Bishop Francis Baldacchino : first Bishop of Malindi – Kenya : biographical impression

Abstract

Memories are an integral part of man's life and every memory gives life anew to the event or person that it recalls. Of all the events which we, the Friars of the Maltese Franciscan Capuchin Province, brought back to mind during 2009, one stood out in particular focus. This is the 25th Anniversary of the Episcopal Ordination of Mgr Paul Darmanin. He is the first bishop of the Diocese of Garissa, in Kenya. During the preparations for this anniversary, I already had in mind a similar anniversary which was due to fall the following year, 2010. I refer to the 10th Anniversary of the Episcopal Ordination of Mgr Francis Baldacchino in 2000 as the first bishop of the newly established Diocese of Malindi also in Kenya. In the same way that the Maltese Capuchin Provincial Secretariat for the Missions had celebrated Mgr Darmanin's anniversary, it had already prepared out a Calendar to celebrate Mgr Francis Baldacchino's own anniversary, which had to fall in 2010. The Lord, however, must have had other plans. Even before the end of the year 2009, He called Mgr Francis Baldacchino to enter His place of rest in Heaven. [Silta minn Fr Joe Alessandro]