A Maltese Carmelite missionary who served in Bolivia and Peru
On Sunday, 8 April 2018, at the Priory of Saint Elijah in Miraflores, Lima, Peru, our brother in Carmel, Fr Salv Bartolo, passed to eternal life at the venerable age of 89 years. Fr Hermann Duncan O.Carm writes
Fr Salv was born in Santa Venera on 29 August 1928 to Ugo and Stella neé Fenech. He was baptized soon after in the village parish church where he was christened as Joseph.
He joined the Carmelites soon after completing his studies at the Lyceum. There, as was customary at the time, he adopted the name of Saviour. He started his novitiate in the Priory of Mdina where he took his Simple Profession on 6 October 1946 in the Carmelite Church in Mdina.
Following his training at the Priory in Balluta, he was sent to the International College of Saint Albert in Rome where he did his Solemn Profession on 30 October 1949. He continued his Theological Studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome (est. 1551) and was ordained priest on 29 March 1952 in the Basilica of the Twelve Apostles in Rome.
After being ordained a priest he returned to Malta to serve in the Priory of Santa Venera where he spent six years. During this time he taught Religion, Latin and History in Scola Mariano Apostolica the school run by the Maltese Province at the time.
Since he was eager to form part of the missions, he joined the mission of the Maltese Carmelite Province in Bolivia and Peru in 1958. His first few years were spent in the priories of Tarija and La Paz in Bolivia. Years later in 1966 he joined the Maltese Carmelite Mission in Peru. He spent some years at the priory in Tingo and over 20 years in the priory in Camanà. He served as Prior and Parish Priest in both Carmelite priories.
When the Carmelite Province began service in the territorial prelature of Chuiquibamba, Fr Salv served as Chancellor and Vicar General under the Bishop Mgr. Redent Gauci O.Carm, the first Prelate of Chuiquibamba.
In the early eighties he moved back to Malta for a short while where he served in the priories of Santa Venera and Fleur-de-Lys.
In 1988, when the Maltese Province terminated its mission in Peru, Fr Salv went to live and work with the American Province of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, which to this day has a Provincial Commission in Perù. Fr Bartolo spent the first two years, serving as a vice parish priest in the parish of Our Lady of Carmel in Miraflores, Lima. The following year he served as vice parish priest in the parish of Our Lady of Carmel in José Galvez, a very poor suburb in Lima. In 1999 he was sent to Saint Elijah Formators Home, located in Miraflores, Lima, where he remained until he passed to eternal life.
Fr Salv had a jovial and joyful character. He loved his community and dedicated a lot of time to his apostolate. Throughout his many years of pastoral service he was spiritual director of the Legion of Mary both in Malta and abroad. In 2005 he was appointed Peru’s national spiritual director of this same Legion, and served till his death on 8th April 2018.
His funeral was held the following day in the Parish Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Miraflores. He was buried alongside his religious brothers in the cemetery of Jardin de la paz in Lima. Fr Garvin Grech O.Carm the Provincial delegate in Bolivia assisted in the funeral. Some Maltese M.U.S.E.U.M associates who are following their apostolate in Peru, also attended.
Towards the end of the month of his death, the Carmelite Province organized a Mass for the repose of his soul in the Old Church of Santa Venera. The mass was led by the Prior Provincial Fr Sandro Vella. Several priests and religious as well as family members attended the service.
May the Lord grant him eternal rest.
In 1999 he was sent to Saint Elijah Formators Home, located in Miraflores, Lima, where he remained until he passed to eternal life