Every person who had the privilege to meet Bro Louis Camilleri FSC said about him that he was ‘a living saint’.

Brother Louis Camilleri FSC fit-Triq lejn il-Qdusija – a book recently written and published by Fabian Mangion – pays tribute to this beloved figure and gives those who never met this Lasallian brother of holy fame the chance to get to know who he was. To those who crossed paths with Bro Louis, this book will serve as an opportunity to understand better what made this man the Lasallian he was.

This book is authored by a known name in the local literary genre of ecclesiastical and historical research. Mangion delves into the saintly life of Bro Louis in a way which aids the reader from any background to comprehend the person he was.

Mangion does not embark on a biographical writing based on his thoughts or personal opinions, although his admiration of the man is clear in the way he explains his life, yet he also encapsulates the thoughts of people who knew Bro Louis personally and gives the reader ample examples of the fruitful work he did.

The well-known De La Salle brother Louis Camilleri. File photo

Moreover, he enriches this biography with testimonies from notable people such as Mgr. Paul Cremona the Archbishop Emeritus who describes meeting Bro Louis as “having holiness’’ in front of him.

To give a whole picture of such a full and long life, Mangion does not restrict himself to Bro Louis’s service in the Lasallian Schools as a Brother and administrator, but also refers to the input he had in the church school’s saga in the 1980s while serving as Secretary to the R.C.C.S. [Representative Council of Church Schools]. 

His wisdom in this harsh moment for the Church in Malta, which was fuelled by the then government’s decision, is another instance of his devotion to the common good.

In this book, we are not limited to one angle from which we can understand Bro Louis; rather, we see how he lived his call to serve the common good  and the Church as a whole. This adds to the grandeur of this person who was not limited to his duties as Brother in the Institute of the Brothers of Christian Schools.

His service in R.C.C.S. contributed to the nation as a whole. Through this, Mangion gives the reader different examples of how Bro Louis served through the different roles he occupied.

An opportunity to understand what made this man the Lasallian he was

In this book, one finds 14 chapters, each tackling segments of Bro Louis’ long and selfless life. Mangion provides the reader with information about the childhood of the then Antonio in Żurrieq and his youth up until he was laid to rest at the Addolorata Cemetery, but that was not the end but the start of his eternal life.

His remains were later transferred to Stella Maris College. This is all explained by Mangion in his book.

Mangion also gives due importance to the formative part in the life of Bro Louis, which was to distinguish this man in his life.

To comprehend who Bro Louis is, one must understand what formed him and his wartime experiences as a student in France which through the information and analysis given by the author one can easily figure that this played a crucial role in making him the Lasallian he was.

Once you open this book, you will embark on a journey that will take you through the chapters of the life of a remarkable disciple of St John Baptist De La Salle.

Br Louis Camilleri F.S.C. (back row, centre) as a novitiate in France. Photo: Facebook

As a Lasallian myself, though I have never met Bro Louis, I am myself a witness of the Lasallian formation which so exquisitely is given at De La Salle College.

This book should serve not only to promote the memory of Bro Louis but also to remind all the stakeholders in the Lasallian family today of people like him who served their calling well. The Lasallian educators today have the mission to ignite tomorrow’s gentlemen with the flame of De La Salle and his teachings.

The Lasallian colleges in Malta today have a mission to never forsake their Lasallian values. This ethos is what structured and led Bro Louis in his life of service. These values today are still important and ignite the Lasallian spirit of teaching minds and hearts in every lay teacher.

Our Lasallian colleges can be proud of the formation they give to their students because of their adherence to the ethos. I augur that the decades of success are continued through proper formation and imitation of our founder whom Bro Louis was a true disciple of.

Gabriel Zarouk is a former college prefect and student at De La Salle College.