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NEWSLETTER 299 January 2020

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NEWSLETTER 299 January 2020 MALTESE E-NEWSLETTER 299 January 2020 1 MALTESE E-NEWSLETTER 299 January 2020 President appeals for unity, tolerance and respect Calls for everyone to shoulder responsibilities In his message for Christmas, President George Vella spoke about the difficult time the country is currently going through saying he was concerned and shocked. But, in spite of this, he said, the people should keep in mind the values associated with Christmas and appreciate all that made this people Maltese - loyalty to the family, hard work The President’s message and generosity. He called on the people to reflect on the meaning at the end of “Istrina” of Christmas and how this could help for the Report: Melvic Zammit return of unity.President Vella thanked the public “I would like to thank the entire people of for their support during the first months of his Malta, those that may have contributed little Presidency, especially in the most difficult and those that may have contributed much, moments. He said he found a lot of strength and but the sum collected is in itself a certificate of courage in the people’s support. the generous heart of the people of Malta and He also thanked the people for keeping close to underlines that when help and support is their heart the values and aims he had prepared needed for fellow brethren facing certain for this Presidency - solidarity in illness, the fight difficulties, the population remains generous against poverty, inclusion and voluntary work and sensitive to those who appeal for help and The President called for tolerance and respect support. This is the characteristic of the with those of different ideas and with whom Maltese people – a real people that when tension had increased in recent days. called to unite do so with unreserved fervour. He appealed to the people to look at what united I thank you from the bottom of my heart”. them rather than at what divided them. Visibly emotional, with his wife Miriam Vella Dr Vella appealed to the people to take care of beside him, President George Vella summed up the sick, the elderly and the less fortunate and the end of the 21st edition of the annual marathon appealed for funds for the Malta Community of the gathering of funds, while stating that he had Chest Fund Foundation which helped those who not expected that such a large sum would be were suffering in silence. collected. This was his first experience of “Strina” He also called for everyone to do their utmost for as President and during which over €6,000,000 the country to regain ground and for everyone to were collected. feel respected.This could only be done if During the virtual 12-hour marathon that was everyone shouldered their responsibilities and transmitted by TVM and other local stations, a carried them out honestly and transparently, total of €6,220,000 was raised. The sum also placing the country’s interests first and foremost. includes money that was collected through the staging of various activities including Rockestra and the August Moon Ball. Although this amount is almost €2 million less than the sum raised last year, a Spokesperson for the President’s Office explained that this year’s edition does not include the donations collected during the Fun Run as this had been postponed and will now take place on 26th January. 2 MALTESE E-NEWSLETTER 299 January 2020 Archbishop George Frendo speaks of the sufferings of the Albanian people Report: Tony Dimech After 22 years of pastoral work in Albania, Archbishop George Frendo feels he is very much an integral part of the Albanian community and understands the needs of the community. The Before the marathon ended, President Vella Albanian people are still suffering the explained these funds will go towards the needs consequences of communism, a civil war and last of the Community Chest Fund to enable it to month’s earthquake which has left many people continue helping and giving support to those who living in tents. He said there were a series of need it, particularly to those who have to travel tremors, some of which are still being felt today overseas for treatment. and many houses were rendered unsafe, He said he was really amazed and marvelled by including Curia buildings and even his own office. the generosity of the people and will continue to Many people in Tirana were forced to leave their repeat that in the circumstances he had not homes because extensive damages made them aspired that such a large sum would be collected. unsafe for habitation. He again emphasised the absolute proof that in The Archbishop explained the Church helps out sickness and when solidarity is needed, the by supplying the essential life elements. He said Maltese people always rise to the occasion and set many poor people are being helped because they everything aside and place unity foremost and need food and their rents are being paid as well as this gives new strength. energy and water bills. Promising students are Claire Micallef-Pule, the Manager of the Malta also receiving help because they come from poor Community Chest Fund Foundation, said the families and thus they are helped to enable them Foundation is experiencing an increased request to continue with their studies. Mons Frendo said of need and support, especially for children as the Church in Albania is very much alive and a well as patients that require specialised great quantity of youths attended Christmas treatment. celebrations. Every year at Christmas time a meal is organised She said there is specialised chemotherapy that for those in poverty and this year the location was costs €7,000 monthly, people that have to travel chosen most affected by the earthquake and thus overseas for curative treatment as well as for those living in tents. The President of Albania sections of disabled and elderly people that need i invited and will attend with his wife.Archbishop specialised equipment and all these cost a lot of Frendo said that when he visits Malta once a year money. he appreciates the great generosity of the people The whole marathon was filled with emotions, of Malta and Gozo who offer their donations to stories of persons that received help and support enable the Church in Albania to continue with its from the Foundation and this contributed to the social mission. generosity of donations pledged and thus enabled the compilation of such an amount. 3 MALTESE E-NEWSLETTER 299 January 2020 4 MALTESE E-NEWSLETTER 299 January 2020 Storja ħelwa li Waqt li qiegħed nikteb dan il-messaġġ, intom, jirrakkuntaw fl-Awstralja għaddejjin minn esperjenza kera fuq Mother Theresa, il-qaddisa tal-karita’, hi, ta’ sħana u nar u ħruq fl-imsaġar ta’ meta ltqagħet ma’ raġel ifittex bl-akbar tagħkom. S’issa għadna ma smajniex li kien ħerqa xi ħaġa fejn il-bieb tiegħu. Hi waqfet u hemm xi Maltin ħutna li batew f’dawn iċ- staqsietu x’kien qiegħed jagħmel u hu weġibha ċirkostanzi u nittamaw li ma jkunx hemm li kien qiegħed ifittex ċavetta. Wara li bdiet għalkemm xorta jiddispjaċina għal dawk kollha tgħinu reġgħet staqsietu li ġarrbu ħsara u tilfu ħafna f’dawn in- fejn jaħseb li kien tilifha u nirien. Aħna nistgħu niftakru fikom fit-talb hu kien pront qalillha li tagħna f’dawn iċ-ċirkostanzi iebsin u diffiċli. aktarx fil-kamra ta’ Ġrajja oħra li nemmnu li tinteressakom ħafna ġewwa. Mother Theresa, hi li fl-4 ta’ Diċembru, ġie mniehdi l-ktieb mistaġba staqsietu, “Mela biografia ta’ Mons. Philip Calleja, fundatur u għalfejn qiegħed tfittixa president tal-Kummissjoni Emigranti. Kien Mgr Alfred Vella hawn barra?” Hu weġibha mument sabiħ ħafna u interessanti għall- “Għax hawn, hawn id-dawl!” membri kollha tal-Kummissjoni Emigranti għax Dak ma kienx id-dawl li kellu bżonn biex isib għalkemm il-ktieb jitkellem fuq il-ħajja tal- iċ-ċavetta. Monsinjur fl-istess ħin hemm l-istorja tal- Ħafna drabi aħna jiġrielna bħal dan ir-raġel, Kummissjoni stess. L-Kummissjoni Emigranti nitfixklu fejn infittxu l-verita’ ta’ u Monsinjur Philip huma sinonimi, ħaġa waħda. ħajjitna. Naħsbu li fejn jidhrilna aħna hemm id- Minn ikun Malta u jkun jixtieq jakiwista kopja dawl li jista’ jwassalna għall-verita’. Nintilfu jgħaddi ‘Dar l-Emigrant’ u jistaqsi lili, Mons. nfittxu hemm u ma nsalux li nsibu dak li nkunu Alfred.Matul din is-sena nixtiequ nilħqu l-mira qegħdin infittxu. Id-dawl jista’ jkun li naħsbu tagħna li jinfetaħ uffiċċjalment l-Mużew tal- li qiegħed fil-ġid ta’ din id-dinja, jew fil-poter Migrazzjoni. Qegħdin f’kuntatti mal-uffiċċju jew fil-fama u l-unuri. Imma jekk infittxu f’dawn tal-Eċċelenza Tiegħu l-President ta’ Malta biex l-affarijet, kif jgħid il-Malti, nibqgħu b’xibher ikun hu l-jiftaħ dan il-Mużew. Aħna nixtiequ li imnieħer. dan ikun ġrajja ħajja u minjiera ta’ Il-verita’ ta’ ħajjitna għandu jkun Ġesu’, l-Iben informazzjoni fuq l-istorja tal-emigrazzjoni t’Alla magħmul bniedem, għas-salvazzjoni f’Malta.Mill-ġdid nawguralkom dak kollu li tagħna. Aħna din il-ġrajja, tat-twelid ta’ Ġesu’, tixtieq qalbkom. Saħħa u barka, niċċelebrawaha kull sena. Imma ngħiduha kif MONS. ALFRED VELLA, DIRETTUR inhi kemm qigħeda tħalli effett fuqna din il- KUMMISSJONI EMIGRANTI. ġrajja? Milied jiġi u ieħor jitlaq, u wara nibdew sena ġdida u r-rota ddur!! Aħna nawguraw lil xulxin li xi darba nindunaw li ma rridux immorru mal-kurrent imma nkunu kapaċi nieqfu u nirriflettu u nieħdu deċiżżjonijiet li jgħinuna nikbru tassew f’Alla u bejnietna. Dan li nawguaw lil xulxin. Nittamaw li l-barka tal- Mulej Ġesu’ tinżel fuqna lkoll u l-familji tagħna u jkollna sena tajba biex nimxu ‘l quddiem fl- imħabba t’Alla u ta’ xulxin.
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