Launch of Friends of Providence House Group, New South Wales, Australia
Fr Martin Micallef, Director of Id-Dar tal-Providenza officially launched The Friends of Providence House of NSW, during a concert held at Wentworthville Leagues Club and organised by the Maltese Cultural Association NSW. Mr Jim Borg founder of this group said that the whole idea is to raise the profile of Id-Dar tal-Providenza in Australia and collect funds for the running of the homes. In a short speech, Fr Martin said thanked the members of the group for this initiative and described them as the “Ambassadors of the Home” in Australia. He reiterated that “initiatives such as this make us strive harder to continue to sustain the work started by Dun Mikiel Azzopardi”.
The concert was billed as the “Young Talent in Concert” with all performers being of Maltese extraction living in Australia. Also on the night the Ċittadini Theatre group entertained the audience of around four hundred with a humorous play. Another fundraising activity organised this time by the Friends of Providence House NSW was a cultural afternoon at La Vallette Social Club NSW with the participation of the Maltese Cultural Association Choir and The Għanejja. In Sydney, Fr Martin celebrated Mass for the Maltese community at the Church of the Missionaries of St Paul and at the Maltese built parish church of Graystones. He also met the Maltese Dominican and Franciscan nuns and various other benefectors.
Fr Martin also visited the Maltese communities of Adelaide and Melbourne. In Adelaide he attended a lunch in aid of Id-Dar tal-Providenza organised by the Maltese Chaplaincy Festivities Group of South Australia Lockles. In Melbourne, Fr Martin’s first commitment was a fundrasing activity organised by the Klabb Għannejja Maltin. He also attended another fundraising activity, this time organised by St Bernardette Senior & Social Club together with the St Albans Maltese Pensions Club. Mass was said for the Maltese community at St Paul’s Church and at the club of the Maltese Association Hobsons Bay Inc. on the occasion of the feast of St Michael, their patron saint. Fr Martin also met the members of the Missionary Society of St Paul, Fr Frans Buhagiar and other benefectors.
On his return to Malta Fr Martin commented that he was grateful to be able to see for himself that the generosity of the Maltese and Gozitans is not limited to Malta but also to outside our shores such as in Australia where Maltese migrants have not forgotten the values that characterize our nation. He thanked The Friends of Providence House, Mr George Vella, Managing Director of Breakaway Travel that sponsored his trip to Australia, all those who donated money towards Id-Dar tal-Providenza as well as those who helped to make his visit amongst the Maltese-Australian communities a successful one.
