Inawgurat monument f’ġieh Mons Mikiel Azzopardi fis-Siġġiewi

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“Mons Mikiel Azzopardi kien jemmen bis-sħiħ li l-Providenza ta’ Alla hi bla limitu, bħalma bla limitu huma l-valuri tal-ġustizzja u s-solidarjetà.” Dan qalu Fr Martin Micallef, Direttur tad-Dar tal-Providenza, waqt iċ-ċerimonja tal-inawgurazzjoni ta’ monument f’ġieħ Dun Mikiel fi triq fis-Siġġiewi imsemmija wkoll għalih. “Dun Mikiel,” kompla jgħid Fr Martin, “kien determinat li jibni din id-dar għall-persuni b’diżabilità, anke jekk kien hemm min ħaseb li kien qed jesaġera jew li l-ħsieb tiegħu ma kienx se jirnexxilu. Ħafna kienu spjegawlu li biex jagħmel dan il-proġett ried ħafna fondi. It-tweġiba tiegħu kienet li tefa’ kollox f’ħoġor il-Providenza ta’ Alla.”

Il-monument twaqqaf mill-Kunsill Lokali tas-Siġġiewi u mill-Għaqda Kulturali Siġġiewi li ħadmu id f’id biex il-bust tal-bronż, xogħol l-iskultur Vincent Apap, jieħu postu ma’ oħrajn wild is-Siġġiewi.

Il-President ta’ Malta, Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca faħħret lill-poplu Siġġiewi li wieħed u ħamsin sena ilu fetaħ idejh bil-qalb biex jilqa’ lil Dun Mikiel u l-ħolma tiegħu li jibni l-ewwel dar residenzjali għal persuni b’diżabilità fir-raħal tagħhom. Dun Mikiel għex għal tnejn u għoxrin sena sħaħ fid-Dar tal-Providenza u hu midfun fl-istess dar fost dawk il-persuni li tahom rispett, dinjità u drittijiet.

Kelliema oħra kienu s-Sindku tal-Kunsill Lokali tas-Siġġiewi, l-Avukat Karol Aquilina, il-President tal-Għaqda Kulturali Siġġiewi, Sun Nikol Aquilina, u n-neputi ta’ Dun Mikiel, l-Avukat Tonio Azzopardi. L-Arċipriet tas-Siġġiewi, il-Kanonku Joseph Grech bierek il-monument u l-ħidma li ssir fid-Dar tal-Providenza.

Mgr Mikiel Azzopardi’s monument inaugurated in Siġġiewi

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“Mgr Mikiel Azzopardi firmly believed that Providence is limitless as limitless are His values of justice and solidarity.” Fr Martin Micallef, Director of Id-Dar tal-Providenza, said this during the inauguration ceremony of a monument in honour of Dun Mikiel in a Siġġiewi road also named after him. Fr Martin said that Dun Mikiel was determined to build a home for persons with disability, even though there were those who thought he was exagerating or that he would never get his dream off the ground. He was told that such a project needed lots of funds. However, Dun Mikiel responded by putting all his project in the lap of Divine Providence.

The monument was set up by the Siġġiewi Local Council and the Għaqda Kulturali Siġġiewi that worked hand-in-hand so that the bronze bust, work of the sculptor Vincent Apap, will take its place amongst other Siġġiewi born greats Friar Ġużè Delia, Pawlu Aquilna and Karmenu Vassallo.

The President of Malta, Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca heaped praise on the residents of Siġġiewi for openly welcoming Dun Mikiel and his dream to build the first residential home for persons with disability in their village. Dun Mikiel lived for a full twenty-two years at Id-Dar tal-Providenza where he is also buried amongst those he filled with respect, dignity and rights.

Other speakers were the Mayor of Siġġiewi, Dr Karol Aquilina, the President of the Għaqda Kulturali Siġġiewi, Fr Nikol Aquilina and Dun Mikiel’s own nephew, Dr Tonio Azzopardi. The Archpriest of Siġġiewi, Fr Joseph Grech blessed the monument and the work that is done at Id-Dar tal-Providenza.

Miġbura somma rekord ta’ €1,040,855 waqt il-Festa ta’ Ġenerożità

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Is-somma rekord ta’ €1,040,855 inġabret waqt l-għoxrin edizzjoni tal-Festa ta’ Ġenerożità organizzata minn RTK4Charity b’risq id-Dar tal-Providenza. It-temp tajjeb għen biex għadd kbir ta’ nies marru s-Siġġiewi biex jagħmlu d-donazzjoni tagħhom u jkunu parti mid-divertiment li kien għaddej taħt it-tinda li ttellgħet fil-parkeġġ. Bħal kull sena, għadd ta’ parroċċi f’Malta w Għawdex organizzaw ġabriet speċjali.

Id-Direttur tad-Dar tal-Providenza, Fr Martin Micallef, qal li din il-Festa ta’ Ġenerożità bħal dejjem uriet il-qalb kbira tal-poplu Malti u Għawdxi li għal darb’oħra wera solidarjetà u ġenerożità mad-Dar. Huwa qal li dawn il-fondi se jgħinu biex id-Dar tkompli tagħti ħajja xierqa u dejjem aħjar lir-residenti tagħha.

L-ewwel żjara saret minn Mons Arċisqof Charles J. Scicluna li wkoll iċċelebra quddiesa fil-kappella tad-Dar tal-Providenza. Huwa qal li jalla l-persuni b’diżabilità jsibu l-post li jixirqilhom fis-soċjetà tagħna u jingħataw l-istess attenzjoni li toffri d-Dar tal-Providenza. Matul il-jum kien hemm żjarat mill-President ta’ Malta, s-Sinjura Marie Louise Coleiro Preca u r-raġel tagħha Edgar; il-Prim Ministru, Dr Joseph Muscat; il-Kap ta’ l-Oppożizzjoni, Dr Simon Busuttil; is-Segretarju Parlamentari għad-Drittijiet tal-Persuni b’Diżabilità u Anzjanità Attiva, Dr Justyne Caruana; l-Arċisqof Emeritus Mons Pawl Cremona OP u l-Vigarju Ġenerali Mons Joe Galea Curmi. Attendew ukoll għadd ta’ ministri u membri parlamentari miż-żewġ naħat tal-Kamra tad-Deputati u rappreżentanti ta’ korpi kostitwiti.

Bħala parti mill-Festa ta’ Ġenerożità, nġabret is-somma ta’ €31,251 mill-irkant ta’ xogħlijiet artistiċi mogħtija minn aktar minn disgħin artist. Ħafna kienu dawk li għamlu l-offerti tagħhom online imma l-maġġoranza żaru d-Dar tal-Providenza.

Ix-xandira televiżiva bdiet fid-9.00am b’quddiesa mill-kappella tad-Dar u baqgħet sejra sa wara nofsillejl meta tħabbret is-somma totali fost ferħ u briju ta’ l-għadd kbir ta’ voluntiera li taw ħinhom għal din il-Festa ta’ Ġenerożità. PBS, ONE TV, NET TV u FLiving Channel ingħaqdu f’ħinijiet twal fix-xandira diretta ta’ ftit aktar minn ħmistax-il siegħa. Matul ix-xandira kien hemm programm sħieħ ta’ divertiment permezz ta’ kant minn kantanti ewlenin Maltin, żeffiena u entertainers oħra.

€1,040,855 raised for Id-Dar tal-Providenza

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The record sum of €1,040,855 was raised during the Feast of Generosity organised by RTK4Charity in aid of id-Dar tal-Providenza. The nice weather helped and large crowds made it to Siġġiewi during the day to make their donation and join the fun under the big tent set up in the parking lot. As happens every year, various parishes in Malta and Gozo made special collections during church celebrations and presented them during the telethon.

The Director, Fr Martin Micallef, said that this edition of the Feast of Generosity has once again shown the solidarity with and generosity of the Maltese people towards Id-Dar tal-Providenza. He said these funds will help the Home to continue to improve on the quality of life of its residents.

The first official visitor was Archbishop Charles J. Scicluna who also celebrated Mass in the Home’s chapel. He urged that people with disability can find the place they deserve in our society and that they find the care that id-Dar tal-Providenza bears witness to.

Other visits during the day were made by the President of Malta, Mrs Marie Louise Coleiro Preca and her husband Edgar; the Prime Minister, Dr Joseph Muscat; the Leader of the Opposition, Dr Simon Busuttil; the Parliamentary Secretary for the Rights of Persons with Disability and Active Ageing, Dr Justyne Caruana; Archbishop Emeritus, Mgr Pawl Cremona OP and Vicar General Mgr Joe Galea Curmi. Members of Parliament from both sides of the House and representatives of constituted bodies also made it to Siġġiewi during the day.

As part of the Feast of Generosity, €31,251 were raised through an auction of various works of art donated by more than ninety artists. Various bids were placed online but most bidders were there personally to follow the process.

The live television broadcast started at 9.00am with Holy Mass and continued till just after midnight when the total sum collected during the day was announced amidst the joy and celebrations of the organisers and volunteers. PBS, ONE TV, NET TV and FLiving Channel took part for long stretches of the 15-hour televised marathon. This included entertainment provided by the top singers on the island and various entertainers that managed to create a festive family atmosphere.