Maltese-born Bishop Henry Balzan recounted a formative pastoral experience during his decades of missionary work in Chile, revealing how the devastating loss of an entire family tested his own faith and ministry.
Bishop Balzan, now an Auxiliary Bishop in the Archdiocese of La Serena, Chile, recalled ministering to a local family consisting of a devoted father, Manuel, and his three sons, Daniel, José, and Sebastián.
He described accompanying the family closely after Daniel became ill with cancer, being present when the young man died. When Manuel himself later died in a work accident, he emotionally entrusted his son’s soul to the priest, leaving Balzan “mute and overwhelmed” by the scene.
The tragedy deepened unbearably when José, who had a disability, died a year after Daniel. Within a short span, the family had lost three members. “I almost entered a crisis,” Bishop Balzan said, describing a period of such intense grief he was left “lost in crying” to the point where others took away his car keys.
“Xtaqt nuri l-gratitudni tiegħi lejn ommi għalhekk kont ġejt lura”
He admitted that for a brief moment, he was even too emotional to celebrate Mass, unable to comprehend such compounded human loss.
The bishop shared these memories during an interview on RTK103’s programme What’s On Newsbook, using the experience to reflect on the universal process of grief.
He emphasised the critical importance of prayer and accompaniment in times of loss, noting that while death remains a mystery, faith provides support without offering simple solutions. He concluded that silence can sometimes be more powerful than words.
Bishop Balzan, known for his cheerful demeanour, also spoke of his missionary calling, which first took him to Sudan and Angola as a seminarian.
The Bishop has now served for a total of 22 years in Chile, feeling compelled to work “in countries where there is more need.” His current diocese is 130 times larger than Malta, requiring extensive travel to serve 500 villages, a task he combines with radio ministry and overseeing traditional local festivals.
Full interview:
Source: Newsbook.com.mt
Article written by Jurgen Balzan
