1 THE MALTESE PRESENCE IN NORTH AMERICA E-NEWSLETTER Issue 16 JULY 2020 Façade of the Original St. Paul of the Shipwreck Church, 1940 Front Cover of 1962 Booklet Relating to St. Paul of the Shipwreck Parish, San Francisco Showing the Architect’s Sketch of the New Church Courtesy of Fred Aquilina 2 The Maltese Presence Ministry for Foreign and European portion of this page.) in North America Affairs for the Maltese living Two of the articles in the works for Issue No. 16 July 2020 throughout all North America. the August issue are on the lives of Editor This issue of the newsletter Monsignor Paul J. Gauci of the Dan Brock contains three items pertaining to Diocese of New Orleans and later charter flights between Toronto and Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Copy Editor Malta in years past (pages 5-7) and Carmelo Borg of Detroit. Carmelo’s Mona Vella-Nicholas travel agencies in Toronto and in family life and family background London, Ontario catering to the were not those of the typical Contributors to This Issue Maltese in 1980 (pages 7, 24). married, Maltese male immigrant to CANADA From the other side of the North America following the Second Ontario continent we have the account of World War. Consulate General of Malta to St. Paul of the Shipwreck Church Canada webpage when it was the heart and soul of Richard S. Cumbo the Maltese community in and Helen Gaffan around San Francisco. (See pages Janene Gaffan 1, 7-10.) Jim Gaffan The second part of the account of Kay Gaffan the Gaffan family of Kingsville, Fr. Mario Micallef Ontario is found on pages 11-12. USA For those having a culinary California aptitude a Maltese recipe for Fred Aquilina kapunata (caponata in English) with Evelyn and Dennis Simmons a North American touch is to be Charles J. Vella found on pages 21-22. Michigan Those of an academic inclination Lisa LiGreci may find the official correspond- Rena Xuereb dence between Malta and Great AUSTRALIA Britain as it related to possible CONTENTS Mark Caruana immigration to Canada in 1910 of 2. Editorial Comment interest. (See pages 16-20.) 3. Pastor’s Thoughts… EDITORIAL COMMENT As in previous issues, the Consul 4. Reader Comments Relating to General of the Republic of Malta to the June Issue More and more, you the readers Canada has provided valuable 4. Activities within the Maltese are taking ownership of this news- information for Maltese Canadians Communities letter. Since, even before the first as well as for Maltese currently in 4 Corrections to the June Issue issue appeared in January 2019 Canada during this COVID-19 5. Flight 112B – Malta to Buffalo, you were making suggestions for pandemic. (See pages 13-16.) If NY – July 30-31, 1960 such a newsletter and contributing you have this newsletter printed 6. Maltese Charter Flights and articles. This has since been and stapled, it will naturally open to Travel Agencies in “The Junc- followed by offers to proofread the the first page of this monthly tion”: Some Reminiscences issues and to post the back issues message for easy reference. 7. St. Paul of the Shipwreck and the Table of Contents on the Again, owing to the Coronavirus, Church, San Francisco Maltese-American Social Club of there is little to report from the 11. The Gaffan Family: First Mal- San Francisco website. Moreover, Maltese communities throughout tese to Settle in Kingsville – you have referred others to me to North America. (See page 4.) The Part II add to the email lists or have taken one ray of hope, however, is the 13. Monthly Message from the it upon yourselves to print off copies limited opening of St. Paul the Consul General of the Republic to give to others. Apostle Church, Toronto, for week- of Malta to Canada The Maltese Presence in North end and weekday Masses. You are 16. Plans to Direct Emigration to America as has now been “included asked to remember Fr. Mario Canada in 1910 as Part of a in the Register of non-governmental Micallef, the Pastor, in your prayers Solution to Malta’s High De- organizations set up outside Malta as he is recuperating from bypass gree of Unemployment and which are involved in the surgery. 21. Kapunata (Caponata) promotion and protection of the Once again, my sincere thanks to 22. Maltese Organizations in North interests of Maltese living abroad.” all those who have contributed in America Thus, this newsletter is yet another one way or another to the 24. Travel Agencies in Toronto & in voice with The Council for the production and distribution of this London Catering to the Mal- Maltese Living Abroad and the newsletter. (See the upper left-hand tese in 1980 3 GLEANINGS FROM THE SUNDAY BULLETIN coming of Jesus Christ. His death and resurrection reconciled us once more to God, among ourselves, and PASTOR’S THOUGHTS… with nature. When I think about myself as a human being remembering that I have been created in God’ own image, I remember that I have been created for Fr. Mario Micallef, MSSP, is communion, to build relationships. It is there that I find pastor of St. Paul the Apostle, Toronto, the only Maltese my fulfillment. national parish in North America. These “Pastor’s thoughts…” are Following Jesus Is Not for the Faint-hearted extracts from his commentaries on the Sunday readings which ….When Jesus tells us to do exactly as he does, he is are published in the Parish’s basically telling us to love everybody, irrespective of Sunday Bulletin. who they are or what they have done! Yes, following Jesus is not for the faint-hearted! This is what we are living out every time we celebrate The Gift of the Holy Spirit the Eucharist. During Mass we listen to those words, How often in our lives do we find ourselves like those over and over again: “Do this in remembrance of me.” disciples [on the eve of that first Pentecost], perhaps As we slowly start coming back to our churches it’s good paralyzed by our own fears, or enslaved by our own to remember that this is the command I am expected to mistakes or those of others? Like those disciples in the live in my daily life, as I leave the church building after upper room, we feel lost, confused, not knowing what to Mass. What I celebrate in church I am called to live do or, if we know it, not having enough strength to do outside of it. “Do this” is asking me to give my life to it….The Holy Spirit which we all received in our baptism others, whiteout holding anything back, irrespective of is the fulfilment of Jesus’ promise that he would never what the “other” might be. Otherwise my celebration leave us alone. The Spirit of God gives us peace in would be a contradiction. troubled moments. It gives us wisdom to understand Humanly speaking, this might be difficult to do….doing what we should do in difficult situations. It gives us what Jesus is asking me to do sometimes defies all courage and strength when we know that, on our own, human logic and reasoning. But it is worth taking the we fall short of expectations. risk. The results might surprise us. This is God’s gift to us. Let us never forget what we Do Not Fear have been given, and make good use of it in our lives. ….Thanks to our baptism, we are all called to We Are Created in God’s Image participate in the mission of Jesus. Whatever we happen When we say that we are created in God’s image, it to be in our little world, be it at work, at home, or does not mean that God looks physically like me! We amongst our friends, we are called to bring good news: are in God’s image in our togetherness, in our to help people understand that there is a God who loves communion with each other….Some elements from the and who cares. This is the news that Jesus constantly feast of the Holy Trinity can help us understand the proclaimed in his life here on Earth. There will be times implications of all this. We believe that the persons of when this will not be easy, particularly when we will have the Trinity are all equal and distinct. Yet, the communion to live out what we are trying to convey to others. Jesus’ is so strong that it is one God that we speak of, not three. message was a continuous message of love, loving Being created in God’s likeness, we are all equally neighbour, loving your enemy, unconditionally forgiving, important and distinct personalities. We are different to constantly giving of yourself and dying to yourself for each other, not better than any other. And yet, we are others. Some may take advantage. Others might make not created for loneliness. We need each other. We are fun of you, especially when you don’t take advantage to made for relationships, for communion. advance simply because you want to do the right thing, Unfortunately, this communion has been broken by our or when they see you constantly trying to forgive those sinfulness. We remember that, again in that very first who harm you. This is where the words “do not fear’ will book of the bible, sin brought division in us….Having make sense. Irrespective of how difficult it seems, God seen this, God immediately promised to remedy this will be accompanying us and giving us the strength situation.