Emily Barbaro-Sant writes:
I have known Anton since 1986 when his son Hugo was engaged to my eldest daughter Cecilia. From our first meeting I realised that he was a man of culture. Of a strict and reserved nature, yet ready to help out anyone who needed his help, mostly in the educational field.
Educated at the Lyceum, St. Michael’s Training College of Education, and St Mary University College, Twickenham, U.K., Agius Muscat was also a fellow of the Royal Meteorological Society and held a diploma in geography from the University of London (1957). He started his teaching career with the Education Department in 1950, becoming an assistant head 10 years later and from 1970, head of Valletta and St Julian’s primary schools until he retired in 1992.
In 1960, Agius Muscat became a member of the Għaqda Kittieba tal-Malti. As a member of the Akkademja tal-Malti, he organised a series of 11 TV programmes called Ħarsa mill-Qrib during which he discussed various Maltese literary personalities. He also presented a series called Is-Sejħa tal-Kittieb. Agius Muscat was also active in his local parish of St. Julian’s.
When my late husband Arthur together with a few others founded the Fundazzjoni Adeodata Pisani, he served as an advisor. It was through his insistance that I put pen to paper and in November 2011 published the book Siltiet mill-Imgħoddi ta’ Ħajti which mainly recounted and revealed my side of the story vis-a-vis the civil court case which the Curia instituted against the foundation.
He used to insist that since I was heart and soul with my husband in the canonisation cause of Adeodata Pisani, I was duty bound to reveal the truth; that unless I sit down and do it, no one would, since my husband was at that time already dead and buried and the third person involved, the ex Abbess M. Giustina Bonello was and still is in a monastery in Italy.
It took me some time to realise how right he was. When I gave him the script to write the introduction to my book, he called me to say: “You did a very good job and while reading the script, I could notice that you paid much attention to stick to the truth while using moderate language not to cause more harm than had already been done.” I really appreciated the remark as this was precisely what I wanted to do.
After my husband’s premature death, Anton was the person whom I turned to for advice about Fundazzjoni Adeodata Pisani, and I do not regret it to this day.
Anton Agius Muscat passed away at Villa Messina on the February 2, 2018 leaving to mourn his loss his dear wife Vera nèe Muscat Azzopardi, his three children Anthide, Hugo and Lucienne and his five grandchildren Matthew, Simon, Maria, Alessia and Karl whom he adored, besides other relatives and friends.
May the good Lord grant him eternal rest.