It took him years to understand what his real calling was, and it was only after he was ordained a priest that Father Damian Formosa believes that he has arrived to the place where he really wants to be.

But, before he took Holy Orders, Father Damian had married and had a son, only to later understand that his true mission was to be a priest and work among youths. His wife was the first to understand, and their marriage was eventually annulled. His son, Father Damian said, has also accepted the situation with an open heart and was “proud of him”.

Father Damian Formosa was one of 10 priests who was ordained by Archbishop Charles Scicluna last Monday at the Christ the King parish church in Paola. He forms part of the Salesians of Don Bosco, a religious order of the Catholic Church.

Speaking to The Malta Independent on Sunday, Fr Damian said he always had a calling for the priesthood, but he was never truly sure of it until the day he was ordained.

“I always had the wish, but I was never really sure I was being called for the priesthood until Monday,” Fr Damian said with a smile on his face. Both his former wife as well as his son attended the ceremony.

“Looking back to Monday, it’s hard to put my feelings into words,” he said. “The feeling I had was a sense of peace, when you feel that everything is in order, knowing that you are happy doing this and you want to do this. Sometimes I feel I don’t deserve to be so close to the Altar and God; I am very blessed.”

But Father Damian’s calling to the priesthood began much earlier on in his life, although he did not immediately understand it.

He recalled how when he was growing up his mother used to take him to mass every morning and as a child he was curious of what the priest was doing behind the altar. “I always had this curiosity and awe about the altar and how sacred everything was. Later on I became an altar boy, so I was always very close to the Church as a child.”

He remembered how after not doing so well at the Junior Lyceum, his parents decided to move him to Savio College, which was run by the Salesians of Don Bosco. “It was so blissful there; I could not believe it was a school. I believe the Salesian system gave me a sense of belonging and I was truly inspired by them, so I decided to join the Salesians.” Fr Damian then continued his period of training and preparation in Ireland and once he arrived back in Malta he studied philosophy.

“Shortly after, I left the congregation,” Fr Damian added. He explained that it was not due to a loss of interest, but because he met the woman who was to become his wife. “We married and have a lovely son together. Despite leaving the congregation, I still felt the calling inside of me, and I continued to pray the official prayer of the Church every day; I felt it was my duty to do so.”

His wife, who cared and respected him greatly, could tell what his true calling was. “I am here today out of a very big act of generosity which my wife did; she herself went to the Salesians and asked them to take me back. It was a beautiful gesture,” he said.

At the time, he was running his own insurance company but a particular newspaper advert caught his attention. “I remember seeing an advert of Voluntary Lay Missions, looking for a headmaster for a school in Kenya. So, I decided to go to Kenya, with no experience whatsoever as a headmaster, but that didn’t stop me!”

He went to Kenya with the intention of spending one year there and coming back to Malta, but after one year the school asked him to stay another year, and another one after that. “I began to enjoy the Salesian lifestyle and once I obtained the annulment of my marriage, I asked to re-join the Salesian life, and there I started to study theology in Kenya.”

Throughout his time in Kenya he spent a lot of time with children and youths from difficult backgrounds. “I believe I always wanted to work with youths. That is what Don Bosco wanted too, that we teach youths to become good Christians and good citizens. At the technical school, we all involve ourselves with the students, talking to them, sharing thoughts and praying together.”

Father Damian was a headmaster of a technical school in Kenya for nearly 14 years, where he helped youths learn a trade such as welding, manual skills, mechanics, while also providing them the chance to learn soft skills which can help them grow into better individuals.

“I would be really proud of you” Fr Damian’s son

Fr Damian recalled how he waited for his son to turn 18 before he returned to the Salesian order. “I did everything with his permission. Before I began to study theology, I asked him how he would feel if his father had to become a priest. ‘I would be really proud of him’, he told me, and that makes me so happy.” Every step of the way he spoke to his son and is grateful for their relationship.

He was also grateful to the Mission Fund, a Catholic Organisation which assists all Maltese missionaries. He said that without their help he would not have managed to remain in Kenya, volunteering at the school whilst also providing for his son back in Malta.

After being out of the congregation for over 25 years, Fr Damian renewed his vows in Kenya, but decided to be ordained in Malta to be with family and friends. When asked what it is like to be a priest, he defined it to be similar to a border walker, who walks between heaven and earth. “You take the prayers and needs of people and present them to God, that is your responsibility, that is how I see what priesthood is about, having a good relationship on both sides”

We live our priesthood with young people in need: Being a priest and principal in Kenya

Despite the airport re-opening on Wednesday, Fr Damian still has to wait for a flight back to Kenya. He has decided that he will go back to the technical school and be a priest there and continue working as a headmaster. “Although it is not necessary to be a priest to work with young children, we live our priesthood with young people and young people in need and there are times when students will come to speak to you and open their hearts, and you can offer confession to them.”

When asked why so many youths from younger generations have moved away from Church, he said that having a strong family who cherish core values is the main key. “We have many youths growing up without the important values which are learnt through a family. In our family we learn how to pray, what prayer is, and as families continue to disintegrate, everything else disintegrates.”

He said that even at times when an individual who comes from a family who taught him such religious core values, sometimes moves away from the Church. “But he will always come back, because he knows where home is.”