Fr Dionysius Mintoff, OFM, writes:
Fr Crispin is no more. The thought is terrible. He has gone to his reward. He claimed no relationship with anybody. To him every human being was truly a friend and a brother.
He died in harness. His death was mourned not only by his community of Capuchin friars, their provincial for three terms, not only by the congregation that attended his services, but also by many Eritreans and Ethiopians who were his special guests every Sunday morning when he shared their prayers and experiences in a place where even brothers are not free from local prejudice against colour.
He lived for many years in Africa. He went to Africa not as a bringer or giver, but as a receiver, not as a teacher, but as a learner, not as leader, but a servant. Eritrea and Ethiopia were the fields of his pastoral care as a young priest. His first and ever love.
Returning back to Malta he kept his commitment to help them by working day in, day out at the Missions’ Office next door to the Capuchin Friary in Floriana. The simple phenomenon of African rain opened up a depth to his ministry of uncertainty and the ministry of insecurity.
Later in life he served them again when boats of immigrants invaded Malta. He believed that the Holy Spirit is revealing an invitation and a call for what the future can be if we discover the hidden richness of the black Church in our islands. We spoke many times about it.
The presence of these Eritreans and Ethiopians at his funeral was not a sign of respect to age and experience. He deserved more than that. They prayed and sang together with the Maltese that filled the church to capacity, presuming maturity and wisdom apart the tally of years because he never imposed but always proposed as typical behaviour of seasonal Christians.
Fr Crispin was also known for his undoubted love for Cospicua and its patron, the Immaculate Conception. In Cospicua and under the kind look of his Madonna he grew the roots to keep him strong and chaste in word and deed, a friar who could obey as well as command, a priest with invincible faith in his cause.
Thank you for a Bormliz of the old breed.