Mgr Josè Sebastian Laboa

Mgr Josè Sebastian Laboa, who has just passed away, was loved by all. I remember very well our last meeting with him in a prominent cafeteria in Rome in November, 1999.

He wanted to know all about our children whom he knew very well, about our work connected with the cause of M. Adeodata Pisani, and also asked us about our parish, Mosta, which he loved so much. He called the rotunda "My cathedral".

On that particular morning, my late husband Arthur and I walked together with him to a spot in St Peter's Square, where he had to meet his successor in Panama, Mgr Bruno. On arrival and after we were in-troduced, Mgr Bruno told us that the people in Panama literally cried when he left them to take up his appointment in Malta.

Mgr Laboa never missed his daily early morning walk. He told us how the first morning he found himself walking from Attard to Mosta. He entered the church, prayed and then went up to the altar, where there was a priest (who it turned out to be parish priest Joe Carabott) getting ready for Mass, and there and then introduced himself.

His good nature gained him the respect of the Maltese and Gozitan people and he was invited everywhere to preside liturgical functions, which he accepted with much pleasure. He always proudly said that during his term of office in Malta, he managed to celebrate all sacraments.

I still cherish the walks and drives we had together, his visits to tea or dinner at our house and his jokes which really made us laugh.

I think Mgr Laboa's character was unique.