Francis Xavier, known as Frans by family and friends, was born in Malta but spent more than half his life abroad, four of them as a missionary priest in Peru. In recent years, he retired in Gozo, the island he liked so much.

I only knew Frans as a doctor, when visiting him at the Gozo General Hospital in his last few weeks of his life. During these few encounters lasting about an hour or so, he used to narrate his travels and experiences in Peru and the temples, his favourite subject. During these conversations, he would forget all his pains and tribulations and would be in seventh heaven.

I was bewildered with his world view of illness, diseases and treatment. Frans refused to undergo the path which doctors laid out for him. He knew that this was going to be just a delay of the outcome. He believed that the treatment was going to be worse than the disease. He let nature take its own course and he endured the journey with courage, resilience and free will.

Apart from the conversations at hospital, I furthered my information about him by reading some of his books, including his autobiography. Frans was an intelligent, self-taught person who kept learning and discovering until the very end of his life.

He wrote no fewer than 20 books about our islands and their ancient temples, and an autobiography. In these books one can enjoy the cosmic, metaphysical and alternative perspective, which Frans explains very clearly although by doing so he faced the censure of the establishment that wants to safeguard its sacred beliefs and be left unchallenged. Here are the links to his books:  www.maltatemplejourneys.com/ and www.smashwords.com/profile/view/FXAloisio.

Frans passed through a turbulent life trying to unleash himself from the shackles of his childhood and early life as a priest. It took him quite a while to find himself and to do in life what he really wanted to do.

He loved art and was a talented painter. He read philosophy, trying to understand the purpose of life and studied psychology to resolve his past baggage. This healing process took him through a painful journey until he gathered the impetus and energy to open himself to a new life.

He never left the priesthood because he lost his faith in God. He only lost faith in the establishment. The seed of faith stayed in him for all those years until his spirituality became more authentic and much deeper than ever. Frans was a very spiritual person.

Francis Xavier Aloisio, aged 76, passed away peacefully on the morning of December 27, 2022, at the Gozo General Hospital.

He has passed from darkness to light and from death to immortality. He is now living in the spirit world, where pain and suffering are absent and love and peace reign high. He is free now.

He will be sorely missed by his wife Christine, by his sister Bernadette Gerada Aloisio, his nephew Andrea Gerada and niece Martina Gerada, nephew Franco Aloisio and niece Daniela Aloisio and other members of the family on both sides of the Atlantic.

To them my sincere heartfelt condolences. To Frans – may you rest in peace.

Mario Saliba