The Servant of God
Joseph DePiro
Founder of the Missionary Society of Saint Paul
(1877-1933)
2 November 1877: born in Mdina to the Noble Alessandro dei Marchesi De Piro and Ursola nee' Agius, the seventh of nine children.
He received primary and secondary education, showing also considerable talent for painting.
Entered the Royal University of Malta as a student in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences for three years.
Between 1897 and 1898 he
started reading law. 
While at the University he also served in the Royal Malta Militia.
At 21 he felt the call to the priesthood and on May 8, 1898 while praying to our Lady of Pompei, decided that he should follow this vocation.
In 1898 he enrolled as a student at the Capranica College, beginning his studies in Philosophy and Theology at the Gregorian University in Rome.
15 March 1902: ordained priest at St. John Lateran.
1902-1904: a period of convalescence from TB at Davos in Switzerland.
Returned to Malta in 1904 and spent 3 years of pastoral work in the parish of Qrendi.
1907: appointed Director of Fra Diego's Orphanage for Girls.
1910: started the Missionary Society of Saint Paul by accepting the first two of its members.
1911: nominated canon of the Cathedral of Malta.
1915: the new Archbishop of Malta, Mgr. M. Caruana, appoints him as his secretary.
1918-20: served as Rector of the Major Seminary of Malta in Mdina.
He was one of the Maltese leaders during the Sette Giugno disturbances of 1919.
1920: nominated dean of the Cathedral Chapter.
1921: Malta was given a new Constitution that the National Assembly - of which Mgr. De Piro was a hard working member - had striven for.
1922: served as a substitute parish-priest for some months in Gudja.
He was made director of the following orphanages:
1922: St. Joseph's Home,
Hamrun.
1922: Jesus of Nazareth Institute, Zejtun.
1925: St. Joseph's Home, Ghajnsielem, Gozo.
1925: The home for Little Children, St. Venera.
1927: St. Francis de Paule Institute, B'Kara.
1930: served as intermediary between the Church and Lord Strickland.
1932-1933: Served as a Senator in the third Maltese Parliament.
17 September 1933: Mgr. De Piro, aged 56, died after collapsing during a liturgical service at St. Cajetan's Parish Church, Hamrun.
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