Canon Dun Gwann Sladden (1918 – 1986): The thirteenth Arch priest        Gwanni was born in Senglea on the 21st September 1918. On the 11th August 1946 he was ordained as a priest by the Arch Bishop Michael Gonzi in the Cathedral at Mdina. During his first years as a priest he used to teach English at the Arch Bishop’s Seminary of Malta where for some time he was also the Vice Rector and Prefect. He also taught at the colleges of St Aloysius and St Edwards.       As a young priest he had the Catholic Action very closed to his heart and he was the Ecclesiastical Assistant of the Men and Young Men sections in Senglea’s branch of the Catholic Action.

       He was also the Ecclesiastical Assistant of the Central section of the Youth movement of the Catholic Action. As from the 17^th December 1966, when Arch Bishop Gonzi appointed Canon Gwann Sladden as the thirteenth Arch priest of Senglea he dedicated himself wholly to the work in the parish. This was the time of new developments in the church following the second Vatican Council. On many occasions he did not beat about the bush about the need of a better spiritual life in Senglea. As the spiritual pastor of the city Canon Sladden was worried that there was not enough Christian teaching in Senglea and some could be mislaid by false teachings. He always insisted, especially with the young, about the importance of religious groups such as the MUSEUM, the Legion of Mary and the Catholic Action.

     Many still recall Arch priest Sladden as l-Arcipriet tal-Warda (the Arch priest of the Rose). He got this reputation because he strove a lot so that on the 50^th Anniversary of the crowning of the statue of Marija Bambina in 1971, a golden rose should be placed at the foot of the statue in remembrance. This plan saw its fulfillment during a ceremony held on the 4^th September 1971 in the Basilica and the rose was placed at Our Lady’s feet by Cardinal Giacomo Lercaro. Another ambitious project started by Arch priest Sladden was he wished that a documented history of the parish of Senglea be compiled. The first volume of this history, which was in the hands of Friar Alessandru Bonnici OFM Conv. was published in 1981, the year when the church of Senglea was celebrating its four hundred years since it was made a parish.

     By June 1984 Arch priest Sladden was not in good health. He had been coming in and out of hospital and he even spent some time in the Intensive Treatment Unit. On the 5^th March 1985 he relinquished his post as Arch priest. He had a terrible attack and could not possibly continue his pastoral work. In July 1985 he was nominated as Honorary Monsignor of the Cathedral of Malta. Mons Sladden spent some months in the Home for the Clergy at Birkirkara and died aged 67, on the 3^rd April 1986 at St Luke’s Hospital. On the following day his remains were taken to the church of St Philip so that the people could pay him their last respect. A corteo was held from St Philip to the Basilica on Saturday 5^th April 1986 where Mass was concelebrated by one hundred and eight priests. He was later interned at the Addolorata Cemetery in Paola

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