Visit by H.E. Mgr. Andrias Rahmat, Bishop of Faisalabad in Pakistan

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Mgr. Andrias Rahmat, Bishop of the Diocese of Faisalabad in Pakistan paid a visit to Id-Dar tal-Providenza where he had the opportunity to meet up with two relatives of his who work as support workers at the Siġġiewi Home. He also met with Fr Martin Micallef, Director, and Fr Trevor Fairclough, Spiritual Director of the Home and they spoke about the work that the Home has been doing with persons with disability for the last 57 years.

In a short comment he made, the Bishop said he was impressed with the cordial acceptance he received and the hardwork that Id-Dar tal-Providenza is doing for God’s people.

Bishop Rahmat was born on July 1st, 1966 in the village of Chak in the Okara district of Failsalabad. When sixteen years old he entered the minor seminary and was ordained priest ten years later on the 25th of September, 1992.

Pope Francis appointed him Bishop of Faisalabad on June 29th,  2019.

Mgr. Joseph Alessandro, Bishop Emeritus of Garissa in Kenya pays visit to Id-Dar tal-Providenza

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Mgr. Joseph Alessandro, Bishop Emeritus of Garissa in Kenya paid a visit to Id-Dar tal-Providenza Monday 19th September 2022, on the occasion of the 57th anniversary of the founding of the Home as well as the beatification of Pope John Paul I, whose surname Villa Papa Luciani bears. Bishop Alessandro, assisted by Fr Martin Micallef, Director, and Fr Trevor Fairclough, Spiritual Director of the Home,  concelebrated mass for residents and employees in the chapel.

In his homily, the Bishop Emeritus said that this Home is a clear example of how God in his providence uses ordinary people to whom he gives many opportunities so that they can help others. He recalled that fifty-seven years ago a small donation by a woman has given birth to Id-Dar tal-Providenza with the hard work of Mgr. Mikiel Azzopardi. With the many small donations that the Maltese make, the work that started fifty-seven years ago is still ongoing today so that the Home can still offer the best quality of life to its residents as they so deserve.

After the mass, Bishop Emeritus Alessandro visited the museum dedicated to the founder of the Home, Mgr. Mikiel Azzopardi, followed by a tour of the SPRED Centre, the therapeutic pool, the multisensorial room and the gym where he saw for himself the various services on offer for the Home’s residents.

Today marks the 57th anniversary of the foundation of Id-Dar tal-Providenza

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Monsignor Michael Azzopardi, Ecclesiastical Assistant General of The Malta Catholic Action had, for some time, nursed a ‘dream’ that would help improve the quality of life of people with disabilities who for one reason or another could not stay any longer with their parents.

On the 12th September 1965 he aired his idea during a radio programme – that of opening the first residential home in Malta for persons with disability. A young lady who heard the programme was so moved by his idea that she sought him out and gave him a cheque for Lm100 (around €230) – money she had saved for a holiday abroad!  Monsignor Azzopardi always considered this important date as the foundation date of Id-Dar tal-Providenza.  On that day he felt that this woman’s gesture was a sign from God to realise his dream.

In two years he managed to build the first residence in Siġġiewi which he named Villa Mons. Gonzi and on the 11th of February 1968, the first three residents were welcomed at the home.

Fr Martin honoured with the Premju Ġieħ Ħal Luqa

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The Director of Id-Dar tal-Providenza, Fr Martin Micallef, was given the Premju Ġieħ Ħal Luqa during a ceremony held on Friday 9th September, 2002 in St Andrew’s Square in front of the Luqa Parish Church.

Fr Martin thanked the Luqa Mayor, Mr John Schembri, the Vice Mayor and all the Councillors for honouring him with the Ġieħ Ħal Luqa Award in the presence of the Parliamentary Secretary for Local Government, the Hon. Alison Zerafa Civelli.

Fr Martin said he wanted to dedicate this Award to all the Luqa residents who have, in their own ways, shaped him in the values that he cherishes as well as for ingraining in him a special love towards Luqa, his native village. He also thanked all those who congratulated him personally and on social media.

 

Id-Dar tal-Providenza welcomes the beatification of Pope John Paul I

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Id-Dar tal-Providenza, that has one of its villas named after Pope John Paul I, welcomes his beatification that is taking place this Sunday, 4th September 2022. His beatification is happening during a celebration led by His Holiness, Pope Francis in Vatican Square. The Italian Cardinal Albino Luciani was elected Pope on the 26th August 1978 and chose the name of John Paul as a sign of respect towards his predecessors, Pope John XXIII and Pope Paul VI. He died suddenly thirty-four days later on September 28th 1978.

 

Villa Papa Luciani, at Id-Dar tal-Providenza in Siġġiewi, was inaugurated thirty-five years ago on September 8th, 1987, four months after the death of its founder, Mgr. Mikiel Azzopardi. Actually, it was Dun Mikiel’s wish that this villa is named after Pope John Paul I also known as Papa Luciani or the Pope with the smile. This villa has two flats, each of them hosting nine persons with disability.

 

Id-Dar tal-Providenza also cherishes a reliquary of Pope John Paul I. The relic is a small piece of material from one of his trousers. It was donated to the Home in 2019 by the Museo dei Papi of Padova Italy, thanks to Mr Frank Zammit, Ambassador to the Holy See. The then Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Carmelo Abela, had presented that material, now a relic, to Fr Martin Micallef, Director of Id-Dar tal-Providenza in the presence of Ambassador Zammit.

 

Three residents of Id-Dar tal-Providenza in Marian Pilgrimage to Lourdes

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Three residents of Id‑Dar tal‑Providenza, Maria Teresa Buttigieg, Vincent Mifsud and  George Apap together with their support workers, were amongst a group of 175 pilgrims taking part in a marian pilgrimage for the sick in Lourdes.

After a two-year pause because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Lourdes Volunteers Association organised this pilgrimage between the 22nd and 25th of August 2022. Also taking part  were Archbishop Emeritus Mgr. Pawl Cremona OP, Fr Dijonisju Mintoff OFM, Fr Albert Micallef OFM, Fr Josè Debono OCD, Fr Charles Tabone OP and Fr Martin Micallef, Director of Id-Dar tal-Providenza.

An appreciable number of volunteers, most of them youths, helped out the sick pilgrims, elders or those with disability in all that was needed with a huge commitment and much generosity.

The Lourdes Volunteers Association was set up on 18th April 2001 with the sole aim to help sick persons travel on a pilgrimage to Lourdes.

 

 

 

€6,350 raised in aid of Id-Dar tal-Providenza

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A total of €6.350 was raised by Pierre Vella Petroni and Anne Marie Xuereb in aid of Id-Dar tal-Providenza during a BBQ for friends held on Wednesday, 17th August 2022. Every year, for the last ten years, Pierre and Anne Marie organised the event and all the monies collected went to the Siġġiewi Home. During the two years of the COVID-19 pandemic the BBQ did not happen however donations were still collected in aid of the Home.

The sum of €6,350 was presented by Pierre Vella Petroni and Anne Marie Xuereb to Fr Martin Micallef, Director of Id-Dar tal-Providenza, who thanked them for organising the BBQ once again as well as all those who helped out and/or made donations.

Mgr Philip Calleja passes away

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Id-Dar tal-Providenza celebrates the memory of Mgr Philip Calleja who has today joined his risen Lord. After the death in May 1987 of Mgr Mikiel Azzopardi, the founder of Id-Dar tal-Providenza, then Archbisop Mgr Ġużeppi Mercieca nominated Mgr Calleja to organise Dun Mikiel’s funeral as well as to assume responsibility for the administration of the Home until the nomination of Mgr Lawrence Gatt as its new Director.

Mgr Calleja was born on 6th December 1928 and ordained priest on August 2nd, 1953. His first pastoral work was mainly with the children of Valletta who attended the Malta Catholic Action. He also founded the Emigrants Commission, referred to today as the Migrants Commission. He was a Deputy at the Marriages’ office at the Curia and later Chancellor of the Archbishop’s Curia.

In 1962. Fr Philip was informed that the Admiralty’s Rest Camp that was on the road that took to Għar Lapsi was going to be transferred to Mellieħa and that if the Malta Church needed the land, it should apply for it without delay. On Fr Philip’s initiative talks soon started so that the camp will be taken over by the Malta Catholic Action (MCA), which is what actually happened, and the site started to be used as a summer camp for kids. In the meantime, Mgr Mikiel Azopardi, who was the Ecclesiastical Assistant of the MCA, set in motion his idea to use the place as the base for Id-Dar tal-Providenza. In fact, work on this project started in 1965.

In 2018, Mgr Philip Calleja was awarded the Mgr Mikiel Azzopardi prize as a sign of of acknowledgement and appreciation of the Home for work and support towards it. On that occasion, the Auxiliary Bishop, Mgr Joseph Galea-Curmi congratulated Mgr Calleja for being honoured with the Award and praised him for his long years of hard work that not only symbolised his character but also epitomised the ongoing commitment of the Maltese Church towards the wellbeing of the needy and the emarginated in our society.

Lord grant him eternal rest.

A night of food, wine, art and a €37,440 donation towards Id-Dar tal-Providenza

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€37,440 were raised during a starry evening organised by he Zammit Tabona Family, together with the management of the Xara Collection on Wednesday 13th July, 2022 on the outdoor patio of the Xara Lodge. This was the 5th edition of the dinner in aid of id-Dar tal-Providenza, held under the distinguished patronage of the Auxiliary Bishop of Malta, Mgr Joseph Galea-Curmi.

 

Since 2017, a total of €153,160 was raised and it will be big step towards the start of an  ambitious project to refurbish four flats at Villa Papa Giovanni in Siġġiewi, a project which had to be shelved for the last two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Fr Martin Micallef, Director of Id-Dar tal-Providenza, referred to these last two and a half years dominated by the pandemic and said that they have not been easy to organisations like Id-Dar tal-Providenza who offer support services to people in need.  But in spite of all the problems encountered to keep the residents and staff safe, everything was done to ease as much as humanly possible the effects of isolation the residents had to go through during this difficult period.  Financially it was not easy as well.

Fr Martin said that most of the fundraising events had to be cancelled but God’s providence always intervenes. He said :  ‘miraculously, and I mean what I’m saying, we managed to continue offering our services to the residents who live in our homes.’

Throughout the evening, guests enjoyed delicious food paired with fine wines, while donating to such a worthy cause. This year the event focused on celebration and gratitude. Celebration that despite the odds and obstacles that were faced, guests were once again brought together to enjoy the evening. Gratitude to all those who gave their support to make the event a success.

 

An Art Exhibition was held, depicting works from Kenneth Zammit Tabona, Wibke Seifert, Rachel Galea, Andrew Borg, Debbie Bonello, Anna Galea, Mary de Piro and Lucille Cramwell.  Throughout the night, guests were invited to appreciate the fine pieces of art, and those interested enough were able to purchase their preferred artwork. From the pieces sold, every artist donated 20% of the sale, as proceeds to Id-Dar tal-Providenza.

 

Commenting on the evening, Director Nicola Paris thanked Fr Martin Micallef, Nadine Camilleri Cassano and all the team at Id-Dar tal-Providenza for their support and for the miracles that happen there. She also thanked the companies that have very generously donated the prizes for the evening, and those that have offered their support for logistics, and of course the main sponsors as well as all the team from the Xara Collection, together with every one of who attended on the night, making this event possible.

 

The main sponsors of this year’s event were  PWC, FJ Vassallo & Associates,  Seifert Systems, Tignè Point, Malta International Airport, VJ Salomone, EY, Halmann, APS Bank, Concept Stadium, Mc Colloch & Pease, Camilleri Paris Mode, Neofarma, Raico, and the Gasan Foundation.

 

Together with the main partners, various other companies helped out: Farsons and Marsovin, for sponsoring the wines, Charles Grech & Co for the water, Frutti di Mare, Macbake and Jimmy Vella for the produce, Alistair for flowers, L’Occitane for the gifts, and Ir-Russu and friends for the entertainment, as well as a number of others who donated prizes for the raffle.

Two Dar tal-Providenza residents part of Lourdes pilgrimage

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Dar tal-Providenza residents Carmela Vassallo and Edward Zammit accompanied by their support workers joined Archbishop Charles J. Scicluna in a pilgrimage for the sick to Lourdes organised the Maltese Organisation for the Transport of the Sick to Lourdes (UMTAL), The Archbishop was accompanied by Fr Joseph Mizzi, spiritual director of UMTAL and Fr Martin Micallef, director of the Siġġiewi Home.

180 persons took part in the pilgrimage, that was the 90th one by UMTAL. 55 were patients, 65 pilgrim goers and 60 volonteers that included doctors, nurses and chemists. As oart of the pilgrimage, the Maltese group attended various religious functions, amongst them a maa in Maltese at the Grotto, Eucharistic Adoration and the Aux Flambeau evening procession.