APAP. On July 28, at St Luke's Hospital, FRANS, aged 54, of Floriana, passed peacefully away comforted by the rites of Holy Church. He leaves to mourn his irreparable loss his brother Tony and his wife Mary and their son Nigel, his sister Anna, widow of Anthony Farrugia, his nephew Franco and his wife Marika and their son Larken, Monique Farrugia and her fiancée Aaron, his brother Noel, uncles, aunts and relatives from Gozo, his friends at the Joint Office and at the Moviment Era Gdida.
Mass praesente cadavere will be said at the Floriana parish church tomorrow Wednesday, July 30 at 8 a.m. celebrated by his brother Fr Colin Apap.
Friends and relatives are asked to show their respect through donations to the Dar tal-Providenza and Dar Nazareth.
Lord grant him eternal rest.
BUSUTTIL - MERCEDES née Zarb, on July 27, 2003, passed peacefully away at home, comforted by the rites of Holy Church. She leaves to mourn her loss her husband Salvino, her son David Raphael, her stepson Jonathan, her mother Helena, her sisters Claire and Anna, wife of Robert Tua, her brother Michael and his wife Ann, her nephew Julien Tua and her nieces Helena Tua, Beatriz, Gabrielle, Michele and Raphaelle Zarb, her cousins Edward Zarb and Josephine Frendo, her in-laws Joe and his wife Anna, Anna and her husband Sunnie Farrell, Victor and his wife Lois, Carmen and her husband Anthony Borg Barthet, her close friend Fr Peter Serracino Inglott and her many relatives and friends in Malta and abroad.
Mass praesente cadavere will be said today at 9 a.m. at Mgarr parish church, followed by interment at the Santa Marija Addolorata Cemetery. May God grant her eternal rest.
CASHA. On July 27, at St Luke's Hospital, ANGELA née Hammett, of Zabbar, residing at Rabat, widow of Anthony, aged 91, comforted by the rites of Holy Church. She leaves to mourn her loss her children Carmena, widow of Jimmy Johnstone, George and his wife Carmelin, Mary and her husband Joe Scicluna, Richard and his wife Rose, Joseph and his wife Mary, Victor and his wife Antoinette, Louis and his wife Lina, Annie and her husband Joe Vella, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, other relatives and friends. - R.I.P.
The funeral leaves St Luke's Hospital today at 3.30 p.m. for St Dominic's church, Rabat, where Mass praesente cadavere will be said at 4 p.m., followed by interment at the Santa Margherita Cemetery, Rabat. No flowers by request but donations to Dar tal-Providenza, Siggiewi, will be appreciated. The family regret they are unable to receive visitors.
GRECH. On July 28, at St Luke's Hospital, CHARLIE of Rabat (ex-Chief Usher, Houses of Parliament), aged 64, comforted by the rites of Holy Church. He leaves to mourn his loss his wife Antonia, his children Tania and her husband Anthony and their children Anthea and Jonathan, and Rita, his sister Janey and her husband Indrì Muscat, cousins, other relatives and friends. - R.I.P.
The funeral leaves St Luke's Hospital today at 3.30 p.m. for St Paul's parish church, Rabat, where Mass praesente cadavere will be said at 4 p.m., followed by interment in the family grave at the Santa Margherita Cemetery, Rabat. No flowers by request but donations to Dar tal-Providenza, Siggiewi, will be appreciated.
In Memoriam
BEZZINA - MARY née Debattista. Passed away on July 29, 1999. Treasured memories of a dear mother and grandmother on the fourth anniversary of her death. Always in our thoughts and prayers. Dear Lord, let Your perpetual light shine on our beloved mum. Amen. All her family.
BUHAGIAR - PETER PAUL. Treasured memories of our dear father on the 24th anniversary of his death. Always loved and remembered by his daughters Carmen, Tessie, Grace and Phyllis and their families.
CAMILLERI - EVELYN. Treasured and unfading memories of a dearly beloved, devoted wife and mother who went to meet the Risen Lord 11 years ago today. Fondly remembered by her husband Joseph and children Fiona, Jeremy-James and Wayne-Clark. Always in our thoughts and prayers.
CAMILLERI - Dr GIUZEPPI MARIA CAMILLERI. In loving memory of a dearest husband, father, grandfather and brother on the 14th anniversary of his death. His family.
FSADNI. In loving memory of ROSA, today being the 24th anniversary of her death. Always remembered by her husband Louis and her children Marisa, Denise and Ivan, in-laws, relatives and friends. Lord, grant her eternal rest.
GALEA BORG. Treasured memories of our sister ROSE on the fourth anniversary of her death. Fondly remembered by her brother, sisters, in-laws, nephews and nieces. A prayer is solicited.
GATT - FRANCIS. In loving memory of a dear husband, father and grandfather, today the first anniversary of his demise. Fondly remembered by his wife Maria, children Anthony and Doris, Monica and Anton, Raymond and Mariella and grandchildren. Always in our thoughts and prayers. A Mass for the repose of his soul will be said today at 7 p.m. at il-Madonna tat-Triq chapel, Loyola House, Naxxar. Relatives and friends are invited to attend.
GRECH. In ever loving memory of our dearest AGNES née Zammit, today her 10th anniversary. Always in our thoughts and prayers. Charles, Kathryn, Sylvana, Mariella, Diane and all the family. A Mass for the repose of her soul will be said today at 6.30 p.m. at Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception parish church, Ta' l-Ibrag. Relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend.
MICALLEF. In loving memory of GARETT on his second anniversary. It's an empty feeling that we feel, it's with us every day. We see your beautiful face smile at us. Without you, nothing is quite the same. Not a day goes by, our son, that we don't cry for you. We love you and miss you. Your mum and dad, sister, brothers and relatives.
NAUDI - ALFRED (Fred). In loving memory of a dear husband and father. Lena, Alfred and Simon.
PACE MOORE. In ever loving memory of our dear father PAUL, today the 48th anniversary of his death. His sons and daughter.
VASSALLO - GUNNEL, 10.5.1946 - 19.6.2003. In memory of a beloved and unforgettable wife, mother, sister and friend. A Mass for the repose of her soul will be said today at 7.30 p.m. at St Patrick's church, Sliema. The attendance of relatives and friends will be appreciated. Her husband John and their children Henrik, Christina and Gustav have set up a Gunnel Vassallo Fund in her memory, which will help a disadvantaged person towards higher education in Belgium. Donations may be forwarded to Ing Bank Brussels IBAN nr BE83 310 1871 93215.
Appreciation - Walter Zahra
by Judge Maurice Caruana Curran, founder president, Din l-Art Helwa writes
The council of Din l-Art Helwa, Malta's National Trust, and the members of the association mourn the recent passing of Walter Zahra, our beloved and highly respected Hon. Secretary General for nearly 30 years.
Until his retirement, Walter was a Clerk Grade 1 in the then Naval Dockyard and served in Alexandria in World War II. One day, in 1967, he came to see me in Valletta. He offered his services to Din l-Art Helwa as a historian and strong environmentalist, a rare combination in those early days of Malta's history of conservation.
He was soon appointed Hon. Secretary General and he occupied this post till 1995 with great honour to Din l-Art Helwa and to himself. He was a most assiduous worker, running the office with very little voluntary support at that time by attending both morning and long evenings, coming all the way by bus daily from Zejtun. He was a wonderful organiser and this earned him the praise of Lord Duncan Sandys, who was President of Europa Nostra when we invited this Pan European organisation to hold its annual general meeting in 1970. "You have a good man there," Duncan Sandys told me.
He knew a great deal about the history of Malta and its monuments. There was not a stone or corner of the Maltese countryside with which he was not familiar. His contribution was the more invaluable since at that time we had not yet succeeded in rousing public awareness of the need for conservation of our unique architectural legacy and extraordinary countryside and coastline. As members became more numerous and the association gained the respect of more and more people, it gave the lie to the dialogue between two Maltese girls in a left wing satiric weekly paper, one of whom asked the other:
"What is this society they have formed, Din l-Art Helwa?
"Oh," replied the other, "this is just one of those societies which lasts for a month and then disappears."
Walter's continuous and precious unremunerated commitment ensured that this did not happen. Without a doubt, his work facilitated my own contribution in taking the association forward and bringing in other dedicated and hard working members to continue with its mission. One of my most delicious memories of Walter is the image of him battering away at the hard keyboard of the then latest style of typewriter - our association in those days not having yet bridged the generation gap with computer technology!
Walter was an honest and fearless defender of the mission of Din l-Art Helwa and was always by my side in my discussions with ministers and other government authorities. Everyone will remember his blunt "No" in a television discussion on the then new proposals for the opening of a gaping hole in the walled entrance of our most beautiful fortress city of Valletta and World Heritage Site, which, are now happily shelved for the second time, and, I hope, deeply buried!
He was highly active in the cleaning and restoration of the two medieval chapels, Din l-Art Helwa saved for the nation, that of Hal Millieri, a unique jewel, and that of Bir Miftuh, both eventually granted to us by Archbishop Gonzi in 1969 with the push and drive of the late Mgr Edward Coleiro. 'Dun Dward', many times in Walter's presence, used to warn the Archbishop that he would suffer the eternal pains of hell if he did not grant those chapels to our association!
Walter was a great expert in the Maltese language which he loved and insisted upon. He was a member of the Ghaqda tal-Malti. He wrote the first volume of The History of Zejtun where he was born and lived. Unfortunately he was prevented from finishing the second volume of this history after he was incapacitated by a stroke. He also wrote, always in Maltese, The Ballad of Zejtun and The Ballad of Din l-Art Helwa, in addition to a children's tale, Il-Palazzin ta' Ghawdex. He also actively participated in all the religious, philanthropic and cultural activities of his important town.
On behalf of the council and all the members of Din L-Art Helwa I extend our deepest sympathy to his widow, Bice, and to all his wonderful children and grandchildren through his first wife, Guza.
Din l-Art Helwa's memory of him will never fade. Malta owes him a great debt.
Sidonia Enterprises Ltd
Summer shutdown. Last trading day Friday, August 8, re-opening Monday, August 25, 2003.
Competition Winners
ElectricVouchers.com presented a Vodafone MMS phone to Gretel Busuttil, and a Kodak digital camera to Claire Bezzina, the winners of the July Send & Win Competition.
All one needs do to participate in the competition is to forward a voucher together with an original e-mail message to a relative or friend. This is then received via e-mail from the site and will automatically double up as a competition entry.
Anglican Eucharist
An Anglican (Church of England) Eucharist will be held in the chapel of the Sacred Heart Seminary, Enrico Mizzi Street, Victoria, tomorrow at 11 a.m.
The celebrant will be Senior Chaplain, Fr Alan Woods. For further information phone Tony Prescott on 2155 2483.
President's Engagements Today
10 a.m., at the Palace, Valletta, the President receives participants of the Multi-Lateral Youth Exchange Programme organised by the OASI Foundation.
What's On Today
Concert
8 p.m., in St George's Basilica, Victoria, symphonic concert by the Sheffield Philharmonic Orchestra, concluding the Victoria Arts festival.
Beer Festival
8 p.m., at Ta' Qali National Park, 23rd Farsons Great Beer Festival, with entertainment by Philippa Farrugia Randon, Moving Bodies, the William Mangion Band, Marvic Lewis, Beangrowers and dj Toby.
Concelebration
6.30 p.m., in Ta' Pinu Sanctuary, Gozo, the Bishop of Gozo, Mgr Nikol Cauchi leads a concelebration as part of the programme for the visit of the relic of St Therese of Lisieux in Gozo. The relic will be in Ghasri parish church at 8 p.m. and in the Sacred Heart Seminary in Victoria at 9.30 p.m.