At the 11.00am Mass at St George’s on Christmas Day, Bishop Mario Grech, Apostolic Administrator for Gozo and Dean of St George’s Collegiate Chapter, celebrated the Birth of Our Saviour with a number of priests, among them Rev. Geoffrey G. Attard and Rev. Richard N. Farrugia who were installed as new canons of the Collegiate during the same mass.
After his homily, the two priests read the document presented to them by Rev. Gabriel Gauci, Master of Ceremonies, and promised to protect the rights and abide by the duties of their new role.
During the short ceremony that took place after the homily and before the beginning of the Liturgy of the Eucharist, the two priests stood facing the Bishop and Dean of the Chapter and read the document while putting their right hand on Holy Scripture.
The document that was read at the beginning of the ceremony by Archpriest Joseph Curmi mentioned the importance of prayer, especially the need of the priests praying together to strengthen their own life of prayer as well as to lead by example.
St George’s Collegiate was established on 8 December 1975 by Bishop Nicholas J. Cauchi. One of its co-founders was Mgr Emmanuel Mercieca, first Archpriest of St George’s Collegiate Parish, whose birthday coincides with Christmas Day.
Can. Geoffrey George Attard is Vigarju Koperatur (equivalent of curate or ‘viċi’) at the Parish of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven of Żebbuġ, where he has been serving since November 2008, and Can. Dr Richard Nazzareno Farrugia is Rector of the Sacred Heart Diocesan Major Seminary, Victoria, serving also at St George’s during weekends.
We wish them both Ad multos annos!