Cardinal-to-be Prospero Grech was Pope Montini’s confessor

Vatican Radio broadcast an interview with Mgr. Grech this morning.

Prior to being ordained to the priesthood in 1950, while Malta was under siege during the Second World War, Fr. Grech served his nation as a gunner in the Royal Malta Artillery.

But his field of valour lies within the walls of the world of Accademia.

A famed biblical scholar, he's currently lecturer emeritus at various universities in Rome as well as Consultor to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

Interviewed by Radio Vatican's Veronica Scarisbrick, Mgr Grech explained that in the course of a lifetime spent in Rome he also enjoyed first-hand experience of the inside workings of the Vatican.

It was in the early 1960's during the pontificates of first John XXIII and then Paul VI.

Mgr Grech shared his memories surrounding those years, confiding among other things as to what it was like living in a 'golden cage' in the heart of the Vatican with duties that included dressing these Popes for liturgical functions.

Adding one striking memory connected to his presence in the Sistine Chapel at conclave time, such as personally being asked to hear Giovanni Battista Montini's confession a couple of hours prior to his election to the papacy as Paul VI.

Also high on the agenda during those years, which happened to coincide with the Second Vatican Council, were his daily reports in Maltese on the historical event as it unfolded, from the Vatican's radio station.

Following this stint within Vatican walls , upon returning to the Augustinian mother house just outside the City walls, he was asked to found an Institute which would specialise in Patristics. Thus stepping back once again into the academic world.

Asked to share with his reaction upon hearing of this honour bestowed on him by Pope Benedict XVI, whom he knows well having worked with him in the years when they were both at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Mgr Grech describes himself as about to be 'painted red' with one regret: having to discard his scooter despite it too being 'painted red'.

As he himself puts it : "Well I was much better off before ....not that I am not thankful for this .. but let's let the first two or three four months pass. Then when the dust settles I can see what I am in for ..."