Archbishop Paul Cremona has declared the autonomous zone of Swatar as a parish dedicated to St Ġorġ Preca, Malta’s first saint.
Fr Gordon Refalo has been appointed parish priest of the new parish.
Fr Refalo was born in Sliema in November 1961. He joined the Seminary in 1984 and was ordained priest in 1991. He served as vice parish priest at St Cajetan’s Parish Church in Ħamrun and as parish priest of Sta Luċija and Ibraġ. He has been rector of the Swatar zone since 2005.
The new parish, which will be formally created on November 8, brings the number of parishes in Malta to 70.