Saint George Preca

Biography

Saint George Preca, also known as Ġorġ Preca and Jorge Preca, was born on 12 February 1880 in Valletta, Malta. He was the seventh child in a devout Catholic family of nine children, the son of Vincent Preco and Nathalie Ceravolo. His father worked as a merchant and health inspector. From an early age, George Preca was a sickly child. However, his physical ailments did not hinder his academic pursuits. He studied at the Lyceum and later at the Major Seminary on Malta. During his time in seminary, he suffered from a severe respiratory ailment that nearly claimed his life. Through the intercession of Saint Joseph, he miraculously recovered, which deepened his devotion to the saint. While still a seminary student, George Preca began writing a Rule in Latin for a planned society of Permanent Deacons. However, after his ordination on 22 December 1906, he modified his concept of the society. He felt called to work directly with the people, particularly the roughest of men whom he encountered along the waterfront. Father Preca gathered a group of young male catechists, including the Servant of God Ewgenju Borg, and they formed the beginning of what would become the Society of Christian Doctrine at Hamrun, Malta in 1907. The Society's motto, represented by the acronym M.U.S.E.U.M., was "Magister Utinam Sequator Evangelium Universus Mundus!" (Master, that the whole world would follow the Gospel!). Their mission focused on bringing the Bible and theological knowledge to lay people and the working classes. The idea of educating the working class was revolutionary at the time, and Father George Preca faced opposition and accusations of insanity. On one occasion, he was even ordered to shut down his work. Despite these challenges, Father Preca remained dedicated to his vision of sharing the Gospel with as many people as possible. He believed in educating lay men and women and sending them out to proclaim God's word wherever they could find an audience. Under Father Preca's leadership, Society catechist centers were opened in various parishes, providing education to young and old alike. The Society's teaching brought a deeper understanding of the faith to those who had merely gone through the motions of devotions without truly comprehending them. In 1932, the bishop of Malta approved the Society and its Rule, recognizing the value of their work. Father Preca had a strong devotion to the Mystery of the Incarnation. He was not only a popular preacher but also sought after as a confessor, and he was believed to have been a miraculous healer. Throughout his life, he published approximately 150 works, ranging from leaflets to books, primarily written in the Maltese language to reach and connect with the common people. Saint George Preca's Society of Christian Doctrine continues its work to this day. The Society's centers can be found in various locations, including Malta, Australia, Sudan, Kenya, Peru, Great Britain, and Albania. Saint George Preca was venerated on 28 June 1999 by Pope John Paul II. He was beatified on 9 May 2001, with his beatification miracle involving the healing of an irreversibly detached retina of a member of the Society. Finally, on 3 June 2007, Pope Benedict XVI canonized him as a saint. Although Saint George Preca does not have an official patronage assigned to him, his life and teachings serve as an inspiration and model for those who seek to bring the Gospel to all people, especially those on the margins of society. His relics are venerated near the Society's motherhouse at Blata l-Bajda in Malta.