Photo: Archdiocese of Malta – Ian Noel Pace
This Saturday, 17 May 2025, the Church in Malta will celebrate the ordination of three new priests. Archbishop Charles Scicluna will preside over the ordination of: Rev. Matthew Sammut from the Parish of the Resurrection of Christ in Pembroke; Rev. Johan Bugeja, a Salesian of Don Bosco; and Rev. Tian Ci Shawn Dominic Wong, a seminarian of the Institute for World Evangelisation – ICPE Mission.
The Ordination Mass will be celebrated at St John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta at 9:30am and will be livestreamed on Church.mt and Newsbook Malta.
In preparation for the priestly ordination, the Archbishop’s Seminary and the Seminary Vocations Centre invite Christians to join them for a moment of prayer at 7pm on Thursday, 15 May, at St Patrick’s Church in Tas-Sliema.
On Saturday, the eve of the Mass during which Pope Leo XIV will officially begin his pontificate, the Church in Malta invites all Christians to offer prayers for the new Pope. On this day, we also pray for these three young men who will be ordained, as they dedicate their lives to serving the people of God through the priesthood.
The Church continues to encourage young people to reflect on the calling they may have to the priestly or religious life, and to respond with open and generous hearts. Further details may be obtained from seminaryvocationscentre.mt.
About the new priests
Rev. Matthew Sammut, 25, is from Pembroke and is currently serving in the Parish of Mosta while pursuing his studies in Pastoral Theology at the University of Malta. As a future priest, his deepest desire is to be close to people—to serve them and guide them toward Jesus. While he values all aspects of priestly formation—academic, spiritual, pastoral and human—Rev. Matthew believes that the most transformative experience for a priest, one that truly shapes him according to the heart of Christ, is living and working among the people.
Rev. Johan Bugeja, 33, is from Ħal Għargħur and joined the Salesians in 2016 at Colle Don Bosco in Turin, Italy. For him, the priesthood is the natural continuation of his Salesian vocation. Rev. Johan teaches Personal, Social and Career Development (PSCD), and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Management of Social Care Services. His most formative experience has been working with vulnerable children and young people, a mission he remains deeply committed to. As a priest, he hopes to continue serving others with compassion, while deepening his relationship with Jesus.
Rev. Shawn Wong, 34, was born in Singapore and is currently pursuing studies in Pastoral Theology at the University of Malta. He arrived in Malta in 2016 to begin his formation for the priesthood with the Institute for World Evangelisation – ICPE Mission. As a missionary priest in Malta, Rev. Shawn hopes to help people deepen their relationship with Jesus by living a life of holiness and learning what it means to be missionary disciples in today’s world.
You can watch the priestly ordination Mass here.