be cherished irrespective of whether it is formed of eight cells in the womb or in the form of a person struggling for his and her life in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. He said that simply because people were coming from African countries, we should never refer to them as if they were “a piece of furniture” when compared to other human beings. Mgr Galea Curmi strongly condemned such an attitude saying “that is a terrible thing”.

Referring to Pope Francis’ current teaching on the matter, he stressed the importance that people need have a “strong and passionate voice” on bioethical issues regarding life such as IVF, as well as those who are seeking shelter in other countries, those people in the Mediterranean and, finally, those who are facing poverty and cannot live a decent life. Mgr Galea Curmi appealed to other countries to be ready to shoulder their responsibilities and “play their part through burden sharing, if it can even be called a burden, in alleviating the difficulties that these people are finding themselves in”.

Another kind of love that Mgr Galea Curmi referred to in his interview is that of connecting more with the people he will be shepherding. He said that he would be joining the social media to promote a better relationship between himself and society.

However, this beautiful vision needs to be animated by spiritual foundations, so, Mgr Galea Curmi, I would humbly like to suggest some of the characteristics which supported Saint John Marie Vianney’s holy priestly life.

Prayer is foundational. I strongly wish that you can find long periods spent in prayer in front of the tabernacle. From your union with the Divine Shepherd your episcopal life would irradiate for all of us the same exclamation of the Holy Curé: “I love you, oh my God, and my only desire is to love you until my dying breath”.

Mgr Galea Curmi, may your episcopal life revolve around the celebrated and adored Eucharist. May you, like the Holy Curé, would proclaim by your life: “He is there!” “There is no reality greater than the Eucharist!” “He awaits us!” Added to this, I wish you that you will be tormented by the salvation of your flock. May you strive relentlessly for the noblest and holiest of causes: knowing that you “are accountable to God” for each and every one of us!

The Holy Curé was also a martyr of the confessional. I shall be praying for you so that, as bishop, you are always there to hear confessions, precisely like Saint John Marie Vianney. What an excellent pastoral service the sacrament of the confessional is. Free us from our sins to receive the loving embrace of the Father!

While keep on accompanying our people and appease their suffering, I humbly pray that you be close to us priests. Saint John Marie Vianney said: “Oh, how great a reality lies in the priest.” May you be for us priests, a living icon of the tenderness of the Father who loves His chosen ones by encouraging, correcting and faithfully accompanying them. Always remind us that we were called to give God to men and men to God. Finally, Mgr Galea Curmi, instil in us all a great love for holiness and help us to become saints with you like the Holy Curé. Fr Mario Attard OFM Cap