A MISSIONARY SOCIETY

      Father Preca was very preoccupied with the lack of religious formation and shared Christ’s grief and urgency; he often prayed God to send out labourers ready to spread the word of life throughout the world. He prayed for the increase of missionaries, priests and lay people; "Divine Wounds of our Lord Jesus Christ, multiply the number of missionary priests, and prompt the faithful laity to support them, especially in evangelization. "Dun Gorg always wished that his Society, which he founded precisely to assist the "shepherds of souls” especially in their teaching role, will spread wherever the flock is present. In the first edition of The Adoration of Our God, written around 1916, as a prayer of intercession for the Society’s needs, Dun Gorg prayed: “May catechists flourish all over the world so that the Catholic Church may benefit from their teachings and examples." Since his Society was a society of true apostles, its Members shared the apostle’s vocation ­ that of making disciples of all the nations. Thus he wrote in 1956 to the Members in Australia: "Remember Christ’s final plea to his apostles before he ascended to heaven: 'Go, therefore, make disciples of all nations; .... I am with you always; yes to the end of time’ (Mt 28, 19-20). So Christ is still with us to this very day." From the outset, Dun Gorg was eager to see his Society grow into a missionary society, and he cherished this dream throughout his life. 
      In the epilogue of The Responsary, written before 1934, specifically as a guide-book for the Society’s Candidates, he urges them: "Behold the brave missionaries, who leave everything behind them - parents, temporal wealth, country, luxuries - for the spiritual welfare of others. The gerund "to behold" here implies "to imitate" or "follow suit." 
      At a Wednesday Meeting for Members held around May or June 1961, just one year before his death, Dun Gorg passionately appealed for willing Members to spread the Society and to carry out its missionary vocation. This is an approximate transcript of his appeal: "You know that we have a MUSEUM Centre in Australia, and God bless, what prosperity; it is functioning well and delivering the goods. Now a Brazilian bishop has asked me through a letter to send some of our Members to his diocese. He wrote: 'Tell them not to bother at all; the trip, the transport, the food, the lodging; nothing should dissuade them. They only have to come over here and teach.' Two Members are already in Brazil, but they are conducting their seminary studies, preparing for the priesthood. Cathechists are really scarce, scarce indeed. Henceforth, if anybody is ready to go to Brazil, I urge him to approach (Assistant Superior General) Cozzo as he is the President of that Commission. The Brazilian bishop will provide for all the necessities. Think of nothing except of disseminating the Society’s spirit through your teaching of the gospel. Now is the time to give all because when you grow older you’ll become disenchanted. Just look upon the dividends reaped by our brothers in Australia. Our Society direly needs to extend its roots because the world is really thirsty for the gospel. Pray God, our Father, and remind Him that Jesus himself urged us to ask Him to send out labourers to work in His fold. These are Christ’s words; you ought to know them by heart. I urge you, then, to approach Cozzo; and do not bother about the expenses. The Brazilian bishop has promised that he will provide food, work and shelter; he’ll also pay for the trip. They know what a good harvest has been gathered in Australia. Brothers, I entreat you to become missionaries, true apostles; you will be Jesus’ envoys, teaching His gospel, His eternal word of life. How great is the lack of religious instructions!" 
      This was a missionary speech in the spirit of Matthew’s gospels. Dun Gorg sounds preoccupied with the lack of instruction and the scarcity of catechists; he sounds eager to send hisfollowers overseas and establish his Society in other countries. With evangelical simplicity he assures his Members that they need not worry at all; and above all, Dun Gorg sounds teeming with admiration for those who ventured to Australia. 
      He harboured special respect and gratitude for those Members he had sent to Australia. The contents of a letter written by Camillo Cozzo to Fr Joseph Abela, himself a former Member and delegate of the Superior General in Australia, on the eve of the Founder’s demise, is very revealing: "You (the Members in Australia) are very dear to him; he always dispenses his holy and priestly blessings on you." Dun Gorg favoured these 'Australian' Members because they were the only members who, in some way, realized his dream; they came nearer to understand and grasp his missionary spirit. In 1957, on the fiftieth anniversary of the Society’s founding in Malta, and just one year and a half following the Society’s inception in Australia, Fr Joseph Abela expressed the Founder’s genuine spirit, when in the Annual General Meeting held in Adelaide said: "There will be a time, probably not in the distant future, when some of you will be ready to spread the Society elsewhere and recruit a lot of new members from outside Australia. Always with God’s grace, you will testify to the Society’s expansion and prove yourself in the eyes of your Maltese fellow Members. They really admire you but it is about time they take up your example. Stirred by holy envy, they can renounce home and family and follow suit. When will a good number of them make themselves available to the Society’s needs? When will the Superior General get hold of that precious list of Members who pledge to do just that whenever and wherever he wants? This is the spirit that has to get hold of us all through the forthcoming fifty years.”This was fifty years ago. Meanwhile Dun Gorg is still yearning for the barrow to lift off.

Natalino Camilleri sdc Blata l-Bajda - Malta