Archbishop Charles Scicluna marks 40 years as priest
Scicluna and others ordained in 1986 mark anniversary with special Mass
Archbishop Charles Scicluna on Saturday celebrated the 40th anniversary of his priestly ordination, during a Mass attended by several priests who were ordained alongside him in 1986.
The Mass marked four decades since Scicluna and his fellow priests were ordained by Archbishop Ġużeppi Mercieca at St John's Co-Cathedral in Valletta on July 11, 1986.
At the start of the celebration, Scicluna prayed for the priests marking the anniversary with him, as well as for one of their classmates who has since died. He also remembered Mercieca, who ordained them and died in 2016.
With the Catholic Church also celebrating the feast of St Benedict, patron saint of Europe, Scicluna prayed for priestly vocations across the continent. He appealed for young people to respond generously to God's call through the example and witness of priests.
In his homily, Scicluna said he and his fellow priests had every reason to be grateful for the past 40 years of ministry, beginning with "the grace of life".
He also reflected on the importance of Christian marriage and family life, saying priests themselves were "the fruit of that blessing" and praying for marriages to continue being blessed with children.
The archbishop said priests were called not only to celebrate the Eucharist but also to care for the faithful entrusted to them. He said they must remain in dialogue with "a society that is changing but which fundamentally still has a great thirst for God".
"Whenever our society thirsts for beauty, peace, truth, goodness and justice, it realises, perhaps without knowing it, that it is expressing a great thirst for God. We must be there to offer a humble response," he said.