Recently, the Austin Friars bid their last adieu to one of their confreres, Fr Bonaventure Chetcuti, who died at the Christus Sacerdos at the venerable age of 91.

Fr Chetcuti hailed from Cospicua and was the eldest son of Carmel from Zejtun and Lorenza Deguara from Birgu. He offered himself to the Lord’s Service in the Augustinian family and was ordained priest on Sabato sitientes in 1940.

He was sent to the Victoria Priory in Gozo and after the Provincial Chapter of July 1946, he was sent to North Africa together with the late Fr John Scerri to carry out missionary work. They were the post-war pioneers. Fr Chetcuti was attached to the Basilica of Hippo and looked after the spiritual needs of the old people living in the home of the Little Sisters of the Poor, as well as after those in Joannonville, Banlieu of Hippo. He built a church through many sacrifices and hard work. Mgr Pinier, Bishop of Hippo and Constantine, raised the church to a parish and appointed Fr Chetcuti the first parish priest of Ste Monique.

In 1958 Fr Chetcuti was sent to the Sacre Coeur de Tunis where I had the honour of joining him. Working and living together I can say he was a hard-worker and altruist. The Sacre Coeur was a big parish with 32,000 faithful. Though 40 years have elapsed, the parishioners still appreciate our work and ask for “des nouvelles”.

From Tunis Fr Chetcuti returned to Annaba to La Goulette and later to Malta as chaplain to the cloistered Augustinian nuns. Soon after he went to Palermo to help our confreres, as well as to Catania where his help was requested, which he did not refuse.

Due to his declining health, he was called to the Valletta Priory where his duty was administering the Sacrament of Confession.

Fr Chetcuti was keen on the Holy Liturgy especially during Mass.

It must be mentioned that he was the pioneer of All Souls church in Tarxien. When he used to be on holiday in Malta he celebrated Mass in the old chapel of that cemetery.

This year Fr Chetcuti started feeling unwell, so, he was taken to the Home for the Clergy where he could be well looked after. He passed away after 11 months. Au revoir et a bientot, mon cher pere et ami. We loved him in life let us not forget him in death (Augustine).

Fr Mark Cauchi

St Augustine Priory

VALLETTA