Bishop Malzaire

Bishop of Roseau, Most Rev Gabriel Malzaire, was recently awarded the St Lucia Medal of Honour (SLMH) – Gold.

He was one of 25 St Lucians who were recognised in the Order of St Lucia Independence Day Awards at a ceremony held at Government House, Morne Fortune, Castries.

Bishop Malzaire, however, was not present for the investiture but Governor General, Dame Pearlette Louisy, who is Chancellor of the Order of St Lucia, presented the award to his younger brother on his behalf.

Among those receiving awards was renowned musician, Luther Francois, who was also presented with the St Lucia Medal of Honour – Gold.

Awardees for the Order of St Lucia are selected from nominations made by the public to the National Awards Committee.

The Medal of Honour is conferred on persons who have “rendered eminent service of national importance to St Lucia or has performed an outstanding brave or humane act to a national of St Lucia or other country.”

The citation read, “Like many of St Lucia 's sons and daughters, Bishop Malzaire has temporarily left his homeland to work in other pastures and to minister in other lands.

But by that very circumstance, he brings honour and glory to his native country, and in this Jubilee Year of the elevation of Castries as an independent Diocese, the people of St Lucia salute his achievements and the contribution he continues to make to the society that nurtured him.”

Bishop Malzaire, 48, was born in Mon Repos, a community in the village of Micoud on the east of St Lucia. He dreamt of serving the Lord since age 10 and after studying at the Regional Seminary of St John Vianney and Ugandan Martyrs in Trinidad and Tobago , he was ordained in 1985. In 2002, he was appointed Bishop of Roseau.

He holds a doctorate in Systematic Theology from the Gregorian University in Rome. His doctoral thesis, which has since been published in Rome, is a study of the relationship between theology of the Eucharist and the Social Teaching of the Church, as reflected in the thoughts of the late Pope Paul VI on the world's poor and suffering.

(edited from The Chronicle)