Bro. Joe Bonnet MSSP

Stanley Mangion writes:

Following the passing away of Bro Joe Bonnet MSSP a few days back, I would like to share with readers a few experiences of this gentle, quiet brother.

My first recollection of Bro. Bonnet was of a young, hard-working youth at the Sacred Heart Oratory in Mosta where he showed great organisational skills when holding sports tournaments for youth who attended this oratory, which was under the direction of Fr Angelo Camilleri. These sports events helped us grow physically but also helped us to build a sound Christian character.

I clearly remember the day he broke the news to us he was going to join the Missionary Society of St Paul as a brother. We were so shocked we started begging him not to take this step and, as a consequence, we got a telling-off by the director of the oratory. We all knew we had lost a zealous, dedicated young leader.

But our loss was somebody else’s gain. Bro. Bonnet worked just as hard in the youth centres run by the MSSP, especially the one in Rabat. As in Mosta oratory, there too he continued to be an excellent organiser of sports events and spiritual meetings, yearly excursions abroad and many other activities involving youth. He always worked with the missionary spirit instilled in him as a member of the MSSP.

I have met hundreds of former members of the youth centres who have spoken of Bro. Bonnet as a hard-working brother and who praised him for his dedication in his pastoral and spiritual work.

Bro. Bonnet spent the last few years of his life in the Motherhouse of the MSSP in Rabat. He saw to the medical needs of the priests who were ill or advanced in years. He did this work diligently, never complaining.

I would like to take this opportunity to join many who knew him to say a big thank-you to Bro. Bonnet for all the good work he did in his lifetime. For this and for his quiet character he will surely never be forgotten.