Sisters of Charity presented with the Dun Mikiel Azzopardi Award 2017

The Dun Mikiel Azzopardi Award 2017 was presented to the Sisters of Charity in recognition of and appreciation for the fifty years of service at Id-Dar tal-Providenza. Sr Natalie Abela, Maltese delegate for the Malta-Italy Province together with Sr Lorenza Borg, Superior of the community of Sisters that work at Id-Dar tal-Providenza.

This was announced by Fr Martin Micallef, Director of the Home, during a concert by the band of the Armed Forces of Malta at St John’s Co-Cathedral under the distinguished patronage of the President of the Republic, Mrs Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca and H.G. the Archbishop of Malta, Mgr Charles J. Scicluna.

Id-Dar tal-Providenza every year gives the Dun Mikiel Azzopardi award in recognition of the voluntary contribution of persons or organisations in the  disability sector in Malta and Gozo. This award was launched for the first time in 1995 on the 30th Anniversary of the founding of the Home.

Fr Martin said that the 50th Anniversary of the Sisters of Charity’s work at the Home encourages us to look ahead so that we commit ourselves to continue on what has been built so far and improve on it. “Id-Dar tal-Providenza is committed to being a strong signal to Maltese society that persons with disability deserve, like everyone else, the respect, dignity and rights due to them from conception to death. There are still those who discriminate but we need to continue to strive so that persons with disability are given what is theirs by right in our society and the Church.”

In 1965, when Dun Mikiel Azzopardi embarked on the construction in Siggiewi of the first home in Malta for persons with disability, he felt that he could not run this Home without the experience of a religious congregation. After his failed attempts to lure the Gwanelljani of Italy and the Franciscan Sisters of Malta, he contacted the Sisters of Charity who had by then established themselves with their charitable works in Malta.

In 1965, when Dun Mikiel Azzopardi embarked on the construction in Siggiewi of the first home in Malta for persons with disability, he felt that he could not run this Home without the experience of a religious congregation. After his failed attempts to lure the Gwanelljani of Italy and the Franciscan Sisters of Malta, he contacted the Sisters of Charity who had by then established themselves with their charitable works in Malta.

To the present day, this community continued giving its services to the residents of the Home with immense dedication and love. A total of forty-two Sisters cared for the residents during their fifty years of work at the Home. During this period, the Superiors of this community were Sor Maria Assunta Mallia, Sr Annunziata Cortis, Sr Cecilia Frendo, Sr Maria Ersilia Mifsud, Sr Madalena Fava, Sr Maria Antida Mifsud and Sr Lorenza Borg.

The main address for the occasion was made by Isabelle Bonello, a girl with intellectual disability, who in these last years worked on an inclusive research together with the Department for Studies on Disability at the University of Malta on the experience of overprotection in the lives of persons with intellectual disability in Malta. Isabelle Bonello emphasized on how much help is very important in the lives of persons with intellectual disability. “In my experience,” she said, “when I find persons who help me and explain to me gently, I learn and  become able to do new things. For example, at work I found someone who helped me use the scanner and now I work long hours on it and make more money. The Agenzija Sapport had allocated to me a support worker to help me use the public transport on my own and today I go to different places using the bus. I also find help from my family. When you work with persons with intellectual disability it is important not to make them lose heart. When you tend not to get anywhere, be patient and if need be explain more than once. Where a person still requires help, we still need to listen to him/her to help him/her achieve his/her aims”.

The Archbishop, Mgr Charles J. Scicluna thanked the Armed Forces of Malta and the Commander for this wonderful experience, this collaboration between the Armed Forces, the State and Id-Dar tal-Providenza. “It is,” he said, “an experience of solidarity. “He also thanked the Sisters for being solid witnesses to the word of Christ day by day. He said they were part of the beauty of the Church. “This cathedral,” said the Archbishop, “is beautiful but the beauty of the Church is in its witnessing of the gospel and I thank you also because I know from personal experience that you do your work with a smile and serenity even in difficult moments.”

On her part, the President of Malta, H.E. Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca thanked all the workers at Id-Dar tal-Providenza, the parents and all those that give a helping hand. She also thanked the Sisters of Charity who in her own words amazed her because there isn’t one aspect of vulnerability that they are not in the forefront of. “I wish to thank you on behalf of the people of Malta,” said the President, “because your witnessing of the social teachings is beneficial to all Maltese and Gozitans.”

The Band of the Armed Forces of Malta was under the baton of Mro. WO1 Jonathan Borg. The concert programme included musical works by Hanson, Beethoven, Brooks, Haydn, Handel and local composers Joseph Sammut, Antonio Nani and George Zammit. The Band was accompanied by the Coro Bel Canto with the participation of tenors Gnr George Zammit and Charles Vella Zarb and baritone Alfred Camilleri.

The band concert was organised by Id-Dar tal-Providenza courtesy of the St John’s Co-Cathedral Foundation and with the assistance of Mr Tonio Bonello.

Past winners of the Dun Mikiel Azzopardi Award:

1995:  Dr Lawrence Gonzi LL.D. u s-Sinjura Mari Lowell

1997:  Sur Paul Mifsud u s-Sur Lewis Portelli

1998:  Mons. Manuel Curmi

1999:  Dun Charles Fenech O.P.

2000:  Sur Joseph M. Camilleri

2001:  Dr Carmelo Vella, M.D.

2002:  Sinjura Victoria Demanuele

2003:  Suor Maddalena u Suor Fortunata Fava

2004:  Sur John Peel

2005:  Sur John Micallef

2006:  Sur Tonio Bonello u s-Sur Albert E. Vella

2007:  Sinjura Yvonne Eastman

2008:   Sur Alfred Bezzina

2009:  Sur Denis Azzopardi, President tal-Grupp Distrofija Muskolari u l-Liċeo tal-Ħamrun, Kulleġġ San Ġorġ Preca

2010   Mons. Lawrence Gatt u Dun Ġużepp Borg Micallef

2011   Dun Lino Cardona SJ, u s-Sinjuri Blanche Mifsud u Mary Verzin

2012   Kummissjoni Nazzjonali Persuni b’Diżabilità (KNPD)

2013   Adelina u Marcel Pisani

2015   Anġela Agius

2016   Dar il-Kaptan