Almost 105 and ‘little lamb’ still sings the Magnificat
A smile beams in Sister Carmela Muscat’s eyes as she sings the Magnificat, a thanksgiving hymn, which has become her trademark tune at the Convent of the Sacred Heart’s Tal-Virtù home for the elderly.
The 104-year-old nun struggles to catch her breath between verses but she manages to complete the familiar tune, which gives thanks to the Lord to whom she dedicated her life.
Her passion for the hymn, dedicated to God by the Virgin Mary, has sparked off a tradition at the Tal-Virtù home as nuns now sing it together when they celebrate someone’s birthday.
Sr Carmela, believed to be the oldest living person in Malta, was born on December 9, 1905. There are no official records of who is the oldest person on the island.
Joseph Gellel, reputed to be Malta’s oldest man, passed away in May at the age of 104. Josephine Fiorini, also 104, died on Tuesday.
Sr Carmela was born in Birkirkara and was the youngest of nine brothers and sisters. The family eventually moved to Sliema and, at the age of 20, she took her vows and joined the Society of the Sacred Heart.
“I always wanted to be a nun,” Sr Carmela said in a gentle voice as she sat in her room.
Six months after taking her vows, she left Malta to serve overseas and moved to England. In 1937, she went to America where she spent 42 years. There she was known as the “little lamb” due to her small build and gentle ways.
Sr Carmela returned to Malta in 1979 to serve in the new parish-based community in Żejtun and later moved to the Fgura community. Aged 84, she joined the community at Tal-Virtù in 1993.
“She’s always so serene. I’ve never seen her without a smile,” Sr Pauline Curmi said.
“The other day she was telling us a story about when she was in the Fgura community. She and another sister used to meet outside the chapel every single night and sing the Magnificat. When they left there and came to Tal-Virtù the two sisters sang it every day until the other sister died,” Sr Pauline recalled.
According to the Bible, Mary sang the hymn when Elizabeth, pregnant with John the Baptist, praised her for her faith.
Sr Josephine Borg, said: “Sr Carmela is a very peaceful person. She always prays for peace in the world. She consecrated her life to the Sacred Heart. She’s always been very faithful to her duties. She’s a very serene person and a smile is always on her face... and she still is like that.”
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Rob Hurley
Feb 14th 2011, 02:53
Rest in Peace Auntie Carm! You have graced our family for 105 years and now you are with your Saviour! You have committed your life to Him & now you are finally with Him. May you rest in Peace & may the perpetual light shine upon you! Love & Miss you!
Michael Porter
Sep 6th 2010, 21:50
@ William.. . quoting "and it is also by the grace of God that a child has passed away this exact instance someplace around the world. "
I tell you dear William... be sensitive in your words! think before you speak / write!
Words like these make me sick to say the least. Ask youreslf if you'd say the same thing if it was your own child! God in all his goodness does not choose who dies at what age, otherwise He'll be an unfair and unjust God.
G.Agius
Sep 5th 2010, 18:41
oh yeah quote the bible like THAT's a reputable source of info haha can't understand how in this day and age, with the overwhelming evidence there is about the nullity and desperately human nature of the bible, people still view it as being inspired by some divine entity. unbelievable, really.
C Grech
Sep 6th 2010, 14:18
Talking about nullity, this overwhelming evidence you are talking about is probably the result of a desperate person.
No wonder they write 'haha' in their comments.
William Attard McCarthy
Sep 5th 2010, 13:01
Pray for us Sister Carmela, as you have done for years. Pray for all the believers, and all the non-believers. Pray that one day they too might be able to see the work of God's grace in everything around them... in every stone, in every leaf, in every sunset and sunrise.
Sister Carmela, your smile reminds me so much of my mother who passed away to meet the Lord a year ago... She had a smile like yours. I do not only make reference to the physical characteristic of the smile, but also to its effect and meaning. My mother was also a nun for some years... But then she left and later on married my father... and later on passed on all the teachings and all that love onto her children.
Not many can say that their mother was a Nun, I guess I am one of the lucky few. I think something happens in a convent, something that gives all the women there a higher level of kindness and gentleness... something that gives them that unique smile.
Sister Carmela, pls pray for her soul.. she was once your sister....
g. agius
Sep 5th 2010, 04:48
so in a case like this you invoke mr. god and his grace in allowing her to live to 105, and when some little child or young person dies, it's always a case of 'we can never endeavor to understand the lord's ways'
hypocrites.
Chris Reiff
Sep 5th 2010, 12:21
While I agree with you, I don't think this is the right place to talk about this.
William Attard McCarthy
Sep 5th 2010, 12:35
The way in which God (kindly note that it is not a surname hence I fail to write it down your derogative style) works is indeed mysterious, and it is in vain that mere humans like yourself or myself question it or try to understand it. Like myself, I am sure that you have lost loved ones who were young, middle-aged and old alike; however I have never held any grudges against the Divine Creator in this matter.
The way I see it (which of course can also be completely wrong) is that our time here on Earth in our short-spanned lives is just a mere test, just a crash course preparing our souls for something bigger in the afterlife. Some complete that test and achieve their purpose here in days, others in a few years, and others after a much longer time... we will only understand God's intention in this matter when our time arrives.
Yes, it is the grace of God that shines in this woman's eyes and fills her with life...and it is also by the grace of God that a child has passed away this exact instance someplace around the world.
William Attard McCarthy
Sep 5th 2010, 12:48
Pt 2... Which grace would you have? Which grace do you deem kinder? The grace of dying young or the grace of having to go through a long life with all its ups and downs? I think only God really knows his purpose for each and every one of us.
Now be it the Catholic, Buddhist, Islamic, or New Age God...there still remains the only One God or Divine Creator, irrespective of religions and beliefs and only He/She knows the reason behind each and every one of us.
Calling your fellow brethren Hypocrites just because they try to come to terms with this matter does not hold ground here and is totally uncalled for.
You have widely veered off the main issue here, which is: Look at this beautiful woman's face while she speaks... look at her gentle smile. Does it not touch you in any way? Don't you feel even the slightest touch of God's grace radiating from that touching smile, from that frail voice?
Melvyn Mifsud LLD
Sep 4th 2010, 20:06
Amazing person ... still going strong.
Likewise her serene attitude to life ... as well as her faith going so strong.
J.Gallon
Sep 4th 2010, 17:55
AD MULTOS ANNOS dear Sister !!!!!! I am sure that when the time comes for you to go to heaven, the gates will swing wide open and the angels will join you in singing the "MAGNIFICAT" face to face with the Lord. He has indeed done great things for you.
As Madeleine Sophie, Saint and Foundress of your Society said : " Humility and simplicity are the true well-springs of perfection". They should be the key-note of all our actions.
May Mary bring you special blessings. I ask the Lord to continue to fill your heart with love, joy and peace and to shower upon you His grace in abundance.
A Magri
Sep 4th 2010, 17:07
I have the pleasure to know Sr Carmela personally. It is completely true that she radiates peace and hapiness to any one who is near her. She lives a quiet life of prayer and never has there been an instance when I have not seen her wearing a smile. Of course, the years have taken their toll but she is still an exemplary person to all. May God bless her.
JohnG.Micallef
Sep 4th 2010, 13:56
Many Happy Returns sister Carmela, keep smiling and singing the Magnificat until you die. MAY GOD BLESS YOU. Please pray for me and my intentions.
John G.Micallef
Sep 4th 2010, 13:39
And may sister Carmela remain with that happy smile until she meets the Lord, whom she served throughout her life. ( and still serving) ! . 'am sure she also sings " TINA L- HLEWWA " and 'NADURAWK JA HOBZ TAS-SEMA'" If not, let anybody remind her to sing also these 2 beautiful hymns which both praise the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Holy Eucharist. And what about the "Ave Maria" of Lourdes and that of "Fatima" "am sure she knows them both. I don't know you sister, but you are my sister in the name of the Lord, whom we both praise. I wish you a very Happy Birthday and may you continue to give praise to our Lord Jesus Christ and his beloved Mother Mary by singing the Magnificat until your very last breath on earth. Please pray for me and for my intentions. Blessed Be The Lord For Ever And Ever, Amen. MAY GOD BLESS YOU.
renald williams
Sep 4th 2010, 12:54
The Magnificat… a Gospel thanks to the Lord God the Saviour of Sinners...peace and health
Marija [omm Gesu’] qalet: Ruhi tkabbar il-Mulej, U l-ispirtu tieghi jithenna f’Alla s-Salvatur Tieghi. Luke 1:46-47.
… Gesu’; ghax hu jSalva l-poplu tieghu minn Dnubiethom. Matthew 1:21.
… il-Mulej… is-Salvazzjoni lill-poplu tieghu bil-mahfra ta’ Dnubiethom. Luke 1:76-77.
U qalilha [Gesu’]: Dnubietek mahfura… U qal lill-mara [midinba]: Il-fidi tieghek Salvatek. Luke 7:48, 50.
Ghadda joqghod ghand… Midneb… Ghax Bin il-bniedem gie jfittex u jSalva dak li kien mitluf. Luke 19:7-10.
… u nafu li dan [Gesu’] hu tassew… is-Salvatur tad-dinja. John 4:42; 12:47.
Salvatur [Gesu’], biex jaghti… l-mahfra tad-Dnubiet. Acts 5:31.
Gesu’ gie fid-dinja biex iSalva l-miDinbin. 1 Timothy 1:15.
Nafdaw f’Alla haj, li hu s-Salvatur tal-bnedmin Kollha. 1 Timothy 4:10.