Mario Grech

Mario Grech (2020)

Mario Grech (20 February 1957 –) is a Maltese prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as the bishop of the Diocese of Gozo.

Quotes

• Working together as a team allows the laity greater participation within the dynamics of responsibility. I would like that the three of us, and all of the staff of the Synod Secretariat, work out of the same spirit of collaboration and experience a new style of "synodal" leadership, a leadership of service that is less clerical and hierarchical, that allows participation and co-responsibility without at the same time abdicating the responsibilities entrusted to them.
  • Cardinal Grech: The Church is reinforcing its commitment to grow in synodality (6 February 2021)

• I would say that the 2021–2024 Synod was a "first" in many ways.

It was the first time that the regulations of Episcopalis Communio were fully applied.

It was the first time that the entire Church—and everyone within it—had the opportunity to participate in the synodal process.

It was the first time that non-bishop members participated in the Assembly.

It was the first time that a Final Document was immediately approved by the Holy Father, thus becoming part of his ordinary Magisterium.

• • From an interview of Andrea Torniellli, Cardinal Grech: A new path to help the Church walk in a synodal style, Vatican News (March 15, 2025)

• I think one of the main reasons the Holy Father is inviting the Church to be more synodal is in view of evangelisation. Synodality and evangelisation are two sides of the same coin. I’m pretty sure that the Holy Father is passionate about helping the human person encounter Jesus, because Jesus is the reason for our lives. His message, His person is light to the world. After all, this is what the Church is called to be, a missionary Church. It’s good to remind ourselves that the theme of this Synod is ‘For a Synodal Church: communion, participation, and mission.’ The fact that mission is the last word does not mean it is the least important. I would say mission is the most important element. I think the Holy Father would like to set the world on fire by proclaiming the Gospel. Obviously, he cannot do this by himself, but he wants all the people of God to get engaged in this mission. When I say all the people of God, I’m talking about a synodal Church, because a synodal Church is a Church where all the baptised feel engaged. They share the same faith, they also share the same responsibility to help this encounter with Jesus.
  • As quoted in Communion, Participation, Mission: An Interview with Cardinal Mario Grech

• Francis arrives with a wealth of experience in this regard. Latin America has an edge when it comes to synodality; the ‘Theology of the People of God’ is central to Latin American ecclesiology, where the hierarchy is at the service of the people of God. [...] The Holy Father is convinced that the path for the Church of the future is synodal: all the people of God must find a way to walk together because they bring with them the richness of the Holy Spirit, and only together will we be able to discern his voice.
  • Francesco arriva con un bagaglio di esperienza molto forte in questo senso. In America Latina hanno una marcia in più quando si parla di sinodalità, la “Teologia del popolo di Dio” è centrale per l’ecclesiologia latinoamericana, lì la gerarchia è al servizio del popolo di Dio. [...] Il Santo Padre è convinto che la via per la Chiesa del futuro sia quella sinodale: tutto il popolo di Dio deve riuscire a trovare il modo di camminare insieme perché porta come ricchezza la presenza dello Spirito Santo, e soltanto tutti insieme saremo in grado di discernerne la voce.
    • From an interview of Dario Campione, Chiesa cattolica, quale futuro? «Non è più il tempo delle élite», Corriere del Ticino (in Italian; March 21, 2024)