Aaron Attard-Hili writes:
Fr Julian Refalo Rapa is no more. The pealing of the Xagħra church bells announced the demise of the 93-year-old priest on the morning of August 26.
He was an exceptional figure among the strong Xagħra village community as well as throughout the educational and pastoral history of the island of Gozo.
His life was a flurry of activity towards the betterment of his native village of Xagħra and its villagers. He was involved in a number of the Xagħra and Gozo diocesan groups.
Hailing from a family closely knit in the workings of the parish church, he was drawn towards the pastoral care since his early age.
He was named Julian after his uncle, Canon Fr Julian Rapa, who died in 1918. He followed in his uncle’s footsteps by serving as an altar boy and then becoming a seminarian, in 1944. He dropped out in 1946 and became a teacher in 1947. Four years later, he married his beloved Carmela and they had three children. He was widowed at the age of 63.
In his early stages of his teaching career he was awarded a scholarship at Loughborough Training College of Education in the UK. On his return in 1953 he was made in charge of physical education classes in all government schools in Gozo. Eventually, he was promoted to headship positions in a number of schools following a course at St. Mary’s Training College of Education at Twickenham, in the UK.
He was a prolific writer and a number of books and poems were published to his credit. However, a milestone in his literature career was his opus The Xagħra monumental church, published in 1969, which is still considered an important source for the history of his native village church. This was followed by other publications recounting his personal anecdotes and experiences including also collections of some of his poems.
Even music was close to his heart. The verses for the Maria Bambina great hymn, composed by Vincenzo Ciappara, are his. He contributed a lot to vocal music, also encouraged by his late older brother, Nazzareno Refalo.
The turning point came in 1987 when he entered the seminary at Beda College, in Rome and was ordained priest on June 22, 1991. This year marks the silver jubilee of his ordination. He was made a member of the Xagħra Collegiate Chapter in 2002.
His services were very sought after. He laid the necessary administrative infrastructure and acted as head of the newly-founded church girl secondary school at Victoria. He acted as a parish administrator during the transitionary period prior to the present parish priesthood of his nephew, Mgr. Carmelo Refalo.
His pastoral activity covered all spheres of the Xagħra parish. He was the spiritual director of the Victory Philharmonic Society of Xagħra of which he was a bandsman and eventually the president during his secular life.
He was ever ready to serve whenever he was asked for by laymen and religious members alike. He always had a word of consolation on his visits to sick people while administering the Holy Communion to them.
He was my primary school headmaster in the early 1970s and in the first two years of my secondary school at Nadur. He always encouraged us to follow a sports activity.
His exemplary life, as the father of a family and, later, as a pastor, singles him out. He remains on record as having lived all the Holy Sacraments and administered them to his faithful parishioners, including officiating in the marriage of his own daughter.
He will be sorely missed by all who have philanthropy and pastoral care close to their hearts.
My condolences to his three children and their own children.