Born in Cospicua on 19th October 1929, Grech pursued his studies at the Royal University of Malta from where he graduated BA (1952) and Lic.D. (1956). He was ordained priest in 1956, and after his ordination he was appointed vice-rector of the Seminary until 1963, when he became rector and served until 1977. In the meantime Grech was National Director of Vocations and was awarded a British Council visitorship to the UK. He was also visiting lecturer at the Faculty of Theology and lecturer of religious and social topics at the Mater Admirabilis Teachers’ Training College. During his rectorship, he founded the first Maltese priest-community in Brazil and collaborated with Mgr. Delleport in the foundation of the European Seminary in Maastricht.
In 1977 Grech was appointed Archbishop’s delegate for church social and charitable action. Shortly afterwards he became director of Caritas Malta and he introduced professional social service in Church institutions, within which he founded the Community of Volunteers to support these institutions. Grech founded the Caritas Drug Prevention and Rehabilitation Programmes in 1984. He worked bard to offer rehabilitation to persons dependent on drugs as well as to increase social awareness of the drug problem at a time when public consciousness about drug abuse was nearly non-existent and when nothing could be done to help drug abusers locally. A year later he founded the first therapeutic community for drug abusers in Malta, becoming founder-chairman of the Caritas. Foundation for the Rehabilitation of Drug Abusers and director of its centres.
As a result of his sterling work in the social and charitable field, Grech was bestowed the honour as Member of the National Order of Merit of the Republic of Malta in 1993. He was a Member of the Permanent Commission of Caritas Europa (1983- 1999) and Member of the Executive Committee of Caritas Internationalis (1991-1999). Since 1990 he has been a Member of the World Federation of Therapeutic Communities and has been Chairman of the International Federation of Associations of Elderly Persons (FIAPA) in Malta since 1991. He was awarded the Lions Club International Award for his humanitarian contribution to society in 1994.
In 1968 Grech was nominated chaplain to His Holiness Pope Paul VI and in 1981, Honorary Prelate to His Holiness Pope John Paul II. He was installed Canon of the Cathedral Chapter in 1991.
Grech is a radio and TV personality, conducting weekly radio programmes on family social issues. He is widely known as a preacher of Lenten talks to youths and is also a popular counsellor. He is also known for his assistance to persons in distress. Grech has published two books on youth problems, released on cassettes over 90 of his Lenten talks and has presented several papers in international conferences on specific social issues.