Background
Ġużepp (Joseph) Portelli was born in Għarb on 8 December 1880 to Luiġi Portelli and Marianna Cauchi.
Ġużepp (Joseph) Portelli was born in Għarb on 8 December 1880 to Luiġi Portelli and Marianna Cauchi.
Ġużepp studied in the Gozo Major Seminary under the Jesuits.
He was baptised the same day, at the Parish Church of Għarb. His godparents were Ġużeppi and Carmela Grima, the latter one is said to have heard the voice of Our Lady in the small chapel of Ta’ Pinu, the same church Ġużeppi helped build and became rector later on in life. The sisters, Tereżina, Ġużeppa and Rosalina, never married.
He was admired for his brilliant mind and for his prudence and profound spirituality.
He was ordained by the Bishop of Gozo Giovanni Maria Camilleri in the Gozo Cathedral on 21 December 1907. When the Jesuits left the Gozo Seminary with a view to open a similar college in Malta, Reverend Portelli, who had become a lecturer at the Seminary, was called by Bishop Camilleri to become one of the new superiors of the Seminary and was made Vice Rector.
Other superiors were Reverend Alfons Hili, who was the Rector, and Reverend Joseph Farrugia, who was the Prefect of Studies. Reverend Portelli was also made a Monsignor of the cathedral chapter.
Monsignor Portelli was also a renowned preacher who was often invited to deliver sermons and spiritual exercises in several churches in Malta and Gozo.
Once, during Lent, was asked to preach to the Maltese Community of Tripoli. Every Saturday evening, Monsignor Portelli used to go to Ta "Pinu to celebrate Massachusetts Monsignor Portelli served as administrator of Ghasri, Nadur, Qala and Ta "Sannat when the post of parish priest became vacant.
In 1933, several centres of Catholic Action started to emerge in Gozo and Monsignor Portelli became the Spiritual Director of the branch of Għarb.
Here he used to give religious lessons and organized retreats for its members. Apart from his pastoral duties he also wrote a number of theatrical plays and even music notes.
The church was completed in 1932 and consecrated on August 31 of the same year in the presence of Monsignor Portelli. Monsignor Portelli died on March 7, 1949 after a brief illness.
He was buried in Għarb Cemetery.
On June 16, 2008 the remains of Monsignor Portelli were reburied inside the Basilica of Ta" Pinu.
