Time passes and does not wait for anyone. More than 30 years have passed since the death of our beloved Carmelite Bishop Redemptus Gauci. Several people have encouraged me to write something about him so that his memory will not be forgotten.

Redemptus Gauci was born in Valletta on December 27, 1920, and was baptised in St Paul’s Shipwreck parish church, Valletta. He was christened Vincenzo, and known to his family and friends as Ċensu. When he was 15 he entered the Carmelite order as a novice and on January 1, 1937, undertook his simple profession. He began his linguistic, philosophical and theo­logical studies in the Carmelite priory in Balluta at the College of St Cyril.

On January 22, 1942, he undertook his solemn profession at the Carmelite church in Balluta and on August 1, 1943, at the age of 22, he was ordained priest. Among the pastoral tasks undertaken by Fr Gauci, he worked in the sanctuary of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Valletta, and taught at Mariano Apostolico secondary school, which is now St Elias College, Santa Venera. He also started to work among the Carmelite tertiaries and became spiritual director of the Legion of Mary.

On December 14, 1945, he also became one of the first members to establish the Carmelite community in Fgura. At that time there were only four priories in Malta in Mdina, Valletta, Balluta and Santa Venera. Every religious priory offered a friar to establish the religious community in Fgura. Fr Tarcisio Licari was sent from the priory of Balluta and he became the first prior of the community. Fr Gauci was sent from the priory of Valletta, Fr John Caruana from Santa Venera, and Brother Romeo Bezzina was sent from Mdina.

Fr Gauci with his fellow Carmelitan friars in Malta.

June 1949 was to be a decisive year for both the Maltese Carmelite missions as well as for Fr Gauci and Fr Ignatius Axisa. That year changed both the history of the Carmelite missions and the life of Fr Gauci as it was decided that the Carmelite friars would start a mission in Arequipa in Peru, South America.

The Archbishop of Arequipa gave the Maltese Carmelites a parish in his diocese. Fr Gauci was chosen to run the mission with Fr Axisa who had just been ordained priest. On June 6, 1949, these two brave friars left the Maltese islands for Peru. After many stopovers and changes in transport they arrived in Tingo, Peru, where the Archbishop of Arequipa handed over to them the parish that from then on was to become the home of many Maltese Carmelite missionaries.

A new life started in Tingo, a life filled with hard work and sacrifice, a life that is so synonymous of missionaries. At that time in Tingo there were 10,000 people who were all dependent on missionaries for their spiritual needs. Moreover, the missionaries also worked for the socio-cultural economic development of the poor who were constantly oppressed and robbed by the wealthy and those in power.

Apart from his pastoral work, such as baptisms, three Masses every Sunday, marriages, catechism and social assistance, Fr Gauci became parish priest and later director of the reformatory for delinquents and abandoned children. He also started the Legion of Mary in Peru.

On the occasion of the National Eucharistic Congress, Fr Gauci wrote a book entitled The Heaven on Earth in Spanish about Mass, Communion and other topics. He also wrote several articles in various newspapers in Malta.

After six years in Peru, he came to Malta for the provincial chapter where he spoke about the needs and difficulties that the missionaries faced, and encouraged other friars to join the mission. When he returned to Tingo, together with Fr Anthony Vidal he tried to find another place to accommodate the many missionaries.

June 1949 changed both the history of the Carmelite missions and the life of Fr Gauci as it was decided that the Carmelite friars would start a mission in Arequipa in Peru, South America

In 1958, Fr Gauci, together with Fr Seraphin Abela, went to La Legua for a trial period. However, there they found many obstacles and problems and after six months they returned back. In 1960 when work began on a new church in Tingo, Fr Gauci left for Camana, situated about 200 miles from Tingo.

In 1961, Fr Gauci came for the provincial chapter and prior general suggested that the new prior provincial Fr Elijah Caruana should visit the missionaries. This visit left much fruit. Indeed after a few years the place became a territorial prelature of Chuqibamba, of which Fr Gauci became the first prelate. The prelature is composed of four major provinces and spans over 20,000 square kilometres, about 65 times the size of Malta.

The territorial prelature was declared on June 5, 1962. On that day the Archbishop of Arequipa went to the Carmelite friars and from his pocket produced a red zucchetto which he placed on Mgr Gauci’s head and thus nominated him Prelate of Chuqibamba. August 15, 1962, was a commemorative day for Mgr Gauci as well as for the people Chuqibamba. On this day he was given possession of the prelature by the Archbishop of Arequipa. Many Carmelite friars, priests and distinguished people attended the ceremony. Whilst in Chuqibamba, Mgr Gauci invited the Missionary Society of St Paul (MSSP) to work in Peru. They are still there to this day.

Fr Gauci (right) being ordained bishop by Archbishop Michael Gonzi (centre).

Mgr Gauci took part in the Second Vatican Council. In April, 1967, news reached Malta that he was chosen by the Holy See to become the Titular Bishop of Ida in Mauretania. He chose to be consecrated in Malta at St John’s Co-Cathedral on April 30. The ceremony was conducted by Arch­bishop of Malta Michael Gonzi aided by Vicar General Mgr Emanuel Galea and Mgr Raymond Lamont, O.Carm, Bishop of Umtali in Rhodesia.

After spending more than 28 years abroad in the mission, he returned to Malta due to ill health. He passed away on February 10, 1978, at the Blue Sisters Hospital at the age of 58. On that day he was supposed to deliver the panegyric at St Paul parish church, Valletta. His funeral took place at the sanctuary basilica of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Valletta, led by Prior Provincial Fr Eugene Tonna and concelebrated with about 100 priests. Archbishop of Malta Mgr Joseph Mercieca and Bishop of Gozo Mgr Nicholas Cauchi together with the Apostolic Nuncio assisted in the Mass. At the end of the Mass, Archbishop Mercieca said the last prayers and blessed his corpse. He was then buried in the family tomb at the cemetery of Santa Maria Addolorata.

I take this opportunity to ask readers to pray for him and the missionaries. May the Lord grant us shepherds that will guide us with such dedication.

Fr Hermann Duncan is a member of the Order of Carmelites, Balluta.