November 2019
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1 THE MALTESE PRESENCE IN NORTH AMERICA E-NEWSLETTER Issue 8 NOVEMBER 2019 JOSEPH MUSCAT, PRIME MINISTER OF MALTA, WITH HIS WIFE AND TWIN DAUGHTERS AT THE MALTESE CENTRE NYC, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26TH (see also page 17) 2 EDITORIAL COMMENT newsletter which was one of the would like to make mention of these inspirations and spurs for the contributors: Claudia Caruana, present journal intended to serve all Mark Caruana, Richard S. Cumbo, the Maltese of North America. Esther LeBlanc, Fr. Mario Micallef, Moreover, individuals have under- Brian Muscat, Mona Vella Nicholas, taken to have copies printed and Joe Scerri, Sue Schembri, Dr. distributed to relatives and friends, Raymond Xerri, Rena Xuereb and especially those not having access both the late Henry E. Leeks and to computers or who find it easier to late Frank Savona. read hard copies. I know for a fact Again, you are encouraged to that 7,600 copies of the October pass this journal along to others to Dan Brock issue were printed off and whom it might be of interest. This journal is evolving beyond my distributed in the Greater Toronto I also urge you to send me wildest dreams! What I hoped Area alone! material for our journal, be it events would be a 24-page bi-monthly Speaking of the GTA, if it appears in your community, personal journal is now a monthly which that it is receiving a dispropor- stories, etc. matches or surpassed that number tionate amount of space in this You can reach me at of pages. This month’s issue grew journal in the last two issues, I can [email protected] and, if ne- to 24 pages. only say that I receive material from cessary, I can provide you with my What I had envisioned as reaching individuals and organizations from address and telephone number if a few hundred individuals elec- the GTA on an almost daily basis needed tronically is probably reaching one and a lot is happening in the Area. thousand. Each month, I continue I encourage individuals and asso- CONTENTS to be impressed by the individuals ciations in other regions to send me 2. Editorial Comment worldline who have received the news of what is happening in your 3. Pastor’s Thoughts… journal from an acquaintance and in area. Some of you do and I 4. More News Regarding the turn contacted me so that they can sincerely thank you for this. In some Former Maltese-Canadian receive their copies directly. cases, I have gone to your web Society of Toronto Even more so, I’m both impressed sites and Facebook pages for 4. Reader Comments and honoured that I was asked to information. Some of the organiza- 5. Cocktail Reception Held for forward copies of the journal, tions in North America don’t seem Prime Minister and His electronically, to the various heads to have any events taking place Delegation of missions, consul generals, etc. from one month to the other and 6. An Examination of Data from worldwide of the Ministry for some don’t even appear to have a Maltese Bills of Health and Foreign Affairs and Trade Promo- web site. Passport Applications Held at tion of the Republic of Malta. I also encourage organizations to the National Archives of Malta Dennis Simmons of San Fran- send me their newsletters, either – Part I cisco, thanks to the efforts of his electronically or by regular mail. 8. Dr. Josef Buttigieg and His wife, Evelyn, who was born into the Some of you are doing this and I’m Work in the Field of Multiple Maltese community of Port Col- indebted to you for this. You will Sclerosis borne, Ontario, has uploaded all the recognize that I have copied infor- 9. Malta Abroad—Melita, issues of The Maltese Presence in mation and even notices and pos- Manitoba North America, as well as the ters from these. 10. Meet Mrs. Lessie Abela current “Table of Contents” onto the On the back cover (page 24) is an 10. Nick Pulis: A Unifying Factor in web page of the Maltese-American expanded list of the various Maltese the Junction Social Club of San Francisco. Start organizations in North America over 12. Activities within the Maltese by going to http://maltese- what appeared in the October Communities americanscsf.org/home.aspx. issue. If there are any errors or 17. Council of the Maltese Living As well as learning what is omissions, kindly bring them to my Abroad Meets to Discuss happening within the large Maltese attention. Pressing Community Issues American community in the Bay There are many individuals who 20. Island of Sunshine and History th Area, you will also have access to have contributed to the content of 20. Malta’s 5 Emigrants the back issues of that great, this issue in one way or another. To Convention Announced weekly Maltese E-Newsletter The each I’m most indebted for your part 23. Meet the Malta Bake Shop’s Journal of the Maltese Diaspora in making this issue what it is. At the Oldest Customer published in Australia. It was this risk of missing some names, and 24. Maltese Organizations in North therefore my sincere apologies, I America 3 GLEANINGS FROM THE SUNDAY BULLETIN Christ does is done out of love, because that is what Jesus did. St. Paul, the strict pharisee who eventually PASTOR’S THOUGHTS… met Jesus on that fateful day on the road to Damascus, could reflect and compare his past and present life, the “old” and the “new” man, life under the law and life under the Spirit. Only the latter brought Paul life and happiness. True Healing The healed leper [in St. Luke’s gospel] did not continue on his way [after being healed]. The most important thing for him now is to return to the one who gave him back his life. This is what real faith is all about. It is not merely doing what one is expected to do by law. It is a desire to encounter Jesus acknowledging that Fr. Mario Micallef, MSSP, is pastor of St. Paul the Apostle, what is good comes from Him. This encounter with Toronto, the only Maltese national parish in North America. These “Pastor’s thoughts…” are extracts from his Jesus becomes more important than anything else. No commentaries on the Sunday readings which are published wonder that, in the end, Jesus tells him that now he can in the Parish’s Sunday Bulletin. go on his way: “Your faith has made you well.” True healing is not just the healing of bodily illness. It Do Rich People Go to Heaven? is a constant return to Jesus, an acknowledgement that only He can give us the fullness of life that we all desire. I heard someone ask this question once, apparently sparked by the importance the gospel seems to give to Prayer Is My Relationship with God the poor. Before going any further, it’s important to remind ourselves from the beginning that nobody, ….When we talk about prayer we are not merely absolutely nobody, is denied the possibility to go to referring to the formal prayers which we learn by heart. heaven. [A] passport to heaven is not based on social It is a way of living, an attitude which we develop in our status or one’s bank account. What matters is what we life. Prayer is my relationship with God. Like any other do with what we got…. loving relationship, it is not merely made up of formal Sometimes we might think that to hate someone is the petitions of beautiful talk. It is, rather, being there for worst evil we can do. I strongly believe that indifference and with the other. It is having the other constantly is worse than hatred! When you hate someone, you are present in one’s mind and heart. Like any other at least acknowledging that person’s existence, giving relationship, it either grows or dies out as time goes by. him some importance in your life. When you are It’s a dynamic relationship, and never stays the same. indifferent to someone, on the other hand, it is as if that When Paul, in one of his letters to the Thessalonians, person didn not even exist for you. You are depriving tells us to “pray without ceasing,” he is not telling us to him not only of love and attention, but even from the be constantly on our knees, or in church, or reading our very right to exist! Like the rich person in the [gospel] prayer books 24 hours a day! He is, rather, urging us to parable, you would be closing yourself up in your own enter into his loving relationship with God, to never give mansion, totally oblivious to the other person at your up even when the “other” seems silent or aloof, or doorstep. perhaps when our well seems to have run dry. Indeed, the problem is not money or riches. The real question is, “What do I do with what I have?” do I lock Fr. Mario Micallef, MSSP, Pastor myself up in my own little mansion? Or do I use what has been given to me to help others? Fr. Ivano Burdian, MSSP, Associate St. Paul the Apostle Church, A True Follower of Jesus 3224 Dundas St. W. Toronto, ON M6P 2A3 ….A true follower of Jesus does nothing because he 1-416-767-7054 is forced, simply out of obedience or because it is his email: [email protected] duty. This brings no joy. Everything a true follower of website: www.saint-paul-maltese.com 4 MORE NEWS REGARDING THE FORMER The original M.C.S.T.