Charlot Zahra
A large crowd turned out for the funeral Mass praesente cadavere held at the Christ The King Parish Church in Paola for the demise of Labour MP Karl Chircop, 43, who died last Sunday after a brain haemorrhage.
Mass was concelebrated at 10am by Mgr Victor Grech, accompanied by a sizeable number of priests, including the parish priests of the six localities which Karl Chircop contested.
Next to the coffin stood Karl’s wife, Adriana, their four children – Jan, Francesca, Christian and Keith – as well as relatives of the deceased MP and his widow.
In attendance for this funeral there were President Edward Fenech Adami and his wife Mary, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and his wife Kate, Speaker Louis Galea accompanied by MPs from both sides of the House, Opposition Leader Joseph Muscat and his wife, Michelle, Labour Deputy leaders Anglu Farrugia and Toni Abela and their wives, members of the party administration led by Secretary-General Jason Micallef, as well as former Labour MPs.
Gozo Bishop Mario Grech and Auxiliary Bishop of Malta Annetto Depasquale were also present for the funeral mass.
Speaking during the Homily, Grech said how in the past 10 weeks, “we prayed, we hoped, we waited patiently that Karl’s situation would improve, but in the end we lost. Had God left us?” he asked.
“God has been there during the past 10 weeks and would remain there to help us through this episode and to keep close to our heart the values passed on to us by Karl,” the preacher told the congregation.
“A man’s usefulness is not calculated by the number of years one lives but by his vision of life and by how much love, dedication and commitment he places in the mission he is entrusted with,” Grech said.
“For 19 years of his life Karl was a doctor and for 12 he was an MP. He was a good example of Christianity,” he told the gathering.
“At the beginning of his career he chose a motto, ‘Dejjem Hemm Ghalik’ (‘Always there for you’), and he fulfilled the motto to the full,” Grech said to the applause of those present.
At the end of the mass at 11.30 pm, Chircop’s coffin was taken outside the Church on four pall-bearers to the sound of “You’ll never walk alone,” the Liverpool FC hymn, the football team of which the Labour MP was very fond, amid the warm applause of the crowd that thronged the square outside. His coffin was then taken on board a funeral hearse, where the funeral proceeded privately.
Earlier at 9 am, Chircop’s coffin was taken in front of the National Labour Centre in Hamrun, where the Labour Party leadership led by Opposition leader Joseph Muscat paid tribute to the deceased Labour MP where a huge banner with the words “F’mohhna u f’qalbna ghal dejjem” (‘In our minds and hearts forever’)
“Thanks Karl for being part of our experience,” Muscat said before the crowd gathered observed a minute’s silence to commemorate the deceased MP.
The funeral cortege then continued in its procession towards the Paola Parish Church with a rendition of the Winter Moods’ song “Marigold,” of which Chircop was an avid fan, by band front man Ivan Grech.

czahra@mediatoday.com.mt

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