Parts of the local media have inexplicably covered up the embarrassing situations the new archbishop Paul Cremona had to cope with when he visited the university last Wednesday.

For the much-acclaimed archbishop, his visit to the Tal-Qroqq facility on Ash Wednesday proved to be a timely reminder that there are people with questions and criticism of the Church despite all the hype and ceremony surrounding his enthronement.

The visit had gone smoothly, though rather tepidly at times, with the archbishop visiting the Chaplaincy, meeting the administration and visiting the Estate and Works section and the university playschool.

But it was when the archbishop entered the Sir Temi Zammit hall that hard questions were lobbed at him.

Dr Patrick Attard, a university lecturer, stood up and declared he was a homosexual and believed neither in God nor in the Church. He then claimed the Church has made the lives of many a living hell: “You kicked people out of your homes. There were people who committed suicide because they were hurt by the way they were treated. You said you want to build bridges. How can you build bridges with something you consider morally wrong?”

The archbishop was stunned by this verbal onslaught. He reacted by saying that Dr Attard made many sweeping statements, adding that he had saved people on the verge of suicide three times. He then said that if mistakes or worse were committed, he was sorry and asked for forgiveness.

Earlier, the archbishop had misunderstood a point made by the Dean of the Faculty of Education, Dr Carmel Borg, who asked why the Church still chooses the students at its schools on the basis of their ability. The archbishop thought Dr Borg was referring to the ballot system for entrance to Church schools but Dr Borg put him right: he was referring to the Common Entrance exam and he bluntly asked the archbishop: “Where is the Church’s choice of the poor?”

The archbishop gagged at this and rather lamely replied he wanted time to reflect on this.

Dr Ruth Farrugia from the Faculty of Law spoke on behalf of children. She claimed that the issue of children had been left out of the Synod. Many children in Malta are suffering poverty and social exclusion, she said, and the Church must do more.

Archbishop Cremona said he wants to learn more about the Maltese reality. “You get chosen for this post,” he added. “When the Nuncio sends for you and tells you the Pope has chosen you, you ask for 24 hours to reflect but the Nuncio tells you to obey. I ask you: If any of you has any ideas how we can make things better, propose them to me and I will consider them.”