Monsignor
Joseph (Ġużeppi)
Zerafa,
the second
Archpriest of the Ghajnsielem Parish and tenth
parish-priest,
was born in Ghajnsielem on the 20th of
February 1938. He will be remembered to endowing
the new Parish Church
from inside with several works of art. His
determination, courage and enthusiasm injected the
people of the village to give start to a successful
fund-raising effort to keep furnishing this temple which
was consecrated on the 13th of August 1989.
Mgr Zerafa took his primary
education at the Ghajnsielem Primary School and later
continued his studies at St Anthony's Collage. He
entered the
Gozo
Major Seminary in 1955 and 3 years later he started a
course in Philisophy and Theology.
On the 25th of April 1965 he was ordained priest by Gozo Bishop,
Mons Joseph Pace and he celebrated his first Solemn Mass
at Ghajnsielem’s Old Parish Church on the 27th of May of the
same year. His first pastoral work was that of vice-vicar for
the Ghajnsielem Parish, a position he kept until 1981. He was
also spiritual director of the Legion of Mary for several years.
Mgr Giuseppi Zerafa was also the founder of the Lauretana Chior and
he was also an active member of the St Joseph Band Club for
several years.
Video in honour of Mons Zerafa
The possession ceremony where
Mons Zerafa was appointed the second
Archpriest of the Ghajnsielem Parish and tenth parish-priest
The Ghajnsielem parishioners
were very enthusiastic as they
celebrated the appointment of Mons. Zerafa's as their second
Archpriest
Mgr Giuseppi Zerafa was appointed as
the second
Archpriest of the Ghajnsielem Parish and tenth parish-priest on
the 11th of March 1981 by Gozo Bishop Mons. Nikol Cauchi. The
possession ceremony took place on the 5th of April of the same
year.
He will be remembered for
the successful fund-raising effort to furnish the new
parish church which was completed under the tenure of
Mons Espedito Tabone. Some of his works include
the marble pavement, the twelve marble crosses on the
pilasters, the Via Sagra, the ambone and the four
gothic distinct confessionals. He was also responsible
for the gothic-styled niche hosting the Titular Statue
of Our Lady of Loreto. The new parish church was
consecrated on the 13th of August 1989.
It is also interesting to
note that he was responsible for the extension of the
Ghajnsielem Cemetery, the building of the new Lauretana
Parish Centre and the building of two warehouses, one of
which is being used as a workshop by the 'Ghaqda Armar'
and the other for storage of the feast decorations. He
also supported the Easter Pageant.
Mons. Giuseppi Zerafa
together with Gozo Bishop Mgr Mario Grech
during a visit at the Boy's Doctrine Society in
Ghajnsielem
Mgr Giuseppi Zerafa was
awarded the 'Gieh Ghajnsielem' on the 7th of December
2001. He stepped down as pastoral leader of the
Ghajnsielem Parish on the 10th on December 2006 after 25
years of service to his native village. He was replaced
by Can. Frankie Bajada. During a thanksgiving ceremony
held on the 2nd of December, the Archpriest Emeritus
appeared visibly moved during the ceremony. He thanked
all his family and the local people for their support
during his leadership years. On that day, he was
presented with several commemorative gifts from all the
main organizations of the village. A few days later,
Gozo Bishop Mgr Mario Grech announced that Archpriest
Emeritus Giuseppe Zerafa was appointed Canon and given
the title of Monsignor of the Cathedral Chapter.
Mons. Giuseppi Zerafa
showing his church model to President Edward Fenech
Adami
Mgr Zerafa passed the last
years of his life building wooden replicas of Ghajnsielem's landmarks including a model of the
Ghajnsielem Arch Parish Church, the historic Ghajn tal-Hasselin,
the Old Parish Church and the Lourdes Chapel.
Mgr Giuseppi Zerafa passed
away at the Gozo General Hospital in the early hours of
the 12th January 2011 after a
short illness surrounded with his family and
friends beside his bedside.
The funeral of the 72-year old Archpriest, was held
six days later, on Tuesday 18th January in a most solemn manner
honoured by the presence of a huge
congregation who
filled his beloved church.
His last words are said to
be "inselli
ghall-poplu kollu t'Ghajnsielem", a few simply yet
powerful words which show how much he kept the
parishioners and Ghajnsielem close to his heart.
