Episcopal Ordination to be held on the 12 of February 2011
(pictures Added) Monday 22nd November, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Fr. Joseph Bonello OFM (Franciscan Province of Saint Paul the Apostle – Malta) Coadjutor Bishop of the Diocese of Juticalpa, Olancho, Honduras, until now Pastor of Santa Ana de La Libertad in the Diocese of Comayagua.Fr. Joseph Bonello ofm. was born on the 4th April 1961, in Xagħra, Gozo. Son of Victor and Nazzarena Sultana (both deceased), the third of four children he joined the Order of Friars Minor (Franciscans) on 2nd October 1977, made his Temporary Profession on 1st October 1978 and Solemn Profession on 28th August 1983. He was ordained deacon on 29th June 1984, and priest on 7th July 1985, by the imposition of hands of the then Archbishop of Malta, His Excellency Msgr. Joseph Mercieca.
Fr. Joseph studied at the Primary School of Xagħra and did his secondary education at Xagħra, Victoria and Ħamrun. He studied philosophy and theology at the National Institute of Ecclesiastical Studies of Maltese Religious (INSERM) in Ħamrun.
Immediately after ordination he served as Provincial Promotor of Vocations, Master of Postulants, and Provincial Definitor of the Franciscan Province of Saint Paul the Apostle in Malta. Since September 1989 he has been working as a missionary in Central America at the Parish of Santa Ana de La Libertad in the Diocese of Comayagua, first for three years as Assistant Pastor and later as Pastor. Nominated as Coadjutor Bishop of Juticalpa, he will now be moving to Olancho, where there is Fr. Albert Gauci ofm, from Għargur.
During this time he was three times councilor for the Franciscan Foundation in Central America of the Immaculate Conception Province, New York. On the 13th November 2009, he was nominated by His Excellency Msgr. Bishop Robert Camilleri ofm, as Vicar General of the Diocese of Comayagua. It is interesting to note that Bishop Camilleri was the first Franciscan with whom Fr. Joseph, together with others, started his vocational journey during meetings organized at the Francisca Friary at Ghajnsielem, Gozo and also one of his first companions with whom he worked in the mission together with Fr. Angelo Falzon ofm from Naxxar.
Fr. Joseph spent his priestly life accompanying the faithful in their faith promoting human dignity and sustaining education, art and formation of workers. His aim has been to forge a more human society so that it may become more Christian. He chose as motto for his new Ministry “Patientia Omnia Potest” (For Patience everything is possible) because experience has taught him that patience is the greatest virtue necessary to obtain what is good and aspire to what is better: “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage with great patience and careful instruction” (2Tim 4:2).
