“Happy are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”(Mt.5, 3) are the words I said to myself when I heard that Mgr Salvatore Borg had passed away at the age of 63 years and two months. How difficult it is to lose a good friend.
My impressions of him were always the same: a unique and extraordinary person. He had a very strong character, yet at the same time he seemed to be living a more profound dimension, imbued with a sense of mystery. He was intelligent and good hearted. I always admired his continuous search for the will of God, his intense prayer even when he was suffering, his charity towards all, his ability to understand and forgive others, his capacity to live detached from material things, the ability to be just and fair in his decisions, the commitment to do his duty and perform his responsibilities, his desire for work and sacrifice, and his yearning and evident love for his family, for St George’s Basilica, for the Church. He was a priest who could connect to people’s heart, one who was able to appreciate others, to comfort the suffering and to encourage those around him especially those most in need.
Mgr Borg was a special person, very difficult to find nowadays but at the same time very open to the signs of the time. He was not only a charismatic person but also a father who was always ready to listen and guide all those who used to go to him for advice. Whenever I was faced with important decisions, which involved other people, I was always impressed by his remarkable intelligence and judgement. I always looked up to Mgr Borg as a person who was always ready with a solution to one’s problems.
His spirituality was all committed to the word of God and his aptness as a priest was derived from his affection for Christ and the Church. He was not only the Archpriest but also a great friend. He knew how to laugh, to joke, to mix with people and talk about everything. He remembered one’s name even after a long time and had a particular way of making you feel at ease.
As soon as you entered his office you sensed that Mgr Borg was a hard worker, for he was always on the go. When he was archpriest his life was not always a bed of roses for him. Those who serve others and those who occupy similar high positions know the suffering endured. However, he knew how to hide his suffering within his fatherly heart, he never said a word out of place. He made you feel that he suffered in order to amend for mistakes made by others. But most of all he was a man of great faith. He knew how to read your inner thoughts and helped you face your responsibilities with a clearer vision but with firmness. And finally he was a great preacher.
He death has left me with a deep emptiness because I have lost a friend. To all of us, however, he has bequeathed a legacy: an example of a great man and an extraordinary priest. You left us on earth but for a short time. I am sure that among the saints who welcomed him into heaven, there was St George together with Don Bosco. He loved Don Bosco and always admired the work of the Salesians of Don Bosco with the young. We hope that the infinite mercy of God will enable us all to meet him one day in Heaven. There he awaits us.
We are going to miss you.
Charles Cini SDB