Id-Dar tal-Providenza celebrates its 50 years with a Thanksgiving Mass at the Basilica of San Paolo Fuori Le Mura in Rome

Archbishop Charles J. Scicluna celebrated a Thanksgiving Mass at the Basilica of San Paolo Fuori Le Mura on Saturday (12 September) afternoon on the Foundation Day of Id-Dar tal-Providenza. This year the Home is commemorating its 50th Anniversary of its founding by Mgr Mikiel Azzopardi on 12th September 1965 with various events.
As part of these special celebrations a group of twenty-seven residents of the Home were taken to Rome for a special meeting with Pope Francis on Sunday 13th right after the Pope’s recital of the Angelus. The encounter will take place at Casa Santa Marta in Vatican City. Archbishop Scicluna is accompanied by Archbishop Emeritus Mgr Paul Cremona O.P., Fr Martin Micallef, Director of Id-Dar tal-Providenza, the management of the Home and a number of carers.

Also invited for this Thanksgiving Mass were the Maltese resident in Rome including Malta’s Ambassador in Rome, Mrs Vanessa Frazier.

Archbishop Scicluna said that fifty years ago with the will of Dun Mikiel Azzopardi, a Maltese Diocesan priest, Malta saw the beginning of an adventure of a particular healing. A category of our people who, because of circumstances, of shame, of social taboo or maybe the result of disagreements or sheer ignorance, were left in cellars, slowly started to get back their dignity. Mgr Scicluna urged the Maltese nation to continue respecting the dignity of every person, whoever he or she may be, of every human being with whatever talent he or she has even though they might feel less fortunate than others. On this 50th Anniversary of Id-dar tal-Providenza we have taken to Rome a group of residents, a beautiful flower from our Diocese. May this adventure of solidarity, love and dignity continue to flourish in the hearts of all the Maltese that made Id-Dar tal-Providenza theirs.