Saturday, July 21, 2018

New Vice Province of Malta Established

New Vice Province of Malta Established

(ANS – Rome – July 19) – During the summer session of the SDB general council, Fr. Angel Fernandez Artime, Rector Major, with the consent of the council, upgraded the Salesian presence in Malta from that of a delegation of the Irish Province to a vice province.

In view of the appointment of the first superior of the new vice province – which has been placed under the patronage of Mary Help of Christians and will bear the initials “MLT” – the councilor for the Central and Northern Europe Region, Fr. Tadeusz Rozmus, went to Sliema and on July 14 met for consultations with the Salesians of Malta.

Location of Malta
By OCHA, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=32649324
The establishment of the new vice province occurs almost 40 years since the provincial delegation of Malta was born, dependent on the province of Ireland, and constitutes a further step toward an existence of full autonomy for the Salesian presence in the Maltese archipelago.

“The development of the charism in Malta has been characterized in recent years by a growing, youthful dynamism, by new Salesian vocations, and by great public appreciation toward Don Bosco and his works,” said Fr. Rozmus. “Moreover, the average age of the confreres allows us to hope for the increase of the charism even outside Malta and represents a good prerequisite for future expectations that the creation of the new vice province expresses.”

The decision of the Rector Major was accompanied by a serious and profound discernment, carried out together with the Salesians of the Irish Province and accompanied by the general council. Such a process not only led to the choice of the inauguration for Malta, but also provided the opportunity to express gratitude to the Irish Province.

The fraternal presence of the Irish Salesians, who have always shown great attention for the development of the Salesian charism in Malta, was spoken of and highlighted by many. “The success of the new vice province is, therefore, also their success,” added Fr. Rozmus. “Of course, both sides are very interested in continuing their collaboration, and some points of common interest have already been underscored.”

Currently, the new vice province has 36 Salesians and two novices who are finishing their novitiate in Pinerolo, Italy. Four Maltese youths are carrying out their postnovitiate in Malta, while two others are about to finish the formation course in theology at the Crocetta Faculty in Turin. Various European provinces are also collaborating with Malta, especially in Poland; at this moment there are four Polish Salesians in Malta, who are completing their practical training.

On July 19, the Rector Major, with the consent of his council, appointed Fr. Paul Formosa as the first superior of the Malta Vice Province. He is the current superior of Malta’s provincial delegation.

Fr. Formosa, from Valletta, Malta, was born on October 31, 1960. After completing his novitiate in Dublin, in 1981, he made his perpetual vows in Dingli, Malta, on July 2, 1987, and was ordained in Valletta on July 14, 1989.

After completing his formation in Ireland, he did most of his ministry in the Maltese archipelago, where he served as treasurer at both the Sant’Alfonso Salesian community in Sliema (1991-1995) and Dingli (1998-2007); he also became director of the Dingli community (2001-2007) before returning to Sant’Alfonso as director (2007-2016).

For the province delegation of Malta, dependent on the province of Ireland, he was treasurer (2004-2008) and delegate for youth ministry (2004-2011 and 2012-2017), as well as superior of the delegation from 2011 until his nomination as provincial.

The Maltese Vice Province is the 2d such circumscription erected during the current plenary session of the general council. In June the delegation of Indonesia was so elevated. There are now 90 provinces and vice provinces in the SDB world.

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