Malta's First Saint

England has always had a large and faithful Maltese community, and we were delighted yesterday to honour their first canonised saint, Dun Gorg Preca, at a Mass in a packed Cathedral. The celebrant was His Grace Monsignor Paul Cremona, O.P., Archbishop of Malta, and the Apostolic Nuncio attended in choir. Malta's High Commissioner, Dr Michael Refalo, organised the event and made an address after the Mass.

Dun Gorg Preca was born in 1880; while in seminary a life-threatening illness was remarkably cured, and he was ordained pirest in 1906. His great concern was education, and he founded a society of laymen to preach Christian doctrine. All the while, Dun Gorg's prayerfulness, humility and faithful service of his people made him a shining example of priesthood. He died in 1962.