Fr. Frank Xavier Zammit

Born to parents Carmelo and Felicita Zammit on September 8, 1935, in Paola, Malta, Father Zammit was one of seven children. He attended Paolo Public School, Malta; St. Aloysius Secondary School, Malta; St. Paul’s College, Malta; and Corpus Christi College, Melbourne, Australia. St. George Preca (1880-1962), canonized June 3, 2007, was a humble Maltese priest devoted to our Blessed Mother. Father Zammit said that “Everybody in Malta knew him.” As a teen, Father Zammit struggled between working in the dockyards and a persistent longing to enter seminary, so he sought the advice of Father Preca. Father Preca said, “You go to (the) dockyard now. If God wants you to be a priest, he’ll call you out of the dockyard.” Father Zammit worked in the shipyard for six years before entering seminary.

In 1956, he joined the Maltese Missionary Society of St. Paul where he made his novitiate and earned a degree in philosophy. He was then sent to Australia to finish his theology degree at Corpus Christ College in Melbourne, Australia. He was ordained July 23, 1966, for the Missionary Society of St. Paul. After Ordination, he served the people of God in Australia, Canada, and New Jersey. He arrived in Florida in 1973. Father Zammit became an American citizen in 1975.

His first assignment with the Diocese of Orlando was as Parochial Administrator of St. Paul Catholic Church, Leesburg. He then served the people of God as Parochial Vicar of St. Mary of the Lakes Catholic Church, Eustis; St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, Orlando; Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Daytona Beach; and Blessed Trinity Catholic Church, Orlando. He served as Administrator of St. Rose of Lima, Poinciana; St. Timothy Catholic Church, Lady Lake; St. Lawrence Catholic Church, Bushnell; and St John Vianney Catholic Church, Orlando. He was incardinated into the Diocese of Orlando in 1977. As Administrator he would make ready the parish for the pastor to be by collaborating with the staff to identify any concerns and bring them closer to Christ as one body through His enthusiasm and love for God. He also served as a U.S. Navy Chaplain; Chaplain for the Disney Cruise Lines; Knights of Columbus; and Florida Manor Nursing Home.

Father Zammit had a deep love and devotion to our Blessed Mother. He was the founder and coordinator of the annual Marian Rally. He established an endowment fund to support Catholic education with the Catholic Foundation of Central Florida in honor of Our Blessed Mother.

Father Zammit was a master of languages and spoke Arabic, Syrian, Maltese, Italian, English and Spanish. Of his priesthood, he said on his 50th jubilee, “I thank God for the priesthood and the people I serve who are so wonderful. I’m blessed to serve the people of God.”

Funeral Arrangements are as follows: Wednesday, August 20, 2025, Visitation at St. Peter Catholic Church, 359 West New York Avenue, DeLand, with Funeral Mass to follow at 11:00am. A reception will be held at Don Bosco Hall immediately following the Mass. Interment will be at 2:30pm at Priests of the Lord Cemetery at Queen of Angels Cemetery, 1901 Queen of Angels Drive, Winter Park.