Dar tal-Providenza residents to meet Pope Francis in Rome
Sunday, 13th September is going to be a very special day for a group of Dar tal-Providenza residents. As part of the celebrations planned in connection with the Home’s 50th Anniversary they are going to have the opportunity to meet Pope Francis in person near Casa Santa Marta at Vatican City.
This Friday, twenty-seven residents will be leaving for Rome for this special occasion. They will be accompanied by H.G. the Archbishop Mgr Charles J. Scicluna, Archbishop Emeritus Mgr Paul Cremona O.P., Fr Martin Micallef, Director of Id-Dar tal-Providenza, the Home’s management and a number of carers.
On Saturday, exactly on the Anniversary day of the Home, a Thanksgiving Mass will be celebrated by Archbishop Scicluna at the Basilica of San Paolo Fuori Le Mura. Also invited to attend the Mass will be Maltese living in Rome including Malta’s Ambassador to Rome, Mrs Vanessa Frazier.
On Sunday morning, the group will attend Mass celebrated by the Archbishop in the crypt of St. Peter’s Basilica exactly over St. Peter’s tomb. Following the recitation of the Angelus the residents and the rest of the group will be meeting Pope Francis at Casa Santa Marta. For this special encounter with the Pope, the residents have prepared a book with writings and drawings of their own as well as some agricultural products that are produced at the St Isidor Agriculture Centre at Id-Dar tal-Providenza. The Maltese group is expected to return to Malta the same evening.
The pilgrimage to Rome is just one of the activities that have been planned and organized on the occasion of the Home’s anniversary. Another highlight will be the Thanksgiving Mass led by Archbishop Mgr Charles J. Scicluna at St John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta on Friday, 18th September at 6.30pm. For this special Mass the general public is invited to attend together with other distinguished guests led by the President, Mrs Marie Louise Coleiro Preca. The Eucharistic celebration will be broadcast live on TVM2.
On the morning of Sunday, 26th September, there will be another edition of the fund-raising event ‘Walk, Cycle, Run’ organized by the Gudja Youth Group in collaboration with RTK 4 Charity and Id-Dar tal-Providenza. The walk will start off from the Siġġiewi square, the cyclists will ride from Mdina whilst the runners will start off from the Żurrieq main square. All will meet at Id-Dar tal-Providenza where a Mass will be celebrated at the Home’s car park.
On Wednesday, October 7th, the Mediterranean Conference Centre will be the venue for the Premiere of the Oratorio ‘Canticum Vitae’ (Song of Life). The Malta Philharmonic Orchestra will be taking part with soloists Francesca Aquilina, Charles Vincenti and Alfred Camilleri together with the Bel Canto Choir. The Biblical texts for the Oratorio were compiled by Mgr Lawrence Gatt whilst the music was composed by Hermann Farrugia Frantz who will also be conducting.
‘Respect, Dignity and Rights’ is the theme chosen to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Id-Dar tal-Providenza. May these values continue to be of inspiration for many more years of service to those vulnerable persons who are in need of support and acouragement.
