Three New Parish Priests

During the 47th Chapter of the Maltese Dominicans held during the last few weeks, Fr Michael Camilleri OP, Fr Joe Cilia OP and Fr Vince Micallef OP were appointed as the new parish priests for the Dominican parishes in Valletta, Sliema and Guardamangia respectively.

Fr. Michael M. Camilleri OP was born on the 23 February 1966 in Pietà. He is the son of Anthony and Salvina Camilleri.  He attended primary school in Pietà, and secondary school at St. Augustine College, the Lyceum in Hamrun and the secondary school in Naxxar.

On the 14 October 1983 he joined the Dominican Order in Rabat.  His first profession was on the 25th October 1986, and his solemn profession on 5 November 1989.  He studied at the University of Malta and in Bologna, Italy.  On the 2nd July 1993 he was ordained deacon and on the 8th July 1994 he was ordained priest.  He served in various positions, such as prior at the community of Birgu and Guardamangia  He was also the parish priest at  Guardamangia for 12 years.  He is an extraordinary confessor and Honorary Canon with the Xagħra, Gozo chapter.  On the 7th September 2007 he was awarded “Ġieh il-Pietà” by the Pietà Local Council.

Fr Joe Cilia OP was born in Hamrun on 12th April 1946 where he attended primary school and later attended secondary school at St. Albert the Great College.  He joined the Dominican Order in 1963 and was ordained in 1970.  He was parish priest of St. Mary of Porto Salvo, Valletta for nearly 12 years.  He also had missionary experiences in Albania and later worked with young students as their religious councillor in government higher secondary schools.  Recently he was involved in pastoral work with eccleslial movements.

P. Vince Micallef OP was born in Valletta, Malta, on 2nd March 1950.  He joined the Dominican Order on 8th September 1967, and made the first religious profession on 22nd September 1968, and solemn profession in 1971.  He was ordained priest on the 20th July 1974.  He attended the Baviera Valletta primary school and secondary school at the St. Albert the Great College, Valletta.  He studied philosophy and theology at the St. Thomas Aquinas College, Rabat.  In 1978, he joined the Maltese Dominican missionary community in Brazil, where he spent 30 years.  During this time he was parish priest of the parishes of Faxinal and Curitiba in Parana and in São Paulo.  For many years he was also active in the formation of pre-novices as director and master of the novices and students of philosophy and theology.  He was vicar of the Maltese Dominican Religious Province and during his last 4 years in Brazil ( 2006-2009 ) he was the Provincial of the Brazilian Province Bartolomeu de Las Casas.  Besides his pastoral work, particularly with young people and couples, Father Vince, also continued his studies in São Paulo for the Licentiate in Philosophy and Masters in Science of Religion in the Pontifical Catholic University.  He is the founder of the school for children and youths with disabilities (APAE ) Faxinal, PR, Brazil (1983).  In 1995 he received the title of Honorary Citizen of the City of Curitiba, PR, for his pastoral work among the poor in the favelas.  As a hobby he likes singing and composing music, he has in fact recorded CDs both in portuguese and maltese.  Back in Malta in 2010 , he was vice parish priest of Our Lady of Fatima, Guardamangia.