MALTA
Times of Malta
Sunday, March 1, 2015, 00:01 by Mark Anthony Falzon
Mgr Charles Scicluna comes across as an intelligent, humane and outstandingly eloquent person. He has said that reform of the Curia will be high on his agenda as Archbishop.
Which is a good sign, because it suggests two things. First, that his point of departure will be to tidy up his own house. Second, that his approach will be restrained and realistic. I would have loathed someone who said he wanted to transfigure Maltese society with his smile or some such nonsense.
I don’t think Scicluna will be foregrounding himself to lead by charisma. He is more Pope Benedict than Pope Francis. We can expect clarity of thought and expression, a respect for tradition and ritual, and a sense of custodianship. I wouldn’t be surprised if he borrowed his episcopal motto from the watch advert: “You never actually own the Church; you merely look after it for the next generation”.
There are several reasons why his planned reform of the Curia stands a good chance of success.
Unlike Archbishop Emeritus Paul Cremona, who joined the court very much as an outsider clueless to its intrigue, Scicluna can draw on his experience as Auxiliary Bishop and more recently Apostolic Administrator. In many ways he has been the de facto mover since 2012.
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