The Metropolitan Chapter

Mgr Joseph Bajada

Mgr Joseph Bajada, son of the late Anthony and late Theresa nee Buttigieg, was born in Msida , on the 28 July 1950. He received his primary education in a public school and later at the Lyceum. In 1975,he obtained a Bachelor in Sacred Theology, and in 1977, a Masters in Sacred Theology, from the University of Malta. He was ordained priest on the 19 June 1977. In 1979, he obtained his Licentiate in Canon Law (J.C.L.), at the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome. And in 1987 a Doctorate Summa cum Laude in Canon Law with Specialisation in Canonical Jurisprudence [J.C.D. (Spec. in Iuris.)]. His thesis was published in its entirety in the Analecta Gregoriana, Rome, in 1988.

In 1981, he was appointed Defender of the Bond, on the Metropolitan Tribunal of Malta and a Judge between 1987 and 2001. Since December 2001, he has been the Judicial Vicar of the Regional Tribunal of Second Instance (Appeal Tribunal). Between 1983 and 2015, he lectured in Canon Law in the Faculty of Theology, at the University of Malta. He also established and directed the Diploma Course in Matrimonial Canon Law and Jurisprudence under the auspices of the Maltese Episcopal Conference (1992-2008). In 2009, this Course was developed in a Master of Arts in Matrimonial Canon Law & Jurisprudence, at the University of Malta, and he served for some years as its Co-Ordinator. During his teaching career, he was Tutor and Supervisor on various theses within the Faculties of Laws and Theology. Between 2006 and 2015 he was a Member on Response Team for the Investigation of Sexual Abuses (Maltese Episcopal Conference).

For a time he offered his pastoral services at the Gzira Parish Church, from where he passed on to the Immaculate Conception Parish at Hamrun, where he is up to this day.

In 1993, he was nominated Cappellano di Sua Santità, (Cap.S.S.), afer serving on the Paritethical Commission that drafted the Agreement between the Holy See and the Republic of Malta on the recognition for civil effects of canonical marriage and canonical matrimonial cases.

In January 2016, he was nominated member pof the Metropolitan Chapter.

Mgr Anthony (k/a Anton) Gouder

Mgr Anton Gouder, son of the late Emmanuel and Carmela neè Vella was born in Senglea, on November 16, 1951. He received his primary education at the Senglea Primary School and later at the Lyceum, Hamrun. From the Royal University of Malta he graduated Bachelor of Sacred Theology (1975) in Philosophy and Theology and Master of Sacred Theology (1977) in Pastoral Theology.

He was ordained priest in June 19, 1977 and was appointed Assistant Parish Priest at the Senglea Parish. In the same year he was elected member of the Presbyteral Council and was appointed as Moderator of the same council from 1989 to 2001. He continued to serve as member until April 1, 2015 and again from 2022 onwards. On February 5, 1983 he was appointed Parish Priest of Christ the King Parish at Paola. He was elected Secretary (1983) and President (1984) of the College of Parish Priests.

In 1987 he was appointed as member of the Archbishop’s Consultors College where he served until April 1, 2015. In the same year he was appointed as member of the Caritas Core Group for Drug Prevention and Action where he served until December 31, 1996. On August 2, 1989 he was relieved of his parochial duties and appointed as Diocesan Pastoral Secretary until September 14, 2001. During this period he also served as member of the Diocesan Representative Council, Diocesan Pastoral Council and the Seminary Board. On September 15, 2001 he was appointed as Rector of Archbishop Seminary until 26th February 2007, when he was appointed as Pro-Vicar General to His Grace Archbishop Paul Cremona O.P. until April, 1 2015.

On March 31, 2009 he was nominated Monsignor Treasurer of the Metropolitan Chapter of Malta and on 5 th November 2019, I was elected Vice President of the Chapter. From January 22, 2011 up to May 7, 2018 he was appointed Special Delegate of the Archbishop to the Fergħa Ewkaristika,. In October 2015, he started reading M.A. (Matrimonial Canon Law and Jurisprudence) at the University of Malta and on November 28, 2018 he graduated summa cum laude Masters of Arts in Matrimonial Canon Law and Jurisprudence. On January 15, 2016, he was appointed Judge of the Regional Tribunal of the Second Instance.

Mgr Professor Hector Scerri

Mgr Professor Hector Scerri, from Santa Venera, born on 17 October 1965, received his primary education at Stella Maris School, Balzan (1969-1974), and his secondary education at St Aloysius’ College, Birkirkara (1974-1981). He later studied at Ġan Frangisk Abela Sixth Form (1981-1983). He entered the Archbishop’s Seminary in September 1984. Archbishop Joseph Mercieca ordained him deacon on 20 November 1991, and priest on 2 July 1993. He studied philosophy and theology at the Institute of Philosophy and Human Studies (Faculty of Theology, 1984-1987) and at the University of Malta (1988-1993).

After his ordination, he specialised in Dogmatic Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome (1993-1998). In 1998, Archbishop Mercieca appointed him Vice-Rector of the Archbishop’s Seminary, Malta, a post he occupied for ten years. Since 1993, he has been offering his priestly duties in the parish of the Immaculate Conception, Hamrun.

Mgr Scerri has been a lecturer in Dogmatic Theology, University of Malta, since 1998. He was Head of the Department of Fundamental and Dogmatic Theology (2001-2016); and Deputy Dean, Faculty of Theology (2015-2019). He was member of the Senate of the University of Malta (2013-2015). He also lectures at the Seminary of the Sacred Heart in Gozo, and at the Augustinian Institute and the Pastoral Formation Institute.

He is the Censor theologicus of the Archdiocese since 2000. He is also President of the Doctrinal Commission of the Maltese Episcopal Conference since 2008, and President of the Diocesan Ecumenical Commission since 2008. He was Chairperson of the Malta Ecumenical Council from 2014 to 2022.

Pope Francis appointed him Consultor to the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity in 2014. He is the Founder-President of the Maltese Patristics Society (2015). The Holy See named him Ecclesiastical Assistant of the Pontifical Foundation Aid to the Church in Need, Malta (2017).

Archbishop Scicluna created him member of the Metropolitan Chapter on 28 January 2018. Since January 2022, he occupies the office of Chancellor of the Chapter, and since November 2022, he is its Precentor.

He is a member of various international societies. He has delivered peer-reviewed papers at Oxford, Durham, Rome, Paris, Helsinki, Strasbourg and Heidelberg. He has authored or edited fourteen books and has published over sixty articles in peer-reviewed journals.

MGR Paul Carmel Vella – Administrator, Treasurer and Rector of St John’s Co-Cathedral

Monsignor Vella, born on September 23, 1961, from Siggiewi, received his formation for priesthood at the Archbishop’s Seminary Tal-Virtù, Rabat, and continued his studies at the Faculty of Theology, University of Malta. He was ordained as Deacon on December 3rd 1986, and ordained to Priesthood on Friday 8th July 1988. Monsignor Vella was appointed personal secretary and chaplain to former Archbishop Joseph Mercieca, he was also nominated Delegate for the Liturgy in the Archdiocese, and Master of Ceremonies both of the Metropolitan Chapter and for the whole Archdiocese. He furthered his studies in Canon Law at the Pontifical Lateran University, in Rome (1995 – 1997) and the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, in Rome (2013 – 2016). From 1997 till 2001, Mgr. Paul Carmel Vella served as the Defender of the Bond at the Metropolitan Tribunal of First Instance, and on November 1st 2001 he was nominated by His Grace the Archbishop as Judge at the said Tribunal. In 2016 he was nominated Chaplain at St Peter’s Monastery in Mdina and in December 2017 created Provost-Archpriest of the Saint Helen’s Collegiate in Birkirkara. 

On January 25th 2007, he was created Chaplain of His Holiness the Pope with the title of Monsignor. In 2010, the Order of Malta nominated Mgr. Vella Chaplain of Magistral Grace (2010) and Conventual Chaplain in 2012. The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre created Mgr. Vella as Knight Cleric in 2019 and in 2022 was elevated to the rank of Commendatore.   

On the 1st of September 2021, Mgr. Vella was nominated Rector of St John’s Co-Cathedral, and member of the Council of the Foundation of St John’s Co-Cathedral, as well as Judge of First Instance for the Diocese of Gozo. On the 6th December he was created Rector of Our Lady of Victories Proto-Church in Valletta. It was on the 7th February 2023, during the monthly ordinary meeting of the Metropolitan Chapter, that Mgr. Vella was elected Administrator and Treasurer of the same Metropolitan Chapter.

Mgr. Claude Portelli  B.A., S.Th.L.

Mgr Claude Portelli son of Peter Paul and Tania nee Naudi from Sliema, was born on the 6 th of August 1975. He is the eldest son of four siblings and an uncle to three nephews and a niece. He received his Primary and Secondary education at St. Edward’s College in Vittoriosa. In 1994 Mgr Portelli started his studies at the University of Malta reading for his Bachelor of Arts degree in
Italian and Philosophy. He started his seminary formation years in 1995 at the Archbishop’s Seminary in Tal-Virtu’, Rabat. In 2001 Mgr Portelli graduated in his Bachelor’s Degree in Theology from the Faculty of Theology at the University of Malta. He pursued his studies in Pastoral Theology and received his licentiate degree in 2003. He was ordained priest by Archbishop Joseph
Mercieca on the 28th July 2002.

Throughout his first years of priesthood, Mgr Portelli was assigned various duties in the Archdiocese of Malta. In 2002 and 2003 he assisted the parish priest at the Assumption of Our Lady Parish Church, Ghaxaq. In 2003 until 2009 he was appointed Assistant Parish Priest at St. Julian Parish, St Julian’s. On 21 st July 2003 Archbishop Paul Cremona appointed Mgr Portelli parish priest of the same parish of St Julians. A post he retained until June 2022.

On the 8 th January 2023 Archbishop Charles J. Scicluna appointed Mgr. Claude Portelli as his first delegate for culture with the mission to pursue the path of dialogue between the Church in Malta and the field of Culture. At the same time he was also appointed director of the Catholic Institute in Floriana with the responsibility of regenerating the building into a centre for the arts and culture. Mgr Portelli still occupies this post to date.

In February 2023 Mgr Portelli was appointed effective Canon at the Collegiate Parish Church of St. Paul’s Shipwreck in Valletta. In November of the same year Archbishop Scicluna appointed Mgr Claude Portelli as Coadjutor Monsignor for the Metropolitan Chapter. In February 2024 he was also asked to become one of the Magistral Chaplains of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta and St John (SMOM)

In June 2024, Archbishop Charles Jude Scicluna appointed Mgr Claude Portelli Archpriest of St Paul’s Metropolitan Cathedral in Mdina.

Mariella Cutajar

Ms Cutajar has previously occupied roles in Human Resources, Finance, Quality and Production at Playmobil Malta Ltd and Lufthansa Technik Malta Ltd. She was appointed administrator by the ‘Kumitat Tmexxija Ġenerali’ (KTG) which is a committee assisting the Metropolitan Chapter in managing and administering the three entities mentioned above. Ms Cutajar studied Management at the University of Malta.

In January 2023 Ms Mariella Cutajar assumed the role as the General Secretary for Mdina Cathedral, Museum and the Archives. In the past 8 years, Ms Cutajar has set various Standard Operating Procedures to ensure a smooth running of the various operations within the entities. She was also instrumental in building  a workforce instilling dedication, passion and flexibility.  Together with the input of the 3 Managerial Boards, major projects were carried out such as: the restoration of the cupola and  the Apside of the Cathedral, (The Apside being restored via the EU Funding), the  opening of new halls within the Museum together with the restoration of  various artifacts, and also the set up of a new Library at the Archives.

The new role of Ms Cutajar shall also present its challenges. She will ensure that the 3 entities shall keep up with the ongoing changes to preserve our  showcases of culture and heritage  and make sure that they are  known to the many artists, researchers, students and the local public in general, together with the tourists that visit our islands.

Natasha Farrugia

Natasha Farrugia was awarded the National “Worker of the Year” award in 2005. She specialises in management and administration with experience in accounting, debt collection, sales and marketing, customer care and logistics. Her work experience initiated in the Printing Industry followed by the Tourism Industry and English Language schools. Natasha Farrugia spent 24 years working for private entities reaching goals and targets, ensuring that the business has a structure, which works well for both management and employees alike. Natasha started working at MISSIO Malta in December 2016 or as it is widely known, the Pontifical Mission Society, an NGO run by the Catholic Church with its head office based at the Vatican. She was appointed as Events and Volunteer Coordinator; planning and implementing a fundraising yearly calendar including logistics while being mindful of keeping a low marketing budget.  She was instrumental in yearly fundraising events such as the televised 12-hour Marathon and the Summer BBQ amongst others. Natasha was also instrumental in building a network of volunteers for tasks required by management (this included guiding and monitoring). Other tasks included identifying and approaching potential business partners including shops/ company owners and elderly homes. She also was managing the mission bazaar including collection of items from households.

In September 2022, she was appointed by the Metropolitan Chapter as Administration Clerk. She was since then promoted to Administrative Assistant. Although her responsibilities vary from secretarial to office administration and accounts, she takes pride in being the Chapter’s aid in anything, which the Chapter needs.