OSAYS Suppliment Settembru 2026
Pope’s Apostolic Blessing presented to Bro Edward Galea fsc by former students of Stella Maris College, Gzira on his 100th birthday celebration.
OSAYS In the beginning of the 1980s, the now defunct Old Stelmarians Association felt the need to publish its own NEWSLETTER aimed at keeping contact with the past students of Stella Maris College. By time, the Association had tasked its Youth Section to take responsibility of this newsletter to possibly have it issued regularly on a quarterly basis. OSAYS (an acronym of Old Stelmarians Association Youth Section) was first published in Quarter 4 of 1983. The first Special issue entitled MUR GĦAND ĠUŻEPPI was published in Nov/ Dec 1997 and distributed following the demise of Brother Michael Buttigieg fsc
Photo credits 1 2 3 4 5 6 8
timesofmalta.com Joe Galea Stelmar Sixth Form Facebook church.mt Anne Marie Grech Facebook LaSalle Malta Facebook timesofmalta.com
Editor: Joe Galea OSAYS can be contacted on: stelmarsixthform@gmail.com
Dr Roberta Metsola President of the European Parliament
Malta and Gozo have lost a truly special man. Brother Edward touched so many lives at De La Salle College and beyond. I will always remember his quiet way of making you feel completely heard and cared for. A steady, comforting presence across our islands, always ready with a soft-spoken word of encouragement or a warm smile right when you needed it most.
He left an extraordinary mark through the wisdom and guidance he offered and the values he instilled in everyone around him. Just a few days ago, when he celebrated his 102nd birthday, I was speaking with one of his former students who described Brother Edward’s warmth and humility as simply unmatched. His legacy lives on in every single person he inspired, encouraged, and lifted along the way. He will be missed.
Editorjal
Baqa’ jeduka sa ma miet Brother Edward iġorr miegħu rekord assolut fil-familja Lasalljana Maltija. Iddedika ftit anqas minn tnejn u tletin elf jum minn ħajtu jaħdem sabiex ikun dixxiplu denn ta’ San Ġwann Battista de la Salle. Ħalla timbru li mhu se jintesa’ qatt fil-qlub ta’ eluf ta’ studenti li kellhom ix-xorti isiru jafuh. Ngħidha mill-ewwel u bla tlaqliq. Ma għandi l-ebda l-iċken dubju li Brother Edward illum jinsab igawdi frott ħidmietu. Xtaqt li kien possibbli li f’din il-ħarġa ikolli ritratt esklussiv tiegħu jgħannaq mill-ġdid lil Brother Louis hekk kif wasal fil-bieb tal-Ġenna. Ħa dawk ir-ritratti kollha imma dan naturalment nista’ biss nimmaġinah! Grazzi kbira Bro Edward. Grazzi li
ħierġa verament mill-qalb, Bro Edward kien l-ewwel Brother li kelli l-unur niltaqa’ miegħu fl-ewwel jum tiegħi bhala student fil-Kulleġġ De La Salle f’Jannar 1972. Kien jum li ma ninsa qatt. Maħsud bid-dehra taċ-ċoqqa talFreres imma mimli entużjażmu li kont se nibda esperjenza edukattiva ġdida. U fost dan kollu kien hemm Bro Edward jipprova jikkalmani mill-friefet kollha li jum bhal dan iġib miegħu għal tfajjel ċkejken. Ta’ tifel li kont, kien joffrili s-sigurtà għax dejjem kont issibu idur magħna. Kienet taffaxxinani il-kaligrafija tiegħu speċjalment meta intbaħt li ma kienx juża riga biex jiffirma!
Minn dakinhar għaddew aktar minn ħamsin sena. Snin li Bro Edward
Ma kienx edukatur Ma kienx anzjan Ma kienx Brother Ma kienx bniedem komuni Kien qaddis u issa anġlu fis-sema Iħares fuq l-istudenti kollha li għaddew minn taħt idejh u fuqna ledukaturi li tant kien jemmen fina Ma ninsewk qatt Grazzi Bro Edward - inħobbuk wisq
Anne Marie Grech
kontinwament qatta’ joffri lilu innifsu għall-istudenti fil-Kulleġġ De La Salle. Matul dan iż-żmien jien kelli lopportunità biex insegwih, forsi mhux dejjem daqshekk mill-qrib. Filfatt kien biss f’dawn l-aħħar sigħat li skoprejt lentużjażmu tiegħu għall-Arsenal u lfutbol Ingliż! Imma mhux għax mhux dejjem ammirajt l-eċitament tiegħu f’kull Sports Day! Ir-Reds kienu għalih forza importanti ħafna. Kellhom jgħaddu ftit aktar minn għaxar snin, Jien kont temmejt l-istudji tiegħi fil-Kulleġġ De La Salle u Stella Maris, meta ġejt verament qrib li nifhem izzelu li Bro Edward kellu lejn il-missjoni Lasalljana. U dan seħħ qabel, waqt u wara l-Kungress Lasalljan Ewropew tażżgħażagħ li kien sar f’Malta. Nammetti li kienet din l-enerġija li nisslet ġewwa fija il -fjamma ta’ mħabba lejn l-idejal Lasalljan.
Brother Edward wassal lil San Ġwann Battista de la Salle lil dawk kollha li kien jiltaqa’ magħhom imma b’mod partikolari lill-għalliema lajċi li tant kien jgħozz u japprezza. Ma stajtx ma tħobbux! Baqa’ jeduka u jimpressjona sa ma ħalliena. Ta’ 88 sena, wara l-mewt ta’ Brother Louis, ħa taħt il-kustodja tiegħu is-Signum Fidei. Ta’ 100 sena kien għadu jattendi għat-talba ta’ filgħodu tal-Junior School u jispjega l-evanġelju tal-Ħadd lil studenti ftit akbar. Lanqas iż-żminijiet tal -covid ma żammewh! U kien biss inċident sfortunat li żammu milli jkompli jagħmel dan fuq bażi regolari. Bla dubju tlifna ġojjell ieħor. Il-vojt li ħalla warajh se jibqa’ jinħass. Imma filqiegħ ta’ qalbna nafu li wasal fil-post li dejjem xtaq. Ħdejn Ommna Marija u San Ġużepp li kuljum kien iżomm fit-talb tiegħu.
Facebook messages Anne & Francis Cuschieri He was such a kind and gentle Brother ... so wise in his words. Always guiding us to live with Jesus in our hearts … We shall truly miss him … The Signum Fidei has lost a true leader.
Steven Delicata Dearest Lasallian Brothers ... so sorry for the terrible loss ... Great man ... May the Lord grant Brother Edward eternal rest.
Nicholas Sammut Rest in peace Brother Edward
Gerry Cowie Eternal Rest grant unto him, O Lord. So privileged to have know him. RIP.
Dr Josie Muscat You went to the place you belong to and the place you worked for and longed for. Pray for me that I be given the opportunity to join you.
Walter Aragundi RIP Bro Edward, vivirás en nuestros corazones (RIP Bro Edward, you will live in our hearts )
Ella Galeone Rest peacefully Bro Edward
Dr Anthony Buttigieg I have just heard that Bro Edward of De La Salle has just passed away. People may consider this terrible news, it is not terrible, but definitely sad. When my family moved back to Malta in 1975, I was an unhappy and confused 13 year old. Any teenager, moving to a new country, leaving their friends, would feel the same. He, along with Brother Martin, made me welcome into the Lasallian family. I moved from being a student in awe of this great man, to being a friend, and finally him being my patient on occasion.
We should not be sad. He lived a fruitful, and occasionally adventurous life (during World War II) He inspired many thousands of now men and women to be decent human beings. Incredibly, he was teaching until very recently, despite being a centenarian. Let's not mourn him. Let's celebrate him and his life, and celebrate knowing him. Great men do not grow on trees. And those of us who were lucky enough to be guided by him, let us say THANK YOU!
Talba għall-grazzji u l-glorifikazzjoni ta’ Bro Louis Camilleri Mulej, għajn ta’ kull qdusija, Int wegħdt li teżalta lill-umli u tagħmel lil dawk kollha li jgħallmu l-ġustizzja lill-kotra bħal kwiekeb fl-eternità; kun ġeneruż, jekk jogħġbok u gglorifika lill-qaddej Tiegħek Bro Louis u agħmel li ismu jibqa’ jiddi qalb l-ismijiet talqaddisin Tiegħek. Ftakar f’ħajtu umli, ħabrieka, safja, u bieżla li kienet għal kollox imħeġġa biex twettaq ir-rieda Tiegħek u tħobb Lilek u lill-proxxmu kollu; kun idek miftuha u sawwab ilgrazzji Tiegħek fuq l-erwieħ li qed isejħulek. Jekk jogħġbok agħmel li jum fost l-oħrajn ilKnisja Qaddisa tagħti ġieh littifkira tiegħu u toffrihulna bħala xempju ta’ ħajja Nisranija; u, ukoll li tippreżentahulna bħala protettur li jaqbeż għalina u jgħinna ngħixu fil-grazzja Tiegħek u fl-imħabba Tiegħek. Ammen.
Glorja lill-Missier...
16.08.1924 Bro. Edward Galea 04.09.2026
Although filled with sadness at the passing of Brother Edward, let us celebrate a life completely dedicated to the human and Christian education of children and youth. Thank you Brother Edward.