Archive for category: News

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.

 

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.

€37,440 were raised during a starry evening organised by he Zammit Tabona Family, together with the management of the Xara Collection on Wednesday 13^th July, 2022 on the outdoor patio of the Xara Lodge. This was the 5^th 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.

The 12th Edition of the Volleyball Marathon that got under way on Friday was over at midnight on Sunday but not before the sum of €519,721 was raised.  The players went through 53 hours of volleyball challenged by the high temperatures that enveloped the Maltese islands. They can now rest fully satisfied that the Maltese public has shown its solidarity with Dar tal-Providenza.

Fr Martin Micallef, Director of the Home, was right when he said that this marathon was indeed a marathon of solidarity and sport. He said that the altruistic spirit reflected in the number of players and volunteers taking part was nothing but a beautiful picture of the Maltese and Gozitans that could be found on the forefront when it comes to solidarity.

He referred to the last two years when neither the Volleyball Marathon nor so many other fundraising activities could take place because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now that we are heading back to normality, this Marathon opened the calendar of fundraisers that are so necessary for the Home to continue providing residential services of the highest quality.

During the official start of the Volleyball Marathon on Friday evening, the President of Malta, Dott. George Vella mentioned the work done every day by Dar tal-Providenza that is still doing this with the same energy and determination of its founder Mgr. Mikiel Azzopardi. The President said that the marathon is an occasion in which the Maltese nation unites as one so that with its donations it provides the residents of the Siġġiewi Home with all that they need for the best quality of life which is, after all, their right.

On Sunday morning, Auxiliary Bishop Mgr. Joseph Galea-Curmi concelebrated Mass with Fr Martin in the Home’s chapel. In his homily, he said that the Home is a celebration of love and endearment with a strong message for all. He mentioned three aspects of this message the first one being the acceptance of life from its conception without anyone deciding whether it should be allowed to live or to be discarded. The second celebration is that of inclusion where every human being feels fully part of society and lastly a celebration of solidarity with persons of disability who are in dire need of support. All these are synonymous with the Dar tal-Providenza founded by Mgr. Mikiel Azzopardi 57 years ago.

Besides the 40 players who were the main protagonists of the marathon, there were around 200 volunteers helping out during the event. Every evening there was musical entertainment on the main stage, food stalls and games for kids. The Marathon was broadcast live at various times on the main local TV stations.

The Volleyball Marathon that got under way on Friday evening is built on two columns – solidarity and sports. This was said by Fr Martin Micallef, Director of Dar tal-Povidenza, during the official opening of the 12th edition of the Marathon in aid of the Siġġiewi Home. He said that the altruistic spirit reflected in the number of players and volunteers taking part is nothing but a beautiful picture of the Maltese and Gozitans that could be found on the forefront when it comes to solidarity.

Fr Martin reminded everyone of the appeal made by Pope Francis when he was with us recently. The Pope wanted us to be experts in humanity which is not only reflected in what happens at Dar tal-Providenza, with so many workers and volunteers providing support to the residents with full respect to their dignity and their needs, but it is also reflected in events like the Marathon when you see youths and adults committed to help others in a world that in the same words of Pope Francis many times turns its face the other way.

Fr Martin referred to the last two years when neither the Volleyball Marathon nor so many other fundraising activities could take place because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now that we are heading back to normality, this Marathon forefronts the calendar of fundraisers that are so necessary for the Home to continue providing residential services of the highest quality.

Fr Martin encouraged the general public to visit the Siġġiewi car park to support the players who with so much sacrifice are battling the difficult situation created by the very warm temperatures over Malta as well as to donate and help financially Dar tal-Providenza.