By Sara WestheadThe Roman Catholic Diocese of Hamilton in Bermuda celebrated an important milestone this past weekend commemorating 60 years of its official establishment on the Island.The highlight of the celebrations, which also included a series of activities with local pastors and church leaders, as well as an ecumenical leaders luncheon, was the Concelebrated Solemn Mass held at noon on Sunday, March 10, with guests including Archbishop Patrick Pinder of Nassau, Bahamas, Archbishop Anthony Mancini of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Bishop Douglas Crosby of Hamilton, Ontario and the Very Rev Salvatore Restivo, Provincial Superior of the Congregation of the Resurrection in attendance.It was in 1953, according to Bishop Robert Kurtz, that Bermuda was established as a separate entity, which eventually led to Bermuda becoming its own diocese and to have its own Bishop.“Prior to that time of 1953, Bermuda was a mission of Halifax, Nova Scotia, the Archdiocese, and, thanks be to God, they cared for Bermuda from 1843 to 1943,” explained Bishop Kurtz. During those 100 years, the Archdiocese would regularly send down priests and bishops to minister to Catholics on the island.“My message would be that of the year of faith. In our society today, we need those who believe to do everything possible to make that faith more visible to the world in which we live and I’m very touched by the writings of Pope Benedict, now Pope Emeritus, who said that unless the faith is expressed in love, it’s not going to have much effect. Maybe in the mystery of God’s providence, its fine, but if we’re going to be a church of new evangelisation, it has to come through charity, through love, through service to others. I think that’s the message. And that’s really the message of faith as well that we’re trying to promote with this celebration.”Roman Catholic Apostolic Nuncio, the Archbishop Nicola Girasoli, presided over the service at St Theresa’s. As Nuncio, the Archbishop’s serves as a member of the Vatican Diplomatic Corps and represents the Pope within the Antilles Episcopal Conference, which includes Bermuda.Born in Ruvo di Puglia, Italy, Archbishop Girasoli was ordained to the priesthood in 1980 and joined the diplomatic service of the Holy See in 1985. He has served in several different countries, and as the head of mission for the Apostolic Nuncio in Zambia and Malawi. He speaks English, French and Spanish, as well as his native Italian.The Catholic church, like many other denominations, has struggled in recent years with attendance and adherent numbers dwindling in some parts of the world, like in parts of Europe and, to a smaller extent, Latin America and the Western world.“I think, is mainly due to secularisation,” explained Archbishop Girasoli. “On the sociological point of view I would refer to the expression that our world is becoming liquid. It is very difficult to ask people to make a life commitment, around certain areas. There is a lot of emotion when they approach the spiritual world, but it is very difficult to make a commitment.”However, while there is a decline in some countries, others are and continue to grow in substantial way, like Africa and Asia.“Globally, yes, we see this, we see a kind of decline in certain areas of the world. We are facing the shortages of priests, but there are areas of the world where we have too many priests. I think it depends, we have to contextualise in each area of the world, but I think much of this is due to this liquidity, people just want to live for today and not commit themselves for tomorrow.”Considering the growing secularisation of the modern world, how can the Catholic church promote spiritual growth, particularly among young people, and encouraging them to consider a life of service to the church?“Faith is important for knowing the truth; love and witness is important for working with truth. I think this should be one of the major elements to really encourage people to be more visible in their faith, witness their faith, in humility, of course, in humility and in a spirit of service, and giving a good example.”“But of course, we know that this is difficult. We know that, especially in this kind of society, like here in Bermuda, it’s difficult to really attract people to something which really would appear to go against what they are easily receiving from society. So I think that witness is the most important thing, and of course, also trying also to reach the heart of the people.”Encouraging young people to consider the priesthood or vocational ministry is a challenge. He would often hear from young people they were interested, but not for life.“Vocation is a life commitment, and its very difficult today, in this society, to propose to young men and women to be committed for their life. [Young people] would say, Nunciate, I would like to be a priest, but for five years, 10 years. Don’t ask me to make a commitment. How can I, today, make a lifetime commitment? It’s difficult for them to understand, but of course if we give a good example and good witness, it will help. Of course our mission is also a mission to find vocation, because without priests, without committed people, the church itself will lose a lot of the important part of the mission.”The Catholic church has also been rocked by controversy in some parts of the world due to the impropriety of some priests.“This is of course, you touch a very real, delicate question and point that our church is facing again in certain areas of the world. First of all, I think we have to be strongly and very openly clear when this happens ... This is something very, very important. The leaders of our churches, when these cases occur, you have to be very clear to the people in the parish, to every day people, they have to really understand there really is a clear, clear condemnation that we have done wrong.”“But on the other side, we also have to be clear and our priests and our bishops really have to transfer the message, so we have done wrong, but I cannot suffer for the sins that was done by another person. This also should be very clear. I don’t carry on something that is done by another person.”“This, already, at the official level of the church, has been expressed, apologies, but I think it should be very clear, and of course, very strict. It should be very, very clear, so the people can feel that, really, the church, the leaders especially, the hierarchy, is very strong against this and it would not be tolerated any more, and we all have to do all our best so that people can really understand this.”When it comes to the challenges that particularly Bermuda has faced in recent years, the Nunciate stresses the importance of unity and respect.“Crime can be fought if we are united. I’ve seen that, not only here, but unfortunately in the Caribbean region, crime is growing, growing, growing, mostly with the gangs and so, all the public institutions should be strongly united and keep a strong message that this is wrong. People have to understand that only if we are united can we fight.”“Respect is to let people feel equal. But why do the people have to feel equal? Because the majority, they have the same right. If the majority enjoy the right of equality, all the minorities, you can slowly, slowly, let them grow in this and let them feel that they are respected and not only protected. Also this is a long process. But this is the message, keep united, of course respecting.”