Seven years ago today, Gilbert Simiana, a 15-year-old student of St Aloysius College and member of the Society of Christian Doctrine (MUSEUM), died of brain cancer.

Gilbert was no ordinary teenager. The courage he showed during his long illness was born of his great faith, a faith that urged him to offer his life and sufferings to God on behalf of the success of the pontificate of John Paul II.

Gilbert's short life reached its peak when, on the recommendation of the Papal Nuncio of the time, Mgr Laboa, he travelled to the Vatican to make his offering directly to the Pope. John Paul II accepted the offering and kissed Gilbert on the head.

Gilbert was born and lived his short life in Rabat. Throughout his life he presented himself as a faithful witness to Jesus Christ with whom he had a deeply intimate relationship, especially in his suffering.

All those who knew him testify to his purity, obedience and selflessness: virtues which persisted despite his great discomfort and suffering, especially towards the end, as his illness stripped him progressively of all his faculties and reduced him from a football-lover into a wheelchair- bound invalid.

Gilbert saw himself as selected by God for preferential treatment! He referred to his illness as "a thorn from Jesus' crown". He would say: "God has preferred me to many others". Gilbert was glad to suffer for Christ and with Christ. His greatest desire in life was to "die without sin". This is a very clear indication of the degree of holiness attained by the grace of God in so short a time.

After the very well attended concelebrated funeral Mass at St Paul's, Rabat, Mgr Laboa, who led the concelebration with 23 other priests, referred to him as "Malta's St Dominic Savio". During the Eucharistic celebration, in a document issued by the Nunciature, the Pope expressed his wish: that this young life of witness may become known so as to be a beacon of faith to the young generation of Christians.

While thanking the Lord for all the graces bestowed upon Gilbert Simiana, graces which made him so much like Jesus in so short a time, we thank his parents for giving him a good Christian upbringing, one which honours us all.

If it pleases the Lord to grant us graces through his intercession you are kindly asked to contact me at St Aloysius' College, Birkirkara. We wish to register all graces received. It is our intention to proceed with the promotion of this life so that in accordance with the Pope's wishes, it will be a model to the new generation of young Christians.