While we all have a social and ethical duty to protect the vulnerable collectively and individually, some make the protection of the vulnerable their mission of life.

Dun Victor Grech dedicated his long life to being a champion of the vulnerable in our society before he died on Wednesday. 

Dun Victor spent his whole life defending the marginalised in our society: the victims of drug abuse, usury and poverty. He appealed to political leaders to treat the growing challenge of drug abuse with more determination. Despite his soft-spoken style, he drew criticism from some politicians, faced threats from drug pushers and refused police protection when it was offered to him.

In an apostolic letter in 2019, Pope Francis wrote, “The protection of minors and vulnerable persons is an integral part of the Gospel message that the Church and all its members are called to proclaim throughout the world. Therefore, we all have the duty to welcome openheartedly minors and vulnerable persons and to create a safe environment for them, with their interests as a priority.”

Dun Victor was a shining example of how to put into practice the protection of the vulnerable in everything he did.

He wrote, “Every human being has the dignity of the child of God. No human life is destined to end on a rubbish dump or deprived of a decent living.”

Like other priests of his and previous generations including Mgr Joseph Depiro, Dun (St) George Preca, Dun Mikiel Azzopardi, and Mgr Charles Vella, he was not only passionate about his religious faith but also a committed philanthropist who cared for the well-being of the society he served.

He mastered the art of communication, having spent 50 years as a broadcaster advising people how to address some of the daily challenges that life throws at us. He also prepared hundreds of young men for the priesthood as the seminary rector.

Dun Victor’s most prominent achievement was the setting up of Caritas, a voluntary organisation that works on the coalface of the marginalised section of our society.

He never underestimated the risks he faced to see his project establish itself as one of the most effective tools to address the needs of the vulnerable. Still, he worked hard to help those who often fell below the radar of social care policymakers.

Under Dun Victor’s guidance, Caritas was also instrumental in nudging the education authorities to promote drug- and alcohol-abuse-prevention programmes in our schools among students and their parents.

Dun Victor also showed concern about environmental degradation, which has a crucial impact on people’s quality of life.

He often acted as the voice of conscience of our society, which, unfortunately, frequently prioritises materialistic achievements at the cost of social solidarity.

The best way to celebrate his life would be to reflect on the eternal values. This requires a continuous and profound commitment in which personal and collective social values come together to promote the credibility of human solidarity. 

We, irrespective of our religious beliefs or disbeliefs, all have a role to play in promoting a culture where, as Dun Victor believed, “No human life is destined to end on a rubbish dump”.

Victor Grech constantly demonstrated concern for those marginalised, oppressed or in need.

This is why Malta should honour one of the most important and influential Maltese figures of the 20th and 21st centuries.