A ten-year journey, full of educational as well as formative experiences, led Michael Debono, 32, to ordination. Michael met the Society at St. Aloysius’ College which was the school he attended since he was 10 years of age. "I was fascinated by the Jesuits’ way of celebrating Mass, of explaining the Bible, by their practical spiritual life and the attention directed towards the poor. He became aware of his vocation to serve at the age of 13. Then he continued studying mathematics and physics at the University of Malta. His emotions, the role of his family, his dreams and fears the day after his ordination were all recounted by the young Jesuit priest.

You cannot enter into any deep relationship without giving the other person time, and this is what prayer did for me in my relationship with God. The constant support of a spiritual director was also very helpful.

God’s Timing

I was meant to be ordained earlier this year, but all plans were put on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic, and the confirmation that I was going to be ordained came only a couple of weeks beforehand! Thankfully, I had my eight-day retreat just before my Ordination and that prepared me well for this moment.

My first calling at the age of 13

Many years ago, when I was still about thirteen years old, I felt the strong desire to serve God’s people, and the image of the Good Shepherd always stayed with me from the very beginning. In fact, it was the image that I had chosen for my original Ordination invitation cards earlier this year. This desire remained strong in me. I can never replace Christ, the only Good Shepherd, but my hope is that I will be the channel through which people will get closer to God.

My Feelings on the Day of the Ordination

I could hardly believe that the day had finally arrived. I was excited, but also a little bit fearful at the prospect of being a channel for God’s love and the responsibility of it all. But I strongly felt God’s words “I will be with you”, and that gave me a lot of peace.

My Family

My mother has repeatedly shown me the joy and satisfaction that one of her children has chosen this path. She told me that with each rite during the ordination she kept asking herself, “is this really my son? It is a great grace from God.” I know that I can count on her prayers for this mission and the inevitable difficulties that will present themself. My other family members, young and old, were very excited.

In His Heart

An image that keeps coming back to me is the moment when we went up to the altar, when I and four other deacons looked across at the other five, and our eyes met and we all shared a moment of joy and relief that we had actually made it.

Desires and Dreams for the Future

I have a deep desire to be really present for people, to be like the Good Shepherd in today’s world which is so full of challenges. I look forward to being able to bring people closer to God through the sacrament of reconciliation. When we look around us it is so easy to feel a sense of helplessness. But even the Apostles were fearful at first, closed in a room, and yet they were filled with the Holy Spirit and they went out and started proclaiming the Good News about Jesus Christ. But I feel I can do my little part to change the world. All of us, not just as priests but as Christians, can do our part, trusting in the Lord and be joyful knowing that, through Him, we are redeemed children of God! I hope that with my joy and with my work I will be able to get people closer to God and maybe, hopefully, help to make the world a better place, even if just a little. As Mother Theresa used to say about their work with the poor, “We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.”

Michael Debono S.J.