On Friday, 3 June, while the church was celebrating the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, our Carmelite brother Fr Daniel Sammut was called to the Lord at the age of 91.
During his long life as a friar, Fr Daniel served in the priories of Fleur De Lys, Santa Venera, Valletta and, lastly, the priory of Balluta. He also spent a year-and-a-half in our priory in Dublin, and six months in the priory of Aylesford in England. For several years he worked in the Migrants Commission, the Catholic Tourist Council and the Ecclesiastical Tribunal.
From 1970 until to 1985, and again from 1986 to 1998, Fr Daniel was director of the Aviation Apostleship and chaplain of Malta Airport. When he was ordained priest, he became spiritual director of several presidia of the Legion of Mary. He had a great devotion towards Our Lady of Caraffa located in St John’s co-Cathedral in Valletta, to St Joseph and to the Guardian Angels.
Father Daniel was born in Sliema on 6 November 1924 to Karmelu and Victoria née Azzopardi. A few days later he was baptised in the parish church of Our Lady of The Sacred Heart in Sliema and given the name of Anthony.
He attended secondary school at Stella Maris College in Gżira, after which, he entered the Carmelite Order at the convent in Mdina. He did his novitiate in 1940, where he was given the name of Daniel as was the custom in those days. One year later, on 26 October 1941, he made his simple Profession at the Carmelite Church in Mdina. Since it was war time, he and his fellow Carmelite brothers remained at the Mdina convent to study philosophy. Later on they continued their theological studies in Balluta.
On 9 December 1945, Fr Daniel made his solemn Profession and he was ordained priest on 3 August 1947 by Archbishop Mon. Michael Gonzi at the co-Cathedral of St John in Valletta.
While still a student, Fr Daniel began studying music and in 1952 he earned the title of Associate in Music of the London College of Music. From 1956 to 1958 he continued his studies at the Guildhall School of Music at Trinity College in London, where he specialised in the organ: in composition, directing and teaching. On his return to Malta, he founded the Trinity College of Music Examinators Local Centre and was its first secretary.
He was a music teacher at Mount Carmel College (known today as St Elias College) where he was also in charge of the college choir. He was an organist and maestro di cappella at the Basilica Sanctuary of Our Lady in Valletta and various other Carmelite churches, including those of Mdina, Fleur-de-Lys, Santa Venera and Balluta, where he was also had the care of the choir for several years.
Between 1985 and 1986 Fr Daniel was an organist in various Lutheran churches in Norway. He wrote about 15 Masses, eight oratorios, several hymns to be sung during the liturgy – especially during Mass, motets and a multitude of other musical compositions. He wished to write an oratorio about the disciples of Emmaus but never managed to finish it. Generally, his preference was to compose music in Latin and English. Nowadays his music can be found in the Mdina Cathedral Museum and Wignacourt Museum in Rabat, Malta. Until a few years ago he was still composing church hymns.
Although he had a brilliant musical career, prior to his death Fr Daniel left a note in the Provincial’s office stating that he did not wish for any music to be played at his funeral apart from a short piece of music he had composed himself for playing during the offertory. The song was taken from the Biblical scriptures – from the book of Song of Songs – which he dedicated to Our Lady.
Sheet music composed by fr.Daniel for his own funeral
His funeral Mass was concelebrated the day after his death at the Carmelite parish church in Balluta by several Carmelite friars and priests. He was buried in the burial grounds of the Carmelite province in the cemetery of Santa Maria Addolorata in Paola.
I encourage you to pray for our brother and ask him to grant us more religious vocations.
Father Hermann Duncan O.Carm
Balluta