Xaghra Parish » Gallery » 2008 » 20 JUN 08 FR GIGI CAMILLERI S.J. REMEMBERED
20 JUN 08 - REMEMBERING FR GIGI CAMILLERI S.J. Fr Gigi Camilleri S.J. from Xaghra died on 10 May 2006 (see Past Events elsewhere on this site). After forty four years in India as a missionary there he returned to Gozo spending the last twelve years of his life residing at Manresa House, the Jesuit Retreat House. Visitors to Manresa House went back taking with them happy memories of Fr Gigi. Every summer he spent a couple of months in Lincolnshire, England and Fatima in Portugal where he attended to the spiritual needs of those who asked for it and there too he made new friends who cherished his memory. But in Gozo there is a group of persons who miss Fr Gigi in a very special way. These are the senior citizens who attend the University of Malta, Gozo Branch, l-Universita; tat-Terz; Eta;. With them, Fr Gigi spent many years attending lectures at the University and on them all he made a great impact. When asked how they remember Fr Gigi some replied briefly with the following comments : Patrijott kbir ta; rahal twelidu, ix-Xaghra;; Gentlom li kif tkellmu ssir tafu mill-qrib;; Edukatur mill-kbar u cajtier;; Habib ta; kulhadd, ghadu ta; hadd;; Ta; letteratura kbira u sincerita; mmensa;; Pjanu li kull fejn tmisslu jdoqq noti ntunati ghall-ahhar;. (A great patriot of his place of birth, Xaghra; a gentleman you would immediately come to know once you talk to; educator and of a jovial character; friend to all foe to none; an excellently literate man of great sincerity; a perfect piano with all keys finely tuned.) To commemorate the second anniversary of his death, Fr Gigi;s ex colleagues led by Mr Anton Mizzi and his wife Mrs Vitorin Mizzi, organizers of the event, chose his place of birth, Xaghra, for the occasion. It started with Mass at Maria Bambina Basilica where Fr Gigi spent many years of his childhood and youthful years serving faithfully the Church as an altar boy and where undoubtedly the seeds of his religious vocation were sown and nurtured. Among those attending were the Hon. Mrs Giovanna Debono MP, Minister for Gozo, and his two brothers Joseph and Lawrence and sisters Victoria and Katie. Canon Anthony Refalo Rapa, deputizing for the Archpriest Mgr Carmelo Refalo, celebrated Mass. Mary Attard animated Mass. Victoria Camilleri, Fr Gigi;s sister, read the First Lesson while Mary Spiteri, one of his University colleagues, read the Second Lesson. His brother Lawrence read the Prayers of the Faithful after the reading of the Gospel. With the religious celebration over, a social activity was held at the Xaghra Public Library P. Gigi Camilleri S.J. Missjunarju u Edukatur;. The gathering was joined there by Xaghra Mayor Mr Joseph Cordina. Mr Anton Mizzi made a speech in which he brought out the great qualities of Fr Gigi. Mr Mizzi was very close to Fr Gigi as he used to drive him to the University for lectures. In these encounters Fr Gigi used to narrate to him episodes of his life as a child, as a young boy and as a missionary in India. He told him how once during World War II he was targeted by German enemy planes while returning home on foot from the Lyceum in Victoria. While going up the steep road, is-Sellum (The Ladder) to Xaghra in 1942 an air raid warning was raised. In no time he realized that two Luftwaffe planes were dive heading towards him. Immediately he ditched for cover just in time to avoid the planes; machine gun fire. Mr Mizzi made a pencil drawing of this episode which he presented to Mayor Cordina to hang up on the Library walls. This, and another pencil drawing he made of Fr Gigi;s memories in India appear in the book entitled Iz-Zifna ta; Zmienhom; (Captured Memories). The book contains the group;s striking memories of episodes in their lives. The book was presented to the Mayor by Mrs Mizzi. Mr Cordina, thanked Mr and Mrs Mizzi for their donations and said that he looked forward when like them he would go back to University (Mr Cordina is a Malta University graduate). He also touched on the high qualities of Fr Gigi whom he knew in the latter;s later years. The Hon Minister Mrs Giovanna Debono made a speech in which she expressed her great pleasure in being among Senior University Students, and the moment she was sharing with them in commemorating Fr Gigi. While she paid tribute to the memory of Fr Gigi, she augured that many more senior citizens avail themselves of the opportunities awaiting them at the Universita; tat-Terz; Eta;. On behalf of his brothers and sisters, including Fr George S.J., in India where in his eldest brother;s footsteps he has been engaged in missionary work for over forty years, Gigi;s brother Lawrence thanked Mr and Mrs Mizzi for organizing the event and the group;s full participation. He also expressed appreciation for The Hon Minister for Gozo and Xaghra Mayor who felt it their duty to honour Fr Gigi;s memory with their presence. Everybody was treated to drinks and delicious snacks in the end.
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