Commemorating the thirtieth anniversary of the death of Mgr Mikiel Azzopardi, the founder of “the oasis of Christian charity”

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Catholic Action members, residents and friends of Id-Dar tal-Providenza attended a Eucharistic Celebration at the Home’s chapel to commemorate the thirtieth anniversary of the death of Mons Mikiel Azzopardi. Dun Mikiel, as he was popularly referred to, was born in Valletta on February 10th, 1910 and died on May 13th, 1987. This Catholic Action initiative started eight years ago and has since become an annual event.

In a short message from Prague, where Fr Martin Micallef, Director of Id-Dar tal-Providenza, is taking part in a European meeting on the pastoral work with deaf persons, appealed for more prayers so that the Lord would continue to bless the work being done at the Home as well as for the beatification and canonisation process of Mgr Azzopardi so that we might finally have the miracle to confirm the holiness of this priest, a huge benefactor of the Maltese society. Fr Martin said that Malta and Gozo are forever grateful towards the Malta Catholic Action that created what Dun Mikiel used to love to refer to as the oasis of Christian charity.

The eucharistic celebration was led by Fr Reuben Gauci, Ecclesiastical Assistant of the Catholic Action Youth Movement ŻAK. In his homily, Fr Reuben referred to Dun Mikiel as the one who used to look at each and every person with great love when he was in the education sector, then in the Malta Catholic Action (MCA) and later at Id-Dar tal-Providenza.

At the end of the celebration, Josef Debono, the President of the MCA addressed the congregation and described Id-Dar tal-Providenza as the social soul of Malta.

Those present then gathered around Dun Mikiel’s grave for a moment of reflection and prayer.
Next year, Id-Dar tal-Providenza will be commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of when on the 11th January 1968, Villa Mons Gonzi welcomed its first residents as well as the fiftieth anniversary since the Sisters of Charity started giving their invaluable service to the residents of the Home.

Malta represented in a Catholic European meeting for Deaf Persons

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A Maltese delegation made up of Fr Martin Micallef, Director of Id-Dar tal-Providenza, Mr Natalino Psaila, a deaf person, and Mrs Rita Portelli, interpreter of the Maltese Sign Language, took part in the second Catholic European meeting for Deaf persons that took place in the city of Prague in the Czech Republic. This bi-annual meeting is meant for representatives of the Catholic Church in European countries, who are involved in pastoral work with Deaf persons, to meet up and share experiences, projects as well as difficulties encountered with in their respective countries.

The meeting was officially opened by H.E. Mgr Dominik Jaroslav Duka O.P., Cardinal of Prague, who also celebrated mass for all the participants in St Vitu’s Cathedral.

During the meeting, the Maltese representatives had the opportunity to share the experiences of the Malta Diocese with Deaf Persons amongst which are the setting up of a Deaf Ministry Team, a Saturday evening mass in the chapel of the University of Malta interpreted with the Maltese Sign Language, an interpretation service for those preparing for the Sacraments, new resources such as the readings of the Liturgy of the Word and other prayers in the Maltese Sign Language that one can easily access on You Tube or the Laikos Website.

Other countries taking part besides the Czech Republic and Malta were Poland, Italy, Holland, Ireland, the Ukraine, Spain, France, Germany, Slovenia and Hungary.

Poland was chosen to host the third European meeting that will take place in 2019.

On behalf of Id-Dar tal-Providenza, THANK YOU

Id-Dar tal-Providenza and the grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes at December 13th Road in Marsa

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Fr Martin Micallef, Director of Id-Dar tal-Providenza, led a Eucharistic Celebration at the Our Lady of Lourdes grotto at December 13th Road in Marsa. Also taking part were the Marsa parish priests of the Holy Trinity and Maria Reġina parishes. This is an annual event that started in 1981 when Mgr Mikiel Azzopardi, founder of the Siġġiewi Home, celebrated the first Mass at the grotto in a year that was dedicated to persons with disability.

At the end of the ceremony, Fr Martin was presented with a donation of €2,088 by Mr Joseph Vella, curator of the grotto together with his son Mario and other volunteers.

€1,645 raised during Band march in aid of Id-Dar tal-Providenza

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On the tenth Anniversary of the Canonisation of San Ġorġ Preca, the Għaqda Mużikali San Gejtanu of Ħamrun organised a band march along the main street of Ħamrun in aid of Id-Dar tal-Providenza for which all band clubs in Malta have been invited to participate. An appreciable number of Maltese band clubs did take part in this philantropic initiative that began with a Eucharistic Celebration at the Miraculous Medal Chapel where remains of St George Preca, the first Maltese saint, are to be found.

At the end of the band march aptly titled March for Providence, various donations were made to Fr Martin Micallef, Director of Id-Dar tal-Providenza, by representaives of the participating bands as well as by civic and political organisations of Ħamrun to raise the nice sum of €1,645. The President of the Għaqda Mużikali of Ħamrun, Mr Anselm Sciberras, thanked all the bandsmen who played for free in this initiative which, he said will become an annual event.

Fr Martin Micallef joined the Club President in thanking all those that took part and said that initiatives like this fill the administrators of Id-Dar tal-Providenza with hope that it can continue to provide a service of the highest quality to the residents of the Home