Cardinal Grech: In encountering each person we come closer to Jesus

By Vatican News staff writer

“I felt that Jesus’ eyes were set again on me, to recreate me again as a Christian” says Cardinal Mario Grech describing his experience at the consistory on 28 November. Cardinal Grech became President of the Synod of Bishops just one month ago. “This means I have another calling, another opportunity to say 'yes' to this call so that I can follow Jesus and be his disciple”, he says in an interview with Vatican News’ Antonella Palermo.

Resisting temptation

During his homily at the consistory on Saturday, Pope Francis warned of the types of corruption that could be present in priesthood. Cardinal Grech noted that “although we have the grace of God” priests are and remain human beings and with that comes human nature. “We are not free from the temptation of corruption”, he says. "But we do our best to resist it, so as to not do a disservice to God, to the Church and to the whole of humanity", he adds.

A Church present in the world

Speaking of the Pope’s homily on the first Sunday of Advent, in which the Holy Father warned about living self-centeredly, Cardinal Grech noted that the Pope, “as a good dedicated Father, was giving sound advice”.  He warned against closing in on ourselves and into our inner circle, explains Cardinal Grech. Instead, he adds, the Pope encouraged us to be “a Church open to finding new ways to be present in the world”. After all, he says, “this is one of the main teachings of the Vatican Council II: the Church in the world". When we encounter the human person, concluded Cardinal Grech, “I fully believe that we will have a new opportunity to encounter Jesus who is present in the human person, who is present in the world”.