From Marketing & Sales Manager at Crowne Plaza to Jesuit - The testimony of Fr. Michael Bugeja.

“As a young man I never thought about religious life. I was a very ambitious guy” confesses, Fr. Michael, the 49-year-old Jesuit, who is delegate for Malta and the Romanian Mission, "I was interested in the tourism sector. Malta is an island and work in this area is easy to find. At 22 I already had a good job as marketing manager for a 5-star hotel. I travelled a lot and negotiated contracts with many agencies. But when I reached the goal that I desired, I realized that I was m

issing something. I wasn't really happy. Through a friend I started my spiritual journey in a group. I met the living God there, not the one portrayed in a book or the one I was taught about, but a God who knew me and loved me.

The strongest experience I had of God took place in Italy while serving at a camp. I was meditating on a Scripture passage in July surrounded by nature, looking at the trees and the leaves with their various colours. There I started to realize that God exists, that He is real, and He said to me "go preach my Word".

My father was very happy and wanted this so much for me. My mom was not so happy at the beginning. She knew that I would have to go abroad, far away from home for formation and that there would be no guarantee that I would be able to return to Malta. Now she is very proud of me and peaceful. I have 2 married sisters, a brother and 5 nephews/nieces. They are happy even if at first they were wary of a choice that I had been thinking about for some time. My happiness is for them proof of a right choice.

I kept asking the Lord often what he wanted of me. I didn't know at that time where to knock. I had read the life of Saint Ignatius. His story had not impressed me as much as his being among people and working for souls. So I knocked on the Society’s door. Even if we are not faithful, God is always faithful. And today I am happy that I made this choice.