They say the road to the vocation is often surprising and unexpected, but few are those whose ordination in the Catholic priesthood is attended by their own children.
Such will be the case for Tony Pace, a 67-year-old widower who along with nine other seminarians will be ordained a priest on Monday.
A life-long educator, Tony’s life was turned upside down when his wife Joan tragically passed away, leaving him and his three children with unspeakable grief.
But from his sadness, he was also able to find meaning in spirituality and knew he still had a lot to give.
“I suppose in a way, I have always been active and involved in voluntary work,” he told Times of Malta.
“If I can do something, even something very small, that makes another person’s life easier, than that’s what I want to spend my time pursuing.”
Originally from Gudja, Tony formed part of the Society of Christian Doctrine (M.U.S.E.U.M) until he was 24 years old and taught history as well
as being involved in primary education.
He and his wife Joan then started their family in Safi, where they were very active in the church and the local community.
“My wife was a very good woman, spiritual and wise; you could always count on her for guidance,” he recalls fondly.
“On her deathbed, she called me and the children and we all had our last moments together. She told me ‘When I’m gone, I want you to get married again’ and in that moment I brushed it off jokingly. I told her I don’t make the same mistake twice.
“Those quiet moments can be strange and sombre but also honest, and I just blurted out to her, ‘I think I want to be a priest’.”
While the thought was small, in the months after his wife’s death, Tony’s calling towards the vocation did not subside.
After long discussions with his spiritual adviser, he decided to write to the rector of the seminary.
“In many ways my case is unusual. I’m a pensioner, and while priests don’t enter the seminary fresh off the school bench anymore, it is still a considerable difference in age,” he says.
Despite having spent a reduced number of years in the seminary, reading for his degree in theology presented unique challenges for him.
“The transition was hard. When Joan died I had to learn to fend for myself from scratch. Some of my children still lived at home at the time and I was going to lectures and the seminary. At my age, studying, taking exams in this climate where all the technology has changed… it wasn’t easy, but I enjoyed it, it was a good experience.
“They initially wanted to send me to a college for late vocations in Rome but then decided against it. I’m glad I got to stay here. Getting to know my future colleagues locally was helpful and I had the support of my family every step of the way. I even walked my daughter down the aisle.”
With his ordination drawing near, Tony hopes he will be able to continue to be of service to the most vulnerable in society and lend a listening ear to anyone looking for guidance.
“God has always blessed me with beauty, in my marriage and my children. I’ve lived and enjoyed myself and I’m proud of that life. Ordination is the next big and beautiful blessing God has brought to my life,” he says.
“When I clasp my hands together and offer my obedience and servitude to the Church and to God, I hope to continue making a difference and nourishing the spirit of my community.”
Today, the role of the priest has changed, he acknowledges.
“Thankfully, there are a lot of experts to help us with different things in life, so I think the role of the priest is to act as a spiritual haven when people can pause, reflect and refresh their spirit. We need to keep all facets of life nourished,” Tony notes.
“I imagine that God chooses all of us to do his work in his own way and how we choose to respond depends on our character, but when you get right down to it, it’s all up to him.”