Archive
The North East of Brazil: Seminarians and Priests from Gozo
Abstracts from THE MALTESE MISSIONARY EXPERIENCE – 12
By Fr John Caruana
In December 1955, Joseph Galea of Sannat was the first seminarian from Gozo to go to the diocese of Joao Pessoa at the age of 22! He was ordained priest in 1959.
Fr José – as he became known – served as professor and master of discipline in the Seminary of Cajazeiras, and was parish priest in Sso Jose de Piranhas, in the parish of Itabaina, and for some time also served in Cachoeira dos Indios. Read more…
The Archdiocese of Sao Paulo
Abstracts from THE MALTESE MISSIONARY EXPERIENCE – 11
By Fr John Caruana
The late Fr Peter Fenech went to Brazil soon after his ordination on the 7th of April 1962 with his colleague, Fr Frankie Tabone Adami. After a period in the diocese of Londrina in the State of Parana, he moved to the Archdiocese of Sao Paulo serving with the late Cardinal Arns who deeply respected him. Read more…
Dr Joseph Micallef Stafrace
Abstracts from THE MALTESE MISSIONARY EXPERIENCE – 10
By Fr John Caruana
Dr Joseph Micallef Stafrace and his wife Yvonne, when visiting a favela in Brazil, remained greatly and negatively impressed. His wife Yvonne told him that she would not even tolerate an animal living in these conditions. At the same time, Dr Stafrace writing in the newspaper Lehen is-Sewwa says that, “contrary to what we might think from afar, when one approaches the residents in these favelas, one perceives that the people are educated, are really and truly friendly people, and they love their children. Read more…
The Archdiocese of Londrina
Abstracts from THE MALTESE MISSIONARY EXPERIENCE – 09
By Fr John Caruana
The Archdiocese of Londrina formally created on the 17th February 1957, had as its first Bishop, Mgr Geraldo Fernandez. It was at this time that Bishop Fernandez visited Malta asking for priests and possibly even seminarians to work in these new pastures. Read more…
The Missionary Project at the Malta Seminary
Abstracts from THE MALTESE MISSIONARY EXPERIENCE – 08
By Fr John Caruana
It was in 1956 when Mgr Victor Grech, then Seminary Rector, had the Missionary Project for the Malta Seminary very much at heart. Quoting Isaiah 59:1 “Behold the hand of the Lord is not shortened that it cannot save, neither is his ear heavy that it cannot hear,” he firmly believed this saying brought to the fore God’s love for man and his concern with each and every individual. Read more…
The Augustinian Sisters (OSA)
Abstracts from THE MALTESE MISSIONARY EXPERIENCE – 07
by Fr John Caruana
In the early 80s, the Congregation opened its first house in Lubumbashi (then Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of Congo) in Africa. In 1988 they stepped for the first time on Asian soil – they opened a house in India, in Cochin in Kerala State. Eventually, in 1989, they also moved to the Philippines. Read more…
The Augustinians (OSA)
Abstracts from THE MALTESE MISSIONARY EXPERIENCE – 06
by Fr John Caruana
The Augustinian Province in Brazil was established in 1962. It was the year of the Ecumenical Vatican Council II when the bishop of the State of Mato Grosso. Campo Grande, met a Maltese Augustinian priest, Fr Fulgensius Galea OSA in Rome. They discussed the possibility of the Maltese Augustinian Province opening a mission in his diocese. Fr Fulgensius welcomed the invitation and presented this proposal to the Provincial Fr Ugolin Gatt. Together with Fr Paul Spiteri he proceeded to Mato Grosso which lies some 2500 kilometres away from Sao Paulo in the heart of Brazil, to discuss the project with Mgr Anthony Barbosa SDB. The decision to join the mission was taken. Read more…
