Bro. James Calleja, FSC

Alfred Conti Borda writes:

I saw Bro. James for the last time on January 26, as I had made it a point to visit him whenever I went to De La Salle College to see the Brothers there.

His last e-mail to me on January 30 read: “Please don’t send any more of your beautiful e-mails for now, as next week I am going to St James Hospital for two days...”

I replied, though not promptly, that my wife and I would pray for him. But he never read my reply, as he passed away the very next day.

I met Bro. James for the first time in 1965 when he was director of Stella Maris College, and I started my career by teaching French there (my wife-to-be Monica Cremona started teaching at the primary school there two years later).

Bro. James decided to become a Brother of the Christian Schools in the late 1920s, and left Malta in 1930 at the age of 12 to study in Italy,Belgium and Britain.

He later taught at schools in Vichy, French-controlled Morocco and Algeria, until the liberation of North Africa by the Allies in 1943.

In 1948 Bro. James moved to De La Salle College, Cottonera, teaching languages at secondary level. He moved to Stella Maris College, Gżira, becoming head of school in 1952, and again in 1961 for four-yearperiods.

On returning to De La Salle College in 1965, he continued to teach French, Italian and English atsecondary level and later Frenchand Italian in Sixth Form. In the meantime he and Bro. Edward helped set up the Lasallian Old Boys’ Association. Bro. James was decorated twice by the French Minister of Education for his lifelong love and teaching of the French language and culture.

With 72 years of teaching experience, combined with years of school administration, Bro. James had a record which few can match.

At the twilight of his life, Bro. James kept contact with his innumerable friends and Old Boys up to thevery last.

His favourite prayer was: “Lord, keep me going, growing, loving and grateful for the love of others who help me to come to you”.

May he rest in peace.