Cardinal Prospero Grech was an esteemed gentleman, a learned scholar and an affable Augustinian friar. It transpires that one of the characteristics that distinguished him was his mix of profound scholarship and deep humanity. It would be apt to say that his very name, Prospero, says it all.
His in-depth study of the early centuries of Christianity and of the delicate area of Biblical interpretation, combined with his love for photography and literature, helped shape the type of person and character he was.
His legacy undoubtedly will live on both in those who personally benefitted from his wisdom and in the learning institutions, abroad and locally, which were the love and passion of his life.
When back in 2013 he was invited to give the first meditation to the Cardinal electors in Conclave, he boldly outlined the major concerns and wounds of a Church in transition. He was not defensive where the truth needed to be squarely faced and dealt with. He highlighted what in our time is distorting the face of the Church and eroding its credibility. He spoke of persecutions coming from ideological positions, but with great realism he called for the Church to be humble in the face of serious and true accusations that called for urgent conversion.
Yet, the richness and depth of the man also stems from his study of Patristics, the source of knowledge and wisdom that the Church still cherishes from the early centuries of its history. Even if he claimed no expertise in St Augustine, his grasp of this unique Father of the Church and founder of the congregation he belonged to was extensive.
Malta, and particularly the Church, should be proud of such a worthy son. His broad theological and ecclesial perspective, and the depth of his knowledge as a scholar, are to be envied by us here. Both as a country and as a local Church, there is a general tendency to be provincial in our way of looking at things and in our vision for the future. So there are valuable lessons to be learned from this wise and broad-minded man who so fully lived his life.
The Church in Malta can also boast of other learned men whose legacies in their respective scholarly areas have much to offer. It is unfortunate though that much of this legacy remains hidden in the academic ivory towers without impacting, as it needs to, on the general vision the Church could provide as a contribution to the future of this fast-changing country.
Some areas call for urgent action on the part of the local Church. They include how to improve the teaching of religion in schools and how better to prepare those who ask to celebrate their marriage in Church. Other issues involve the impact that the Faculty of Theology has in the highest learning institution and on the University campus and the contribution that the Church can give in the upcoming debate on the country’s Constitution.
There is also the Church’s role in the care for the environment, given that it is still directly responsible and involved in the education of entire emerging generations.
These are among the daunting challenges that await the Church’s commitment and which call on it to hold fast to the vision that Pope Francis is proposing.