On Friday, January 27, Fr Josef Sciberras O.S.A. defended his doctoral thesis at the Faculty of Church History and Cultural Heritage, at the Gregorian Pontifical University in Rome. Following his studies for a Licenciate in the same Faculty, Fr  Josef continued to increase his interest in the field. Meanwhile, the idea of ​​pursuing further studies for a doctorate started to materialise particularly in his interest in the figure of Mons. Paolo Micallef who was the only Maltese Prior General in the History of our Order, a figure who had never been accurately researched.

After the years of formation in Malta, Fr Paolo Micallef O.S.A. served as a friar in Italy and in 1855 he was actually serving as Prior in the community of Fermo when he was called to serve as Vicar General of the Order through the direct intervention of Pope Pius IX. Later he was elected Prior General. Following his years at the helm of the Order, he served also for some months as Apostolic Administrator of the diocese of Gozo, bishop of Citta del Castello and than Archbishop of Pisa.

After several years of hard work, last Friday 27th January, fr Josef presented his doctoral thesis, in which he particularly studied the years fr Paolo Micallef O.S.A. served as Prior General between 1855 and 1865. It is a work that brings to light the sterling service that Fr Paolo gave to the Order following years of decadence.