Mourners attending a funeral in Gżira were angered yesterday when the parish priest did not allow one of the deceased’s favourite hymns from being sung “because it was not in Maltese”.
Gżira parish priest Fr Carmelo Tanti said no to the popular hymn Panis Angelicus being sung during Holy Communion at the funeral Mass because “many might not understand the Latin lyrics”.
Contacted by the Times of Malta, Fr Tanti defended his decision saying the funeral was being held during a scheduled Mass, open to the public. “I do not think it is right for people to come to church for Mass and then hear something they do not understand. They come here to listen to the word of God,” he said.
When the incident was reported online by the Times of Malta yesterday, dozens of comments were posted, many noting that the same hymn had been played at recent funerals.
We were so happy that Maltese was accepted as an official EU language but then we opened a new hospital and didn’t even give it a Maltese name
One comment referred to other priests’ insistence on Maltese-only singing during Mass. Writing on Facebook, Maria Vella said: “I was not allowed to play Ave Maria at my mother’s funeral either. I mean, come on, it’s a song praising Our Lady after all.”
Fr Tanti feels the Maltese language needs to play a more prominent role in society. “I don’t understand how we were so happy that Maltese was accepted as an official EU language but then we opened a new hospital [Mater Dei] and didn’t even give it a Maltese name. To me this jars.”
He was quick to add that he had not surprised the family with his decision about the hymn and had informed them of his decision the day before the funeral.
Fr Tanti insisted he had met several of the family’s requests, including allowing the deceased’s grandson, a priest, to celebrate the funeral Mass.
Contacted yesterday, the family did not wish to comment on the matter but said they had spoken to Fr Tanti after the Mass to express their disappointment.
Panis Angelicus is part of the hymn Sacris Solemniis, composed by St Thomas Aquinas for the Feast of Corpus Christi.