Paul Camilleri

Fr Geoffrey G. Attard writes:

Paul Camilleri of Nadur passed away on October 31 after a life of 72 years.

I could not find peace until I put pen to paper and wrote down these few lines about a lecturer whose sense of simplicity and humility seemed to glow out of him.

Mr Camilleri studied for the priesthood but decided the priesthood was not for him just before he was about to become a deacon. He obtained a licentiate in philosophy from the Pontifical University of St Thomas, known as the Angelicum, in Rome.

I came to know him when, in 1996, I began my own course of philosophy at the Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Victoria, where he lectured in history of philosophy. He taught me for two years. Before that he had taught English to generations of students at the Minor Seminary within the same institution.

Pawlu, as he was affectionately known by one and all, was a man of few words, unassuming and res-erved. However, at the same time, he was admired and loved by all not despite of these characteristics but rather because of them.

If I were to describe him in a phrase, I would just say that he was the type of person who would not harm an ant! I remember that during the dozens of times that as seminarians we used to get noisy and loose interest in his scrupulous explanation of some philosophical principle, he would never lose his patience but put his head in the palms of his hands and wait patiently until we compose ourselves again.

His memory will be cherished for years to come!

May God grant him eternal rest!