Monsignor Lawrence Gatt – 60 years of priesthood.
Wednesday the 7th of April 2022, Mgr. Lawrence Gatt celebrates 60 years of priesthood. He was ordained priest by the then Archbishop of Malta, Mgr. Mikiel Gonzi at St John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta on the 7th April 1962.
Mgr. Gatt was born in Paola on the 7th of February 1937 to Olga nee Scicluna and Joseph. After primary school he studied at the Lyceum and in 1954 he entered the Archbishop’s Seminary to start his formation for the priesthood. He got his academic formation at the University of Malta where in 1958 he attained Bachelorship in Greek and Latin and in 1962 a Licenciate in Thrology. At the beginning of his pastoral ministry he was Vice-Rector of the Archbishop’s Seminary.
In 1977 he went back to the Archbishop’s Seminary, this time as Rector until June 27th 1987 when then Archbishop Ġużeppi Mercieca appointed him as Director of Id-Dar tal-Providenza and he officially took office on July 1st 1987. He remained in this capacity for twenty-two years after which Archbishop Pawl Cremona O.P. appointed him Chancellor at the Curia.
During his tenure Villa Papa Luciani was inaugurated, Dar iż-Żerniq opened its doors in the community of Siggiewi and Villa Monsinjur Gonzi was rebuilt from scratch. Also under his watch, apart from improved support for the residents and respite services, the residents with intellectual disabilities started getting support to grow in their faith through symbolic catechesis with the support of the Glasgow based Agency SPRED, Special Religious Development.
In 2010, he was given the Dun Mikiel Azzopardi Award in appreciation for his work as Director of Dar tal-Providenza whilst on the 5th March 2017 the Siġġiewi Local Council presented him with the ‘Onorifiċenza Mertu Siġġiewi’.
Ad Multos Annos.
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