On 29th June 2009 four Franciscans will celebrate their 25th anniversary of priesthood.  They are Fr. Sandro Overend, currently Minister Provincial of the Maltese Franciscan Province; Fr. Angelo Falzon, missionary in Honduras; Fr. Marcellino Micallef, Provincial Definitor; Fr. Noel Muscat, Master of Novices, Secretary for Formation and Studies, and Discreet of the Custody of the Holy Land.  The four Franciscans were ordained on 29th June 1984 by Mgr. Guzeppi Mercieca, today Archbishop Emeritus of Malta, in St. John’s Co-Cathedral, together with many other companions from the Seminary of the Archdiocese of Malta and the other religious Orders present in Malta.

Since the four friars are currently engaged in various offices and two of them are abroad, they are celebrating their anniversary in different dates.  Fr. Sandro Overend has celebrated the thanksgiving Mass on 13th May, feast day of Our Lady of Fatima, in the parish church of the Virgin Mary of the Sacred Heart in Sliema.  Fr. Marcellino will celebrate his thanksgiving Mass on 29th June in the Franciscan church of Saint Mary of Jesus in Rabat.  Fr. Noel and Fr. Angelo intend to celebrate their thanksgiving Masses during their upcoming periods of rest in Malta.

All four Franciscans have held various important offices of responsibility in the Franciscan Order and in the Province.  Fr. Angelo Falzon has dedicated his life to missionary work in Honduras.  Fr. Marcellino Micallef has been Provincial Secretary, Guardian, Provincial Definitor, and has worked in various missionary experiences in Latin America and in the Scouting movement in Malta.  Fr. Sandro Overend has been Rector of the College of Sant’Antonio in Rome (seat of the Pontificia Università Antonianum of the Friars Minor) and General Secretary of the Order of Friars Minor during the first period of the mandate of the Minister General Fr. José Rodríguez Carballo.  He was elected Minister Provincial of the Maltese Franciscan Province in June 2008.  Fr. Noel Muscat worked in formation and vocation animation, was Guardian and National SFO Assistant, Definitor of the Maltese Franciscan Province, Visitator to the Province of Albania and co-Visitator to the Holy Land Custody, where he has been residing since 2004.