Michael Gonzi
Sir Michael Gonzi , Maltese Mikiel Gonzi , Italian Michele Gonzi (born May 13, 1885 in Birgu , † January 22, 1984 in Gwardamanġa , Pietà , Malta ) was a Maltese Roman Catholic clergyman and Archbishop of Malta .
Life
Michael Gonzi grew up in Kalkara and received on 19 December 1908, the sacrament of Holy Orders . He was elected to the Maltese Legislative Assembly as Senator for the Malta Labor Party in 1921 , but resigned halfway through his term to become Bishop of Gozo .
On June 13, 1924 he was called to be Bishop of Gozo and on July 20 of the same year the Bishop of Malta, Mauro Caruana , ordained him episcopal ; Co-consecrators were the Bishops Giovanni Maria Camilleri , Bishop Emeritus of Gozo, and Angelo Portelli , Auxiliary Bishop in Malta. As Titular Bishop of Lyrbe , Michael Gonzi became coadjutor of the Bishop of Malta on October 14, 1943 and succeeded him on December 17, 1943. On January 1, 1944, Malta was made an archbishopric and Michael Gonzi became the first Archbishop of Malta. Pope Pius XII appointed him in 1949 Papal Assistant to the Throne . As a council father, he participated in all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council . Archbishop Gonzi retired on November 29, 1976 at the age of 91.
He died at the age of 98 in Saint Luke's Hospital in Gwardamana and was buried in St. Paul's Cathedral in Mdina .
Controversy
On March 17, 1961, Archbishop Gonzi imposed the interdict on supporters of the Malta Labor Party . These were no longer allowed to be buried in church cemeteries, but had to be buried in "unsanctified earth" ( Maltese Il-Miżbla ). This was based on the widespread fear that the MLP could develop into a “ communist ” party. Among those who were buried in unconsecrated ground was the deputy chairman of the MLP and well-known novelist Ġużè Ellul Mercer (1897–1961).
The interdict was lifted in 1964 and a reconciliation between the Roman Catholic Church of Malta and the MLP took place in 1969 through the mediation of the Maltese Curia Bishop and then Coadjutor Archbishop of Malta Emanuele Gerada .
Family relationships
His nephew Lawrence Gonzi was Prime Minister of Malta from 2004 to 2013 , his younger brother and also a nephew of Michael Gonzi is the MP of the same name, Michael Gonzi .
literature
- Arthur Bonnici: History of the Church in Malta. Vol. III. Veritas Press, 1975.
- Gonzi, Archbishop Michael. In: Uwe Jens Rudolf, Warren G. Berg: Historical Dictionary of Malta. Scarecrow Press, 2010, ISBN 978-0-81087390-2 , pp. 111-112.
Honors
- Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (1946)
- Papal Assistant to the Throne (1949)
- Grand Cross Bailli of the Sovereign Order of Malta
- Papal Count (1949)
Web links
- Entry on Michael Gonzi on catholic-hierarchy.org ; accessed on November 13, 2016.
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c Short biography , accessed on November 13, 2016 (English)
- ↑ Michael Gonzi. Diocese of Gozo , accessed on November 13, 2016 (English).
- ^ Uwe Jens Rudolf, Warren G. Berg: Historical Dictionary of Malta. Scarecrow Press, 2010, ISBN 978-0-81087390-2 , p. 107
| predecessor | Office | successor |
|---|---|---|
| --- |
Archbishop of Malta 1944–1976 |
Joseph Mercieca |
| Mauro Caruana OSB |
Bishop of Malta 1943–1944 |
--- |
| Giovanni Maria Camilleri |
Bishop of Gozo 1924–1943 |
Giuseppe Pace |
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Gonzi, Michael |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Gonzi, Michele |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Roman Catholic clergyman, Bishop of Gozo and Archbishop of Malta |
| DATE OF BIRTH | May 13, 1885 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Vittoriosa |
| DATE OF DEATH | January 22nd 1984 |
| Place of death | Gwardamanġa , Pietà , Malta |