EUGENIO BORG
1886-1967

     Does the name ring a bell? To many it does not, but to a few hundreds the name sounds like music from heaven. These are the Members of the Society of Christian Doctrine, popularly known as M.U.S.E.U.M., founded by Blessed George Preca in 1907. Eugenio Borg was the first Superior General of the Society, hand-picked by Dun Gorg himself. Who was this Eugenio, and what did Dun Gorg see in him to trust him with the helm of the Society?
Gegé, as he was affectionately called by Dun Gorg, was born in a respectable family living in Senglea. This family moved to Hamrun when Eugenio was still a young boy, so in effect he bacame a Hamrun man where he lived till the outbreak of the Second World War. It was here that he and a group of other young men providentially met Dun Gorg who began forming the idea of a society of lay people to spread the teachings of the Catholic Church. At that time ignorance of such doctrine was ripe among the laity.
     Because of the Christian virtues, that later Eugenio practises so well, even heroically, Dun Gorg used to take him apart and instruct him in the Sacred Scriptures and the saintly life that Christianity calls for. The seed fell on good ground and Eugenio made gigantic progress in the way of perfection.
     By profession Eugenio was a pattern-maker employed as such in the then Naval Dockyard. Here he did not only excel in the ability of his craft, but more importantly he shone in the practice of a virtuous life. Those who knew him on the shop floor used to refer to him as "il-qaddis" (the saint). And they were not wide off the mark.
     From Dun Gorg he imbibed a great desire to spread the teachings of the Catholic Faith. Faithful to the main aim of the Society, he took initiative to open Centres in various parts of the Island for the holding of cathechism classes. Rain or shine, on bicycle or in frost, in season and out of season, he would leave Hamrun to some other town or village to conduct these catechism classes. This was especially strenuous in the first decade of the 20th century, when roads and means of communication in Malta were not what they are to-day. But Eugenio could repeat with St Paul "the love of Christ moves me." One may ask from where did he get such undefatigable energy to carry on even against so many odds. The answer lies in the reservoir of spirituality that he built up in himself with the grace of God.
     Eugenio Borg was a man of God par excellence. It does not appear that he was a great scholar or a man of high refined culture. He was literate in Maltese, had a reading knowledge of Italian and a smattering of English. He never entered into a conversation on literature, or music, or the fine arts in general. He was no great orator either. But when it came to speaking of God and things spiritual he was very knowledgeable and, more important, very convincing. In quoting the Scriptures, it was very evident that for him there were not scholarly extracts, but the very word of God Himself. One could feel this by the look of his face and the sound of his words. One may wonder wherefrom did he get such knowledge of things above.
     In the silence of a church before the Blessed Sacrament, he used to spend much time in prayer and meditation. He did not simply believe in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist: he conversed with the Lord and meditated on God and His Attributes. His eyes fixed on the Tabernacle, shining with love, no one knows, except perhaps his spiritual director, what conversations passed between Eugenio and the Lord Jesus. The fruits of these contacts he passed on to the Members of the     Society when he visited the various Centres in the parishes of Malta and Gozo.
     Like all the saints of the Church, Eugenio had a special filial love to Mary the Mother of God. He both liked to talk about her and her virtues and to listen to others singing the praises of the Blessed Virgin. In the Bible we read that the souls of the just are in the hands of God; "and those of sinners are in the hands of the Virgin Mary", he used to comment.
     As a Superior General of the Society Eugenio Borg presided over its activities with ability, prudence and great love. In its early years the Society was not very well looked upon, even by high ecclesiastics. They did not take too quickly to the idea of lay people preaching; because that is what in effect the members of the Society do. And yet Eugenio, with the help of those close to him managed to keep the Society alive. He loved the Society as a son loves his mother, and his loyalty to Dun Gorg was steadfast, sincere, and wrapped in Christian love. When Dun Gorg died, Gege knew that the holy priest had gone to reap his reward in heaven. But being also human felt bitterly the separation from Dun Gorg and mourned him with tears.
     Eugenio died 35 years ago, and in 1997 Archbishop Mercieca started the process for his Beatification and eventual Canonization. It is ardently hoped that like his mentor, Eugenio will be added among the Blessed of the Church in the not very distant future. And all this for the greater glory of God.

Lawrence Formosa sdc.
Gzira - Malta

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