My Dear Friends, Ladies and Gentlemen,
On the 23rd December 1967 I was ordained a Deacon and my family started
wondering and planning for the Celebration of my First Solemn Mass.  I can
recall that in those days I was rather a shy person and I told my family that I
didn't want to have any fuss or celebration but they did it all the same.  So I
left it entirely to them.  In appreciation I told them that if I had to do it
again in ten years time I would and I did it.

Then I celebrated also my Twentieth Anniversary and the biggest so far was my
Silver Jubilee.  
Then I celebrated my Thirtieth and today my Thirty-Fifth.  

I am happy to say that I love, appreciate and treasure my vocation to the
Priesthood as God's gift and I will celebrate it again and again with deepest
gratitude and humility.  

For those who plan things ahead like myself, I would like to announce to you
that my Fortieth Anniversary Celebration will be held in this church on the 30
March 2008 at 6.00pm corresponding to the local time when I was ordained at
11.00am at St John's Co-Cathedral, Valletta, Malta on the 30th March 1968.  The
day will be Sunday, the Octave of Easter and the colour of the vestments will be
white. So, this is a sort of introduction and identification and I look forward
to seeing you all again to celebrate together even in a bigger way, and as the
Italians love to say:  'Sempre se Iddio vuole' which means: 'God willing!'

Development:

For those who are not regular church goers there is a Catholic saying which
says: 'When you were born they brought you to the church to baptise you, then
your bride brought you to the church to marry you, later on, they will bring
back to the church to bury you.  So, how about you start coming to church on
your own?'

On this occasion, usually somebody else will preach the homily but after 35
years in the priesthood I think I can speak for myself from the heart, off the
cuff and on the ball.

People sometimes have difficulty to identify themselves to other people and they
hold back from talking to others just because they simply do not know them.

In the Air Force they call me different names according to the rank of the other
person speaking to me.  My preferred name though is always Father Gatt.

Sometime ago I was at an official clerical meeting wearing an open neck shirt. 
Somebody asked me for my clerical collar.  My reply was: 'I am a field officer!'

When I came to this parish I have adopted a Motto:  'Omnia Omnibus' which means
all things to all people.

The Italian community have chosen and dedicated a special hymn to me for this
occasion and we are going to sing it together as a recessional hymn.  Grazie! 

But I just like to read it to you.  The name of the hymn is:  'Vola Colomba Di
Pace'.

Vola colomba di pace grida la tua liberta',
e varca I confini del mondo
portando un seme d'amore.

Scendi su chi non ha amore
e chiude sempre il suo cuore
al fratello che ha bisogno di un sorriso, 
di un amico con cui poter parlare.

Porta la pace e l'amore
dove c'e' l'odio e il rancore;
tutti gli uomini si prendano per mano
camminando nella stessa direzione.

Porta un respiro di pace
dove c'e' ancora la guerra;
la speranza possa in tutti germogliare
perche il mondo di domani, sia migliore.

Vola, Vola, Vola colomba di pace grida la tua liberta, e varca I confini del
mondo portando un seme d'amor.

Well, when I look back to the past 35 years I always feel humbled before God and
those entrusted to me.  My parishioners whoever and wherever they may be, have
always enriched my life spiritually and therefore I have no identity problems.

        'To live in the midst of the world without wishing its pleasures; to be a
member of each family, yet belonging to none; to share all sufferings; to
penetrate all secrets; to heal all wounds; to go from men to God and offer Him
their prayers; to return from God to men to bring pardon and hope; to have a
heart of fire for charity and a heart of bronze for chastity; to teach and to
pardon, console and bless always, My God, what a life!  And it is yours, O
priest of Jesus Christ!'