Protest against use of donated property as liturgical arts centre; claimed it is against owner’s will

Two priests, a Monsignor, and another man have filed a judicial protest against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gozo to stop the inauguration of a villa that was donated to the church as a centre for artists within the liturgy, insisting that it goes against the true will of the property’s previous owner.

The property is a residential house named Villa Mons Gauci and located on Pope Paul John II Street, Rabat, Gozo, with the land adjacent to it both at the front and the rear occupying the area of about 1760 square metres.

The house, which was given to the church on 9 March 2013, originally belonged to the now deceased Reverend Monsignor Dr. Anton Gauci and was subject to the express condition that this property shall be perennially used for pious, pastoral and charitable purposes.

Bishop of Gozo Mario Grech inaugurated the centre for projects of liturgical art on 28 December 2017.

The exponents of the judicial protest, Fr Victor Vella, Douglas Andrew Savege, Mgr Joseph Vella Gauci, Fr John Mejlak, have claimed they have the immediate interest to safeguard the memory of the late Monsignor.

“The exponents feel that the inauguration of this centre does not respect the true will of the donor because the development of art whether for liturgical purposes or otherwise, does not fall within the definition of neither pious, nor pastoral nor even charitable purpose and does not fit in within the framework of the Catholic social teaching (CST) throughout the ages,” the legal letter reads.

“More significantly the management of this centre shall involve an economic commitment of considerable proportions which should be reflected in the diocesan annual report and accounts which to date have not been published.”