Founder of the Congregation of the Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart

Born in Victoria, Gozo, of Michelangelo Diacono and Mary née Cassar, Giuseppe was known as Tal-Bambini because his father earned his living by manufacturing wax statues, especially of the Child Jesus.

Ordained priest on 4 March 1871, Diacono served at Marsalforn, Għasri, and as coadjutor to the archpriest of St George in Victoria. He was endowed with particular abilities as an architect and a designer. Rural communities found him very helpful in their needs.

Diacono was very helpful to a group of ladies, first as spiritual director, and then in their apostolate in teaching young girls free of charge in what is still known as the ‘House of Charity’ in Victoria. That was the origin of the congregation of Franciscan female tertiaries that developed into an Institute of Consecrated Life with vows of chastity, obedience, and poverty. Diacono appeared as their founder at the birth of the congregation in 1880 but they afterwards passed under the direction of Mother Margherita De Brincat. Today they are known as Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart.

Diacono continued to exercise his pastoral work as parish priest of Qala (1881-1889) and Xagħra (1889-1909). During his term of office, Xagħra was raised to the status of a collegiate, with himself as its first archpriest. At Xagħra, he opened an industrial house for the benefit of young girls in his father’s home.

In 1909 Diacono resigned his post at Xagħra and moved to Victoria where he transferred the industrial house. He gave free lessons in lace, crochet, weaving, painting, and dress-making. The girls often worked on his designs. The government, and especially Enrico Mizzi, his admirer, provided generous subsidies for his industrial house, but Diacono himself continued to live in poverty.

In 1920 Diacono published a book entitled Bizzilli li jinħadmu f’Għawdex u f’Malta. During his last sickness, he was assisted by the Franciscan sisters and the girls of the Industrial House who revered him as a great benefactor.

This biography is part of the collection created by Michael Schiavone over a 30-year period. Read more about Schiavone and his initiative here.