I had written expressing my pre-occupation on matters raised by a number of clergymen in what they described as the church leadership crisis.  Notwithstanding my human defects I do have a sincere and ingrained wish to see church membership and participation flourish. And it is within this framework that I have felt compelled to express myself.

I have no doubt that the leadership crisis talk contributed in no small way to hasten Mgr Cremona's decision to resign. There could have been other reasons, perhaps the recent alleged abuse scandal. Mgr Cremona, with his usual pastoral disposition, would not want to cause discord under any form and hence hastened his resignation. It also seems that, due to physical exhaustion, he felt he was not delivering as expected and that he ought to go. His resignation and the selection of a new bishop set my mind exploring the qualities which I think the Church and the future archbishop should be endowed with.

The Papal Nuncio has now communicated to the Pope three names for consideration after a consultative exercise. It could be just curiosity, but I would like to know how the Apostolic Nuncio went about the consultation process that involved meetings with other bishops, clergy and laymen. It's not just curiosity at all because as a member I feel entitled to understand what this exercise entails. Is it structured and conducted in any prescribed format? I express this wish perhaps on behalf of other lay members who constitute a major segment of the church membership.  In my mind I see the Nuncio as having been guided in this exercise by spiritual meditation and enlightenment, but I am sure some form of methodology was adopted. Without in anyway inferring disrespect, I hasten to ask: who, when and how many where involved in this process?

I dare think that through lack of knowledge, I can only think of a non-transparent process, possibly not that all inclusive. While I acknowledge that faith should guide me towards an explanation and acceptance of this process, I feel that a lot could have been done to keep the Catholic members as informed as possible on the progress of this selection process.

Pope Francis has the supreme but onerous task of appointing Malta's Archbishop. I am sure that in selecting the new archbishop he will be influenced by his own personal attributes - what is commonly referred to as the 'Francis effect'. The persona is based on the overall image projected by the Pope. He is a moderate listener, with an open mind and a common touch; he extols a collaborative leadership style and, as demonstrated during the last synod, adopts a compassionate tone on controversial topics. I see the Pope as bringing on a non judgemental church emblazoned in total humility where a wide embracing attitude of human mercy supersedes any other consideration.

One of the reasons indicated by Mgr Cremona in his resignation meeting with the media was that he felt he was no longer creative. I do not think that by creativity he was inferring novelty in the teachings of the Church, which we believe has been passed on to us through divine intervention. Let us revert to Pope Francis who is being creative by reverting to basics.  He is gradually using his background, upbringing, experiences and his pastoral inclinations to blend the same sentiments throughout the Church's institutions and functions. What impresses me most is the constant spirit of spontaneity that the Pope shows during meetings with people. And it is through this spontaneity that he intuitively searches for and finds alternative ways to carry forward the message of Christ. 

In a recent speech, our President was reported as saying that the Church was no longer central to our cultural activities. Bishop Scicluna was quick to pick this up and immediately retorted that the Maltese Church must continue being there for society, irrespective of whether it is at the centre of our lives or not. The Church does not need to be central in all cultural activities at all costs. I venture to say that in some of them it might be better off if it were not involved at all.  The link to culture is something that evolved dually as an indirect consequence of other factors sometimes extraneous to faith or religion. What the Church needs is a leader who can lead through example, discipline and direction, when and where needed. He must strive to sustain membership by attraction through humility and piety.

Maltese society is slowly becoming a cauldron of cultures, religions, nationalities and races. And this presents a challenge for all including members of the Catholic Church and its leader. Taking the cue from the previous paragraph, I perceive the new archbishop as striving to imbue in clergy, an attitude of service aimed at attracting many, not necessarily or solely to embrace the Catholic faith. I perceive this as the same attitude adopted by our missionaries all over the world. They attract by providing assistance for the most basic of needs that are prevalent in the community. They have built schools, hospitals, feed the poor and care for orphans.  They might not have become central to the culture of those around them; in fact I think they would not even dream of trying to do so. But in the end, the indirect result of their work is attraction to the persona and sometimes the Catholic faith. Church membership is reported to be flourishing in these countries. 

The Catholic faith is self sufficient and does not need to be central to any culture for that, because it is neither below nor above cultures.  The new Bishop will embody a personal conviction to promote this belief in order that the future of the Church can prosper through participative membership. This belief can convince members that they are free from being defined or dependent on what others are doing.  Why do we have to pay so much attention to the secular aspect when gauging the future of Catholicism?

It has become very easy to denounce, even in Catholic circles, an old fashioned person who is perceived as non progressive. And in evaluating our future Bishop we must not fall into this trap, because there are aspects of modern society that any person, and most of all a faithful Catholic, can reject. I say this because I believe that there are aspects in our faith that cannot be compromised in any way. Doing so can be described as a distraction from rather than an attraction to faith.

In the end, I am glad to believe that the future of the Catholic Church is sound because it breathes in Christ with God. It is in Christ that it has survived throughout the ages primarily by its "yes" to his teachings and will. I am sure that the future archbishop will be guided in his work by his personal affirmation of this eternal "yes" to God's plan for life.