Mgr Cremona becomes 'Pawlu' for young people

Had he still been a teenager he would probably spend the weekend with friends in Paceville, Archbishop-elect Mgr Paul Cremona told youngsters gathered at St Julians parish church on Saturday.

This statement was acclaimed with loud cheers of support by the hundreds of youngsters gathered in the church. "Pawlu! Pawlu! Pawlu!" they frequently called out. He did not mind; on the contrary, he played along.

His comment on Paceville, was in response to a question by one of those present for a "dialogue with youth", which followed a packed programme of music, presentations and entertainment at the church in St Julians.

"My youth was a happy time, but there wasn't much to do really. We used to go to Valletta's Upper Barrakka or stroll up and down Strada Rjali (Republic Street)," he reminisced. "Guess what time we had to be in," he asked. "Eight o'clock and if we didn't it was trouble... They were different times."

The occasion was a tour de force he made in the heart of Malta's entertainment industry in an evident bid to open a dialogue with youth.

He first visited Paceville, followed by a programme at the St Julians parish church and then back again to Paceville, on foot, accompanied by a loyal flock of people, youngsters and clergy, who turned up for the event.

Speaking of his calling as a priest, he said he felt something very early on but he could not explain it. "For instance, I never had a steady girlfriend. You know you would have sympathies but it's as though I felt that my calling was for a different path. Frankly, I cannot really explain it. It's like when you ask someone who is about to get married why her or him, for instance, and they can't explain."

Besides issues pertaining to the Church, such Holy Mass and the possibility of making it more lively, the youngsters present asked about social issues including how the Church could reconcile its philosophy in respect to the poor with its material riches but also regarding the price of property.

On the first issue, he said that while he believed the Church could not do away with the riches of its churches as this was heritage, it should and could have the courage to say no to people who are willing to add more to what there already is. He even recounted how he once refused a man's offer to have a new gold ornament installed in the parish church he was attached to.

As for the social commitment, Mgr Cremona spoke of the several Church organisations that already provide a range of services to a host of people.

On the question of property prices, he referred to the recent pronouncements made by a Church commission and went on to warn young couples wanting to buy property to be moderate in their material expectations.

His earlier trip to Paceville was rather amusing and probably tiring for Mgr Cremona as a frenzied hype developed, fuelled by a rather strong police presence and a crew of security personnel who at times acted as though there was an effective threat to the Archbishop.

Paceville was of course not exactly what it usually is, what with his presence there, and that of members of the clergy, youngsters and curious onlookers.

Cameramen and photographers had to work their way through in order to get some good shots of Mgr Cremona, particularly when he conceded to have a go at a boxing video game. He took it all in his stride, smiling and shaking people's hands, even if it was an evidently tiring experience.

Towards the end of this first leg, in fact, he entered a restaurant where he took a seat. He even accepted some food from Corleone.

The most amusing part, however, came when Mgr Cremona and the crowd accompanying him descended on the centre of Paceville, baffling quite a few of those who were oblivious to the fact that the Archbishop was scheduled to visit the entertainment mecca on the night.