1 THE MALTESE PRESENCE IN NORTH AMERICA E-NEWSLETTER Issue 22 JANUARY 2021 TWO BESTSELLING, AWARD-WINNING HISTORICAL NOVELS SET IN 16TH CENTURY MALTA BY MALTESE-CANADIAN WRITER MARTHESE FENECH (See pages 19-21) 2 The Maltese Presence This newsletter would be the poor- nadian who for many years called in North America er were it not for the research “The Junction” home. Issue No. 22 January 2021 assistance provided by people like Marthese Fenech learned of me Editor Mark Caruana and Charles Said- through Richard Cumbo and I was Dan Brock Vassallo of Metropolitan Sydney, inspired to write an article on her NSW, Australia and the ongoing and her two historical novels. Copy Editor permission by Dr. Charles Farrugia I wish to conclude by extending to Mona Vella Nicholas to publish documents from the each of you all the best in the new National Archives of Malta. Closer year and pray to God that we may Contributors to This Issue to home, Richard S. Cumbo of get this current worldwide pandem- CANADA Toronto has been of invaluable ic under control so that our lives Ontario assistance with advice and items may return to normal. Joanne Camilleri for the newsletter. Again, I invite you to contact me at Consulate General of Malta to Fr. Mario Micallef, MSSP, pastor [email protected], be it ideas Canada webpage of St. Paul the Apostle Parish, you wish to share, wishing to be put Marthese Fenech Toronto, like his predecessor, Fr. on the free, bcc, electronic mailing Mel Hamelin Manuel Parnis, MSSP, has been list, etc. Fr. Mario Micallef most faithful in seeing that copies of USA the Sunday Bulletin are forwarded CONTENTS Illinois to me, that a page devoted to 2. Editorial Comment Chuck Vassallo spiritual insights might accompany 3. Pastor’s Thoughts… Michigan each issue. 4. Message of the President of Mike Cutajar Last May, Joan Mizzi-Fry of Orillia, the Republic of Malta Lise LiGreci Ontario had suggested that the 6. Message from the Prime Min- AUSTRALIA newsletter have “true authentic” ister of Malta New South Wales Maltese recipes. I asked that the 8. Message of the Minister for Mark Caruana submitter of each recipe provide European and Foreign Affairs MALTA some background as to how she/he for the Republic of Malta. National Archives of Malta obtained the recipe and what, if any, 9. Aljotta (Maltese Fish Soup) adaptions were made to it within a 11. The Vassallos and Others of EDITORIAL COMMENT North American setting. To date, Stamford, Connecticut: Part I – With this issue, the third year of such prescribed recipes have been The Early Years this newsletter begins. received from Dr. Charles J. Vella of 14. Activities within the Maltese Among the many people to whom the Bay Area and both Rena Communities I’m most grateful is Mona Vella- Xuereb and Lisa Buttigieg-LiGreci 15. Meet Mel Hamelin Nicholas of California’s Bay area. of Metropolitan Detroit. 18. Reader Comments Relating to From the very first issue, she has For the contents of this issue, the December Issue been here proofing virtually each special thanks goes to Dr. Ray- 19. Marthese Fenech: Award- and every article and most of the mond Xerri for forwarding end of the Winning Writer of Historical other items. year messages to the Maltese Dias- Novels A rough estimate of the readership pora from the President, Prime 22. New Years’ Eve Celebrations of each issue is around 20,000. Two Minister and Minister for European The Maltese Canadian Club of of the individuals largely respon- and Foreign Affairs for the Republic London, Ontario sible for this are Dennis and Evelyn of Malta. He has also provided 23. Monthly Message from the Simmons of San Francisco. information on the musical “Dance Consul General of the Re- Through them, all the issues and of the Rising Goddess – Inanna” public of Malta to Canada the latest “Table of Contents” are Michael Cutajar has shared with 26. Anniversary of the Second posted on the web page of the the reader information on his Emigrants Convention Maltese-American Social Club of father’s first years in Detroit and 27. Giuseppa Pepe: One of the San Francisco at http://maltese- service in the Korean War. Women Who Travelled to americanscsf.org/home.aspx. Chuck Vassallo’s innocent query Jamaica Dr. Raymond Xerri has been a about a great uncle has led to a 28. Letter to the Editor great champion of this newsletter, study of the Maltese who settled in 28. Felix Michael Cutajar Part II – almost from the moment he Stamford, Connecticut and what it First Years in America and His stepped off the plane at Toronto was that drew them there. Service during the Korean War Pearson Airport to assume the Mel Hamelin got in touch with me 32. ‘Dance of the Rising Goddess posting of Consul General of the through Dr. Raymond Xerri and – Inanna’ Musical Republic of Malta for Canada. this, in turn, has led to an account 34. Maltese Organizations in North of a third-generation, Maltese Ca- America 3 GLEANINGS FROM THE SUNDAY BULLETIN the shepherd who feeds his flock and carries his lambs in his bosom. Jesus is the incarnation of our PASTOR’S THOUGHTS… God, a God who loves and who cares. This is, indeed, good news. …let us, too, prepare the way for the Lord to really come into our lives. Let us ask the Holy Spirit to show us what needs to be changed or improved in our lives, and to give us the strength to do it. Let Us Make Space for Christ’s Coming in Our Lives ….Like St. Paul we all have our problems in life. That’s human nature, life with its ups and downs. However, unlike St Paul, instead of rejoicing and Fr. Mario Micallef, MSSP, is pastor of St. Paul the Apostle, Toronto, the only Maltese national parish in North giving thanks, we often grumble and complain. Let’s America. These “Pastor’s thoughts…” are extracts from face it, whether you believe or not problems are not his commentaries on the Sunday readings which are going to change. If there is sickness, an unexpected published in the Parish’s Sunday Bulletin. death, a loss of a job, an injustice occurred, faith is not going to change it. What can change is how you God Is Always with Us live through that certain situation of negative experience. ….Let us not allow the fact that we are not going to ….Maybe one mistake that we often do in our lives church [because of the current pandemic] lead us is that of trying to do God’s work, to be our own little into a spiritual slumber….God is always with us. gods. We want to decide what’s right or wrong, Sometimes we tend to forget this reality. God is with what’s good or bad for us….It is only through Him us in so many different ways in our lives. He is with [Jesus] and in Him that we can find our happiness us in the sacraments. Even though we cannot cele- and peace. brate Mass, we can still pay the occasional visit and Let us make space for his coming in our lives… spend some time with Him in church. It helps! He is with us through His word, which we can read any God always Takes the Initiative time during the day. He is with us in the silence of our homes, whenever we decide to take some time ….God always takes the initiative. He is always in off from our normal routine and use it for a short charge. prayer-break. ….Christmas is a gentle reminder that God knows Then He comes to visit us in other ways too. exactly where we are and comes to pick us up. Remembering the gospel when he told us “whatever you do for one of the least of these brothers and Christmas in 2020 sisters of mine, you do for me,” he comes to visit us We have just celebrated the strangest Christmas in the face of the other person: the relative who is in of our life. And yet, in its strangeness, it helped us trouble (whether it’s his fault or not it doesn’t realize what is really important. Yes, we probably matter!), the beggar on the street, the neighbour missed the office parties, school parties, school or who needs some help, the sick or lonely person who parish concerts, and other get-togethers usually is longing for a visit or a phone call. Indeed, our God associated with this time of the year. More poignant- is never too far from us! ly we missed the traditional family gatherings many of us are accustomed to during Christmas-time. Good Times Are Coming Being in the small nucleus of our immediate family helped us appreciate what we often take for Both John [the Baptist] and the people around him granted—the sense of belonging to a wider family. knew that, no matter how strong their desire of This year’s situation has made it even harder on conversion is, they cannot do it on their own. The people who are experiencing difficulties in their Holy Spirit, who will be gifted to the people by Jesus, family-life—people going through broken relation- will make this possible. This is the Spirit you and I ships, people who have lost loved ones, people have received in our baptism. living through unresolved family feuds. Physical ….Good times are coming when “the glory of the separation from other relatives, simply heightened Lord shall be revealed.” God will show himself as the pain and loneliness in such situations.