TABLE OF CONTENTS

 (Pages refer to the original English translation)

PRESENTATION 

AUTHOR’S PREFACE  

TRANSLATOR’S PREFACE  

ABBREVIATIONS

INTRODUCTION – THE NOBLE DE PIRO FAMILY.  

The birth of the Nobility in Malta: xxix – De Piro: connections with Tuscany and Spain: xxx – Cosimo and Lorenzo Ubaldesco De Piro: xxxi – The family Coat-of-Arms: xxxi – Giovanni Pio De Piro: xxxiii – 1716: The Barony of Budaq: xxxiii – 1742: Marquis de Piro: xxxv – Mottoes on the Coat-of-Arms: xxxvi – The Nobility during the times of the Knights: xxxvi – The Barony and Marquisate during the French occupation: xxxvii – Separation of the two titles: Baron and Marquis: xxxviii – The first years dc;ring the British occupation: xxxviii – Titles of the De Piro nobility in later years: xxxix 

PART ONE

FOUNDER OF THE MISSIONARY OF ST. PAUL

Alessandro De Piro and Ursola Agius Caruana: 3 –A mother with a strong personality: 5 – 1877: The birth of their son, who would become well known: 12– Early education in the family circle: 12 – At the Lyceum: his talent for painting: 13 – In the Royal Malta Militia: 18 – Arts and Law in the Malta University: 18

Alessandro De Piro does not recognise a vocation: 21 – 1898: Sur Sander dies: 22 – Natural motives considered: 22 – Supernatural motives considered: 23 – Making known the ideal of his life: 24 – 1898: The Capranica, Rome: 26 – Anxieties, prayers and projects: 29 – At the Gregorian University: 29 – His Father’s mortal remains removed from Rome to Malta: 30 – 1899: Self denial and preparation for ordination: 31 – Not seeking worldly honours: 32 – Grief, sickness and death: 33 – 1899: First steps towards the Altar: 34 – The course in Theology: 35 – 1901: Subdeaconate during the second year of Theology: 37 – Comments on family letters: 39 – 1901: Degree in Theology: 41 – 1901: Deacon during the third year of Theology: 43 – 1902: Forever a Priest: 44

A project that failed: 48 – Good health is necessary: 48 – Attacked by T.B.:49 – A time of great anxiety: 50 – Courage, health and study: 51 – Tuberculosis appears a certainty: 52 – To Switzerland for treatment: 52 – Life at Davos: 54 – Devotions and projects: 54 – Complete recovery after 18 months: 55 – A doctor’s advice before leaving: 56 – February 1904: on the way to Malta: 58

1904 – 1907: in the Parish at Qrendi: 60 – 1905: he shares his ideas with other priests: 62 – Don Giuseppe did not wish to make a written statement: 63 – A project entrusted to the Lord: 64 – No encouragement: 65 – Dreams and projects: 65 – 1906: seeking to know God’s will: 67 – Mgr. Debono and Mgr. Bugeja: a step forward: 67 – 1907: hope, in a year of mourning: 68 -- 1908: A Seminarian, John Mamo, offers a helping hand: 69 – Archbishop Pace gives him hope of help: 71 – Planning the beginning: 74 – La Fontaine: a providential visitor: 74 – Appeal to Pope Pius X: 76 – January 1910: Blessing of Pope Pius X: 76 – The small house of St. Paul in Mdina: 77 – Suffering is forecast: 81

Vocations necessary to ensure the life of the Society: 83 – Financial means: 84 – Had La Fontaine understood De Piro’s missionary motivation?: 85 – Evading worldly honours: 88 – Giuseppe’s mother desires to see her son a Monsignor: 89 – De Piro regrets the choice: 89 – De Piro makes every effort to decline: 91 – Hopes in his Society – intimate suffering: 95 – 1914: First outline of the Rules: 97 – The Vows in the mind and life of the Founder: 98 – Did he really want a Society bound by Rules?: 100 – 1914: More vocations: 101 – 6th October, 1914: A cassock with a black sash: 102 – Missions in the strict sense of the word: 103 – Authorities in Rome do not recognise a missionary ideal: 105 – Another appeal based on La Fontaine’s advice: 107 – 7th November, 1916: Conditional Rescript: 108 – Awaiting approval from the Holy See: 110 – Joy, sadness, generosity, hope: 112 – Christ present in a growing community: 113 – Need for a larger house: 115 – 1919: De Piro ardently desires the approval of the Church: 117 – A Society professing Vows: 118

Malta at the beginning of the 20th century: Emigration: 123 – The future – Missionaries in Australia: 125 – 20th September, 1919: the first Priest: 126 – 1920: No hope for Pontifical Approval: 126 – The original aim is still not clear: 127 – 1920: Mgr. De Piro goes to Rome: 128 – Formal Petition: 129 – Again the problem of a missionary scope: 130 – Help from Propagation of the Faith very doubtful: 131 – Hopes for a dispensation: 131 – A way is opened by the Sacred Congregation for the Religious: 132 – Approval and family bereavement: 133 – Rules presented to the Archbishop: 134 – 1921: The decree ‘Auctoritate Nostra Ordinaria’: 136 – 1924: Rules and Constitutions approved: 137

1921: the house at Xara Palace: 140 – Almanac of the Missionary Society: 142 – 1921: Visit by a missionary Bishop: 144 – Living a life of poverty in palaces of the wealthy: 144 – Perseverance: a rare grace: 147 – 1923: A priest is needed as Spiritual Director: 149 – Father Emmanuel Bugeja: guidance for the novices of the Society: 150 – Novitiate during the time of Father Bugeja: 152 – Under St. Paul’s protections: 153 – Greetings from Archbishop Caruana: 154 – A bond of cherished memories: 155 – 1931: in Strada Celsi: 156 – 1932: the foundation of the Society’s home – St. Agatha: 156 

PART TWO –

AN OUTSTANDINGPERSONALITY IN THE HISTORY OF MALTA

A person inspiring trust: 161 – Secretary General to the Archbishop: 161 – 1918: Appointment as Rector of the Seminary: 163 – A Father in every way: 165 – The Seminary during the time of Mgr. De Piro: 168 – 1920: Mgr. De Piro quits the Seminary: 172 – 1915: The ceremony of ‘Installation’ of the Bishop of Malta: 173 – 1920: From Coadjutor to Dean: 174 – The Cathedral School: 176

Dedication to those in need: 179 – The fruitful zeal of a Franciscan Lay Brother: 181 – 2nd August 1907: The first Diocesan Institute: 182 – The Institute he loved first: 184 – Methods of Education: 185 – Spreading happiness: 186 – Trust in the help of Our Blessed Lady: 187 – Leading the children to raise their thoughts and hearts to God: 189 – Ursola: Mother of the poor: 190 – A thorough person in all matters: 190 – Self-denial for love of neighbours: 191 – Love makes him ask for alms: 192 – After leaving the Institute: 194 – Gratitude towards a loving father: 195 – Help offered to the Franciscan Sisters: 196 – For the Sisters: a Father and Superior General: 196

De Piro and Mgr. Bonnici: 199 – In the neighbourhood of the Church ‘Tas-Samra’: 199 – The ‘Red Palace’ and ‘Villa S. Venera’: 201 – De Piro and Don Manwel Vassallo, the second Director: 202 – Difficult problems beset St. Joseph’s Home: 202 – Attachment to St. Joseph’s Home: 203 – The Academy or St. Joseph’s Home: 204 – Hopes and disappointments: 206 – De Piro and Don George Bugeja, the third Director: 206 – The Freres de la Salle and St. Joseph’s Home: 206 – The Society of St. Paul and the Freres: 207 – Don George Bugeja – his work and sacrifices: 209 – De Piro and the problem of emigration facing the boys: 210 – The Society of St. Paul replaces the Freres: 210 – For infants, little boys and the elderly: 213 – Justice and Charity towards workmen: 213 – Prudence, dignity and generosity: 215 – The Director and the boys: 216 – The Home of St. Joseph towards the end of De Piro’s life: 218

An Archbishop’s dream realised: 221 – Basic Statute: 221 – Affiliation to ‘Bonnici Institute’: 222 – Negotiations between Bishop Gonzi and Mgr. De Piro: 225 – De Piro: the only solution: 225 – The Decree of Affiliation: 227 – Inauguration after an unexpected set-back: 228 – The subsidy: 233 – The first tasks for the members of the Society of St. Paul: – 234 St. Joseph Band at Ghajnsielem: 235 – Training the boys: 237 – Another plot of land is needed: 239 – Problems concerning the Home beset the last months of Mgr. De Piro’s life: 240

Notary Casolani – the Founder: 243 – Oratory: Domenico Savio 1910 – 1912; St. John de la Salle 1912 – 1918: 243 – Petition to the Church Authorities: 246 – 1927: Donation to Mgr. De Piro in the name of the Society of St. Paul: 247 – Vows and burdens: 247 – 1927: Death of Canon Mikiel Sammut: 249 – Educational task of De Piro: 249 – De Piro and Casolani united by the same ideals: 250 – Santa Maria School: 250 – 1930: Notary Casolani dies: 251 – 1931: The first academical meeting in the School at the Oratory: 252 – Teaching in the Oratory and the M. U.S.E. U.M.: 253 – Agreement between Canon Bonnici, Mgr. De Piro and Don Don George Preca: 253 – A cradle for vocations: 256 – A last look at the Oratory at Birkirkara: 257

1927: the project: 260 – 1928: under the protection of the Sacred Heart of Jesus: 260 – Maria Assunta Borg: benefactress – later, source of vexation: 264 – Difficulties not overcome: 266 – De Piro continues planning: 267

1919: A call to the National Assembly: 270 – 1919: Part played by Mgr. De Piro on 7th June: 272 – 8th June: criminals mix with patriots: 276 – 9th June: De Piro defends the Archbishop: 280 – Members and meetings of the Central Commission: 282 – The Clergy in politics; Religion in the Constitution: 283 – Education, and solace for the sick: 284 – The language problem: 286 – A step forward with hopes for a better future outcome: 285 – 1930: Mediator between Strickland and the Church: 286 – 1932: Senator in the Third Parliament: 291 – 1933: Strong defender of morality: 292 – Appreciation of De Piro’s Patriotism: 296

Rumours spoke of ‘interdiction’: 298 – Two parties: the Eagle and the Star: 298 – The new statue: 299 – The church is closed: 300 – Closer to a provisional solution: 301 – Act of reparation and reopening of the Parish Church: 301 – Mgr. De Piro’s pastoral mission of peace: 304 – De Piro and the new Parish Priest: 306 – Peace is finally restored: 306

Association of a group of apostolic young women with Mgr. De Piro: 308 – The beginning of Maria Giuseppina Curmi’s work: 310 – 1922: Director of the Institute of Jesus of Nazareth: 310 – 1925: A home for little boys in S. Venera: 311 – A missionary ideal opens the way for official Approval: 312 – The habit for the Community of ‘Jesus of Nazareth’: 316 – The Institute of St. Francis of Paola in Birkirkara: 318 – Projects for the Sisters of Jesus of Nazareth: 320 – 1931: The Foundress dies – Anxious days: 320 – In Zejtun a problem arises: 321 – 1933: The birth of a missionary Congregation: 321

Youth’s handicaps overcome: 323 – A written record of the Word of God he preached: 325 – Who can separate us from Christ?: 325 – Mary, Mother of mercy and our hope: 328 – Be holy, as God is holy: 333 – Religious Life: 335 – Christian life: 336

The missionary dream: 338 – With Maltese emigrants: 339 – 1922: De Piro with the emigrants in Tunis: 341 – Mission among non-believers: 343 – 1927: Silver Jubilee brought great consolation: 344 – The African mission desired a priest: 347 – Brother Giuseppe Frangisk Caruana, the first missionary: 347 – Fruitful apostolate of the first missionary: 350 – Missionary Laboratory: Malta supports Somalia missions: 355 – 1929: At Lourdes, Mgr. De Piro prays for the Missions: 355 – De Piro promised a missionary station: 356 – Gololcia: missionary station promised to the Society on trial basis: 358 – Man proposes – God disposes: 359

Crypt – Catacombs and Church: 361 – Connection of the Church with the De Piro Barony: 364 – 1921: The desire to acquire the church of St. Agatha: 364 – 1923: In the hands of the Society of St. Paul: 367 – 1918: Initial difficulties in acquiring land: 367 – The laying of the first stone approached: 369 – 3rd October, 1932: Blessing of the first stone: 371 – 1933: Blessing of the new house: 374 – 1933: House where missionary vocations are trained: 376

Thirst for Justice: 379 – A warm-hearted and humble man: 380 – His example impressed others: 381 – ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven (Mt. 5:3): 383 – Health problems: 384 – Serious sickness develops: 385 – Last will associated with his good works: 385 – Our Blessed Lady encourages him to place all in her hands: 386 – Feast day celebrations commemorate Mary at the feet of her dying Son: 388 – 17th September, 1933: ‘Come faithful Servant!...’: 389 – Grief depicted on the face of every Maltese: 391 – His memory remains engraved in every heart: 396

1933 – 1940: Mgr. Bonnici – Mgr. Pantalleresco: 401 – Hope in time of doubt: 402 – 1940 – 1948: Society directed by Father Glavina, S.J.: 402 – 1948 – 1969: Don Michael Callus, member of the. Society, appointed Superior: 403 – 1969: Propaganda Fidei – Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples: 406 – 1973: ‘Decretum Laudis’: 408 – Work identifying the Society: 411 – Recognition of State and Church: 412