The dynamics of ecclesiastical power in Gozo during the late 1950s, 1960s and early 1970s

Abstract

The main purpose of this dissertation is to outline the dynamic of powers in the Gozitan island between the 1950’s and the early 1970’s. Since the Roman Catholic Church enjoyed extensive control over the Gozitans and their daily life, this was mostly visible at parochial level and in the way how the parishioners looked towards their priests and Churches. In other words, control was affected mostly through a parochial leadership. This dissertation seeks to analyse this by focusing on the major events which occured in the Gozitan Diocese between the 1950’s and the early 1970’s. This study starts by introducing the cause of religious controversy in Gozo. Trouble started in 1933, when a number of ecclesiastical privileges linked to parochial Churches with the title of a Collegiate Church, were curbed and in some cases even suppressed. The Gozitan collegiate Church most hit by these reforms was the one of Nadur. At first, the parish of Nadur did not voice a strong protest against the Church authorities, as happened at one particular parish in Malta, which was also hit by these reforms, that of Birkirkara. But as a result of the implementation of these reforms, the bishop of Gozo at the time, Mgr Mikiel Gonzi, started losing support and loyalty from the clergy and parishioners of Nadur. The main issue was the way high and solemn masses were celebrated at Nadur. The archpriest, as the head of the clergy of this parish, had the privilege to officiate mass in the same way as a bishop. This meant that he was assisted by two deacons and two priests wearing dalmatics, which were the eccleastical garbs of the deacons. The situation took a new twist in the late 1950s. This forms the core of Chapter One. This chapter opens with the discussion of how, the successor of Mgr Gonzi as bishop of Gozo, Mgr Giuseppe Pace, dealt with this issue. Pace did his best to solve this problem which was seen as an affrontment to the identity of the Nadur Church. This chapter will discuss how, in 1952, Pope Pius XII gave some privileges to this collegiate Church in order to calm down the clergy and their parishioners.