Servant of God
Michael Attard was born in Nadur, the son of Coronato and Anna née Tabone. He was the first of twelve siblings and lived his childhood for a time at Ħamrun. In 1940, he moved with his family when they returned to Nadur soon after the outbreak of World War Two. He was accepted as a candidate in the Society of Christian Doctrine (Museum), and started studying at the Gozo Seminary of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. He drew attention from the outset as an intelligent, serious, and well-behaved person. He was ordained deacon by Mgr Ġużeppi Pace, Bishop of Gozo, in December 1958, and he was ordained priest at the Gozo Cathedral by Bishop Pace on 12 April 1959.
Rev Attard started very early in life to demonstrate a keen interest in social problems, and applied himself diligently to studies related to them. Attard was enthusiastic in working with youth, organising monthly meetings and setting up a prayer group dedicated to the Blessed Virgin of Ta’ Pinu. He dearly loved the Society of Christian Doctrine, was instrumental in the building and furnishing of the Museum Male Centre in Nadur, and was a staunch admirer of St George Preca.
'Dun Mikiel', as he was known, took active part in the preparation of the Second Diocesan Synod in Gozo (1992) and his suggestions and interventions were much appreciated. He strove to spread the Word of God, not only orally but also through print. He published a book for youngsters who were seeking their first job: Preparation for the Life of Work.
He often ventured to places where the Maltese rarely go to missionary lands. His approach was to prepare some projects to be carried out in these regions, in which lay persons could have direct experience of missionary life and activity. In 1992 he founded the Gozitan Missionary Group, and after preparing its members, he organised trips for them to Africa, Latin America, and Asia. In 1984, Attard and his fellow travellers were once arrested and had to spend the night in prison when they visited Ethiopia.
Rev Michael Attard had a long experience of suffering because the symptoms of ailing health appeared when he was at the beginning of his priestly ministry. He had thus a soft spot for the sick and spoke with such persuasion and sincerity when preaching about suffering and sacrifice. ‘No redemption without blood,’ he used to say. He had a big dose of moral courage, which was evident not only in the way he faced his ailments and afflictions, but also in the various apostolic initiatives he undertook, some of them quite original.
Dun Mikiel was very kind hearted, and his home, even when his health began to deteriorate, was open to people from all walks of life for long hours. He considered every individual as someone of inestimable value and for him every person's condition, whatever its character, counted very much.
Attard, a football enthusiast who would pray with players before a match and offered youngsters spiritual direction, was the Spiritual Director at the Nadur Youngsters FC, where he often offered encouragement and support.
He died at the Victoria General Hospital and was buried in the Nadur Cemetery.
On 2 November 2014, Mgr Mario Grech, Bishop of Gozo, announced at a Solemn Concelebration held at Ta’ Pinu Sanctuary in Gozo that the Diocese of Gozo had opened the Process for the Beatification and Canonisation of Fr Michael Attard. In January 2019, it was announced that the formal hearing of witness in Rev Mikiel Attard’s cause of beatification is ‘practically concluded’. Bishop Grech appointed Fr Anton Sciberras mssp as Postulator and Fr Daniel Xerri as Vice-Postulator. Mgr Grech urged whoever had any information on Fr Attard to present it to the Postulator.
This biography is part of the collection created by Michael Schiavone over a 30-year period. Read more about Schiavone and his initiative here.