St George Preca
– 9 May 2024 –

Have you ever asked yourself the question, ‘What was St George Preca’s main wish?’  As any other human being, Fr George - as he would have liked to be addressed - had his own wishes too.  It is evident from his writings that one of the main wishes was that of becoming more like our Lord Jesus Christ.  This wasn’t just a wish he had for himself but he wanted that everyone strives to achieve this objective. In the Scriptures we read, ‘Have the same mindset as Jesus Christ’ (Phil 2:5).  Fr George would have said to us:  Embrace the Spirit of Christ as such Spirit includes each and every virtue, every good power.  As the potter gives shape to an object from clay, we need to allow God to continue to mould us and form us in the image of Jesus Christ.  We start changing in a way that our thoughts, our decisions, our sentiments, our dreams and our desires will become increasingly similar to those of Jesus Christ himself.  Every human being is invited to embark on this transformational process through which, from a ‘natural’ human being, he starts resembling Jesus more closely in order to become the new human, a spiritual human being. Fr George therefore recommends that we cast our look on Christ Jesus and always seek to imitate him in everything.  Look at him and be silent, let him speak to you and do all that you see him doing and hear him saying to you.  Let him enkindle your heart so that you can imitate him in everything.  Generate in you the desire that your heart resembles that of Christ himself and with a completely patient attitude, let him gradually change you in order that you become like him. Fr George often used to suggest that we do the exercise promoted by St Vincent de Paule.  In this exercise one has to ask himself:  ‘Had Jesus been in my position, what would he have thought, or what would he have said or done?’  Thus, your decisions and your actions will always be enlightened by Jesus himself who assured us that he is the only way that leads to the Father. One of the key ways which without any doubt, helps a person to become more like Christ is good instruction - the source of all good things. The main aim of the Society Fr George set up, the Society of Christian Doctrine, is precisely that the members within it become saints and that they teach others in order that others too succeed in becoming saints through what they learn.  The desire for sainthood is the desire that we become ever more like Christ, the same wish Fr George had; would that the whole world follows the teachings of Christ! Let us pray and ask God that through the intercession of St George Preca, he grants us the grace that we always continue to change to become more like Christ so that we too, together with St Paul would be able to say, ‘ Do I live?  It is no longer me; Christ lives within me (Gal 2:20).

Il-Ktieb il-Kbir (The Great Book) is one of some 140 books written by St George Preca, Founder of the Society of Christian Doctrine. It was originally written in Maltese in the 1920s when Fr Preca was in his forties. Its contents reveal a dedicated priest already advanced in holiness. The book was specifically written for the meditation by the SDC Members, but in 1967 it was published for public use. Following in the long tradition of Thomas à Kempis and other classical spiritual masters, Fr Preca regarded “Christ crucified” as an indivisible and indispensible manual in his spirituality, as can clearly be seen from Preca’s first written Rule of 1909. The underlying reason is well put in his much later and more mature work, The Sanctuary of Christ’s Spirit: “How can one open that Great Book, Jesus Christ crucified,and fail to be imbued with his spirit? For those who really gaze at him, Christ crucified proves to be the source giving forth the spirit of eternal life… You will also then be filled with horror for sin and with love for God who, through the death of his Son, cleansed our soul in his divine blood, transforming us from children of wrath to children of grace”. Indeed, this is why Fr Preca emphatically believed that Christ crucified “is the Book that the saints followed.” He presents him to every Christian as “the surest way for eternal glory.” He invites everyone to fix their gaze at the Crucified Lord all the days of their earthly life. The style of the book is typical of Fr Preca’s: deep thoughts, which are highly biblical, are condensed in short sentences which the leader needs to meditate slowly in order to elicit and savour all the practical conclusions for one’s Christian life. For, again typically, Fr Preca’s writings are directly meant for practice and not just for the pleasure of reading them. Indeed, they resulted from his own spiritual wrestling to put on Christ. The basic invitation contained in every page of Il-Ktieb il-Kbir (The Great Book) is that which St Paul made to the Galatians: undergo the process of spiritual birth and death “until Christ is formed in you” (Gal 4,19).   The following is Page Forty-one from Il-Ktieb il-Kbir (The Great Book): Dearly beloved, look attentively at your Divine Master and reflect about: Trust in God Proof: The very enemies of Jesus Christ testified to his full trust in God. Looking at Jesus on the cross, they said, “He puts his trust in God; now let God rescue him if He wants him” (Mt 27,43). And before He expired, Jesus cried in a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit” (Lk 2,46). How could it be that He had no trust in God when He himself taught us not to call anyone “Father” on this earth, but have trust only in God? (Mt 23,9). Reflections from this Page: The uncertainty of the future renders us incapable of resting assured upon our own self, even if we are rich, wise or strong. The emotions and fickleness of human beings do not allow us to depend on any person for all are subject to death at any time. In the book of the prophet Daniel it is àwritten that God will save those who trust in him (Dan 13,60). Our repose in only in God. We were made for him. No one but him has all the means of consolation. He alone is not subject to no change whatsoever. Resolution: We resolve to put our trust in God’s power and, in all our spiritual and material needs, to unload all our cares on to the Lord. Thus, undoubtedly, we will be giving him glory with sincere gratitude.

St Michael School, run by the Society of Christian Doctrine (MUSEUM), celebrated its 75th anniversary in November 2021. For this occasion, Preca Publications published a book researched by the author titled L-Iskola St Michael – L-Għaxqa ta’ San Ġorġ Preca (St Michael School – The Pride and Joy of St George Preca). The book has a lot of new information, which should interest all those who care about education and the teachings of St George Preca. ‘My Pride and Joy’ By the end of World War II, Toni Agius (1907-1989), a MUSEUM member and engine fitter, had left his secure job at the shipyard to open a new school. He was joined by three other members of the MUSEUM, apprentices at the shipyard, and sacrificed everything to embark on this beautiful but challenging adventure. Like the founder of the MUSEUM, Agius found people who did not understand him and others who had reasonable fears. But St George Preca blessed Agius and his new project. St George later called St Michael School “my pride and joy” and he always visited the school with great happiness, talked to the students and teachers and celebrated mass there. ‘Special school’ Agius used to call St Michael School a “special school” because he didn’t want the school to be just an ordinary school like all the others. There were already several schools and colleges in Malta at that time. Agius had witnessed how many young people were seeing examples of bad conduct at the workplace and rea­lised that schools were not doing enough in this respect. The generous and missionary spirit inspired by St George Preca as a member of the MUSEUM could not leave him indifferent to such difficulties. Fruit of sacrifice Archbishop Charles Scicluna personally sent a message to the author after seeing a copy of the book. He said: “As a young priest, I had the opportunity to celebrate the Holy Eucharist with the students of St Michael School. It was a wonderful experience to meet so many students and teachers in an educative environment enriched with strong Christian values. “St Michael School is a monu­ment to the dedication of the members of the Christian Doctrine Society but it is also the fruit of the sacrifices of many dedicated parents, families and lay people. Over time, I have seen the happy development of the school: from a modest environment to a more modern environment and adapted to today’s demands. “I wish St Michael School to continue to serve our country in the field of education and instil in students and teachers the persuasion of the words that St George Preca loved to repeat: ‘Teaching is the source of all good.’” Contribution to Maltese Society In an introduction to the book, Raymond D’Amato, who has been head of school for more than 30 years, thanked the author “not only for the thorough research he has done to give us the history of our dear school but also for his commitment to giving us the vision, love and dedication of the work of the members of the staff of our school through all these years”. He added: “I appreciate the school’s contribution to Maltese society, especially during difficult times. If you have been lucky enough to be a part of our school in the last 75 years, share with others what you have received. I wish St Michael School a bright future so that, in the words of St George Preca, it ‘rises with your blessing and brings out spiritual and temporal good, to all who enter it will be the object of your mercy’.” Virtuous spirit Agius and Superior Carmelo Callus wanted the school, like the SDC centres, to be a “forge in which sin burns”. It is no wonder that the school is named for the archangel St Michael, who cast the devil into hell according to the Holy Scriptures. We pray to this saint to bless the staff and students of the past, present and future and their families to grow in virtue and, thus,  live a genuinely humane life. This book keeps Agius’s memories alive and write a historical account of the events that led to St Michael School’s establishment and the tremendous virtuous spirit that animated the first teachers. It also helps us not to forget the origins, to keep the past in mind and help us visualise the school’s future. A school is not a business meant to make profit but, instead, to serve as an extended family for children and adolescents where they should be educated in the values of goodness. This is what Agius and St George Preca desired. May this book serve to rediscover the values that shaped our predecessors and, above all, their commitment to doing good to others and, by doing so, glorifying God.

You must be 90 years old or older to remember any  other Pope before Pius XII. one of the first broadcasts Maltese people ever saw on television was the funeral of Pius XII in 1958, precisely 64 years ago. With the help of  mass media, Popes started becoming familiar faces throughout the world, including the Maltese islands, rather than being  distant figures. Pope John XIII entered the hearts of the Maltese, among others, because he was the first Pope to speak in our language. Paul VI was a great friend of Malta, a somewhat forgotten Pope whose greatness is rediscovered in our time. Despite his very short pontificate, Pope Luciani's sweet smile remains the key characteristic he was known for. The beloved Pope John Paul II was the first pope to visit us, and one visit was not enough in one of the longest pontificates in the history of the Church. On his second visit to Malta, he beatified the first three Maltese. Benedict XVI also visited us and declared the first Maltese saint. And in 2022 Pope Francis, the friend of the young and the poor, visited our Maltese Islands. Seven Popes in Eighty Years. Seven great Popes. Seven popes of holy fame. Seven Popes who have left a mark on the Church and the world. Seven humane Popes, which with their values ​​and limitations just like each everyof us have touched our lives. Luciani had said that if he had known that he would one day become Pope, he would have studied more. But in reality, no study is enough for such a huge responsibility. The last seven of St. Peter's 265 successors in a long history of two thousand years. On the occasion of Pope Francis' visit to Malta in April 2022, Preca Publication published the book Il-Papiet Kbar ta' Żmienna (Great Popes of Our Time) by Robert Aloisio, a teacher and author of nine books, many of them biographical.

It would not be an understatement to say that we are disillusioned with the endemic corruption that has blighted many countries. Sadly, Malta is not an exception, and keeping abreast of the news tends to be a depressing exercise as stories of sleaze and dishonesty at the highest levels seem to dominate the headlines in many other countries. How often do we hear that all politicians are crooks? Roberto Benigni, the maverick Italian comedian and actor, speaks out very strongly against such a defeatist and negative attitude. He says such generalisations play into the hands of the rogues as it conditions people to accept that political corruption has to be taken as given. Such a defeatist stance should be anathema to people of good will, even more so to those of us who claim to be Christian. I was privileged to have listened to the legendary Jesuit Fr Bartolomeo Sorge SJ in 1995. He passionately believed that evil can be overcome. He dedicated his life to educating people of influence, especially in fighting the scourge of the mafia in neighbouring Sicily. It was therefore a most refreshing experience for me to have been given a book by a friend of mine that relates the unbelievably outstanding stories of Christian men, both lay and religious, who embodied the social and political commitment so clearly portrayed by the late Fr Sorge SJ. The book, Knisja u Mafia (The Church and the Mafia), written by Robert Aloisio, is very well researched, describing how criminal interests infiltrate and impact on people in the Church, the legal profession and the political arena, thus corrupting institutions that should be at the forefront defending and promoting justice. Yet the book sends out a message of hope as it presents us with people of integrity and courage, whatever their calling. Despite indifference and paralysis and, at times, the scandalous connivance between the various institutions and organised crime, they courageously went ahead with living up to their responsibilities. This book underscores an overlooked aspect of these heroes who lived up to the highest standards of professional integrity. It reveals how it was their Christian faith that inspired and motivated them, despite being very aware that they were placing their lives and even those of their family members at risk. Such a book should have a wide readership, especially in schools, so that the younger generation may be motivated by such heroic witness and realise that every choice we make is crucial. We all have the responsibility to use our freedom to make the right choices, otherwise society will resign itself to accepting that evil is inevitable. This was emphasised on October 1 by Archbishop Charles Scicluna, who, when addressing the judiciary to mark the start of the new Forensic Year, referred to the courageous young magistrate Rosario Livatino, who was assassinated 31 years ago at the age of 38. Livatino’s life story, portrayed at length in Knisja u Mafia (The Church and the Mafia), is most uplifting, and Rosario should be a role model for those who are inspired by Christian values, especially when in positions of great responsibility that play a key role in promoting a virtuous society. As the Russian Canadian sociologist Catherine Doherty once said: “Being a Christian means living dangerously”. Sitting on the fence is not an option. All proceeds from the book will go to the Caritas Parish Diakonia Network.

Preca Publications has recently published the book Gilbert Simiana: Fuq il-Passi ta’ Ġesù (Gilbert Simiana: In the Footsteps of Jesus). Researched and penned by Stephen Zammit, a member of the Society of Christian Doctrine, this book narrates the life of the youth Gilbert Simiana (1982-1998), raised in a Catholic family, as an aspirant in the Society and a student at St Aloysius College, and how cancer from a young age strengthened him in his faith, hope and love towards Jesus, his best friend. This led Gilbert to become know as ‘Domenico Savio’ of Malta. This book gathers many experiences from those who knew him most so that even you meet this young saint and Jesus Christ whom he really loved.

Madeleine Delbrêl (1904–1964) was a French laywoman, social worker, and mystic known for her dedication to serving the poor and marginalized in Ivry-sur-Seine, Paris. Her writings, deeply rooted in her Catholic faith, emphasize finding the divine in ordinary experiences and continue to inspire people worldwide to embrace spirituality in daily life. Pope Francis declared her Venerable in 2018. We, the Ordinary People of the Streets by Madeleine Delbrêl is a poignant exploration of spirituality amidst the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Delbrêl, a French laywoman and mystic, offers profound insights into finding the divine in the ordinary, emphasizing the sacredness of the mundane. In this collection of essays, Delbrêl invites readers to contemplate the significance of simple encounters, small gestures, and ordinary tasks. She challenges the notion that spirituality is confined to religious rituals or secluded contemplation, asserting instead that it is woven into the fabric of everyday existence. Through her vivid prose and reflective musings, she encourages readers to awaken to the presence of God in the midst of their daily routines. Delbrêl's writing is both poetic and practical, infused with a deep sense of reverence for human experience. She celebrates the beauty of human connection, the dignity of work, and the transformative power of love. Drawing on her own encounters with poverty, suffering, and joy, she offers a vision of spirituality that is grounded in solidarity and compassion. While Delbrêl's perspective is deeply rooted in her Catholic faith, her message transcends religious boundaries, speaking to the universal longing for meaning and connection. Whether she is reflecting on the laughter of children, the struggles of the marginalized, or the mysteries of the divine, her words resonate with authenticity and wisdom. We, the Ordinary People of the Streets is a timeless testament to the sacredness of everyday life. It reminds us that holiness is not reserved for saints or ascetics but is accessible to all who are willing to open their hearts to the divine presence that surrounds them. Delbrêl's book is a gentle invitation to embrace the sacredness of the ordinary and to discover God in the midst of our daily journeys.