WILLIAMS. On December 21, at East Surrey Hospital, UK, OLIVE, passed away peacefully. Beloved mother of Mrs Hilary Felice.
Requiem mass
A Mass for the repose of the soul of RICHARD MIFSUD will be said on December 27 at 10 a.m. at Our Lady of Fatima parish church, Guardamangia. The attendance of relatives and friends will be appreciated.
In memoriam
ANASTASI. In ever loving memory of CARMELO, a dear husband and father, on the 39th anniversary of his death. Fondly remembered by his wife and children.
ATTARD - VIOLET. In loving memory of a dear mother and grandmother, tomorrow the fourth anniversary of her death. Sadly missed by her eight children, in-laws and grandchildren.
ATTARD PORTUGHES - THEODORA. In loving memory of a dear mother and grandmother, today being the seventh anniversary of her demise. Always remembered by her family. Lord, grant her eternal rest.
BAJONA - Dr ĊETTINA BAJONA. In loving memory of our dearest aunt, today the 23rd anniversary of her death. A most wonderful and caring aunt who is always in our thoughts and prayers. Fondly remembered by her family.
BAMBER - RICHARD. In loving memory of a dear husband, father and grandfather on the 14th anniversary of his death. Always lovingly remembered by his wife Mary, sons David and Mark and their respective families. Lord, grant him eternal rest.
BEZZINA - LINA, a lovingly remembered and much missed mother and grandmother, on the seventh anniversary of her passing away to the Lord. Dearly loved and still sadly missed by her daughter Tanya, her husband John, grandchildren Matthew, Rachel and their families.
BONELLO - WILLIAM. Unfading memories of a beloved father on the 23rd anniversary of his demise. Tanya and Geoffrey, Moira and Martin.
BUSUTTIL - JOE. In loving memory of my beloved brother on the 10th anniversary of his passing away. Sadly missed by his only sister May, her husband Joe and children.
CACHIA ZAMMIT - MARIA BIANCA. Treasured memories of a beloved mother and grandmother on the 20th anniversary of her demise. May she rest in peace.
DEBATTISTA - ANTONIA. Cherished memories of a dear mother and grandmother on the 27th anniversary of her death. Always in our hearts, thoughts and prayers. Her daughter Antida and family.
DEBATTISTA - PAULINE. Fondly remembered on the 33rd anniversary of her death. Her sister Antida and family.
DEBONO - MAURICE C. In loving memory of our dear father on the third anniversary of his demise. Always fondly remembered by his sons Edward, Martin and David and their families. A Mass for the repose of his soul will be celebrated on December 27 at 10 a.m. at the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy, San Pawl tat-Tarġa. Lord, grant him eternal rest.
DEBONO - PAUL. Remembering with much love a dear brother who went to join the Risen Lord on Christmas Day 20 years ago. His sisters and family.
FALZON - HENRIETTA, 26.12.'88. Loving memories of our dear mother on the 21st anniversary of her demise. Always in our thoughts and prayers. Yvonne, Wilfrid, in-laws and their families.
FALZON - NATALE. In loving memory of our father on the 30th anniversary of his death. Fondly remembered by his children, in-laws and relatives.
FARRUGIA. In loving memory of NICHOLAS, a dear husband, father and grandfather, on the 20th anniversary of his death. Never forgotten by his wife Lucy, his children, in-laws, grandchildren, relatives and friends. A Mass for the repose of his soul will be said tomorrow at 8 a.m. at Our Lady of Mount Carmel parish church, Fleur-de-Lys, Birkirkara.
FENECH - ALBERT J. In ever loving memory of a dear father who departed this life on December 26, 1968. A Mass for the repose of his soul will be said on December 26 at 9.30 a.m. at St Patrick's chapel Sliema. Forever in my thoughts and prayers. His daughter Rosette.
FORMOSA - JOHN (Magistrate). Today is the 16th anniversary of his demise. Fondly remembered by his wife Lina, his daughters Betty and Margaret, their spouses and grandchildren. A prayer is solicited.
GATT - PETER GATT, A&CE. On the 16th anniversary of his death. A day sadly remembered by those he loved. Mabel, Matthew, Damian, Peter and their families.
GERADA-AZZOPARDI - IDA. In loving memory of my mother, tomorrow Christmas Day being the anniversary of her loss. Tomorrow's 10 a.m. Mass at Jesus of Nazareth parish church, Sliema, will be said in memory of Ida and Charles. The 11.30 a.m. Mass will be offered for the repose of the souls of Jean, my wife, and Eric, my brother. All fondly remembered by Joe.
MICALLEF - LINO, a devoted husband, father and granddad, on the 20th anniversary of his death. It broke our hearts to lose you, a million times we cried, we miss you so much. Sadly missed by his wife Connie, his children Henry, Marisa, Veronica, husband Arthur and grandchildren.
RICCI - MARIE, née German. Treasured and unfading memories of a beloved mother and grandmother, today the second anniversary of her demise. Sadly missed by her husband Gustav, children and families.
SAID - RENO. In loving memory of a dear father. Maurice and Mary Rose.
SAMUEL - HARRY. Cherished memories of a dear father and grandfather. His family.
THOMAS - NOEL, 24.12.'95. Treasured and unfading memories of a beloved son and brother. May God keep him always in the palm of His hands.
TUFIGNO - TESSIE. Always in our thoughts and prayers, especially Christmas Day being the eighth anniversary of her passing away. Lovingly remembered by her husband Benito and her children and respective families.
ZAMMIT. In loving memory of LOUIS on the fourth anniversary of his demise, 26.12.'05. Missed and never forgotten by his sister Melina and his nephews and nieces, Maria and Lawrence, Henrietta and Louis, Michael and Sandra, Stephen, Nathalie, Johanna and David.
Appreciation - Josette Leone Ganado
Austin Bencini writes:
Josette believed that when a life was taken away from her she would replace it with more and more love. She was very careful not to fall in the common mistake of blaming God for whatever was taken away from her. Which human being would have begrudged Josette cursing the God Who created her for taking away from her a brilliant husband in the first years of their marriage? Instead, she had a good hard look at the God Who created her using a remarkably discerning brain, which took nothing for granted and which drove her friends from student days to distraction in whichever argument she got herself into. She questioned hard the God Who created her, not prepared to accept any hairy-fairy myth invented to anaesthetise her pain. She was one not prepared to take prisoners when straight forward answers were requested to her brutally straight forward questions.
Her brain was strong enough to understand what most of us do not want to comprehend even if we have the brains to do so. The language of the God Who created her was that of uncompromising love to one's neighbour. Not hers, therefore, was the language of hate at God and, by consequence, at the fellow human beings created by God.
The solution she found to her quest was not in any logical argument. One evening, when she visited me and my wife, instead of continuing the discussion on the meaning of her life and the meaning of the life taken away from her, she looked hard at us with her big eyes full of the joy of living and said she was giving life all the love she could.
It did not take much to realise that Josette was once more on the move. Soon after she was married a second time to a kindred soul, Philip,and gave live to a family unit of three children from their union together with a daughter from her first marriage.
Yet, all this was not the end of her path to the God Who created her. Josette fell ill to a life-threatening illness. Had the time come to curse the God Who created her? No, because Josette firmly understood that a Hollywood happy ending is addressed only to the material world. She was determined to prove that the medicine of life lies in example. She used the head scarf as a symbol of life and not one of medical cure.
Once more, she understood the language of the God Who created her. She doubled her efforts in the innumerable worthy causes she was involved in, vividly recalled during the Mass for the repose of her soul by all who attended.
Yes, after managing to beat off a first bout of terminal illness, she faced a second and more lethal round of illness. Had the time finally come for her to curse the God Who created her? Absolutely not ! She had not travelled the long tortuous road of love to succumb at the last hurdle, was she? It would not have been Josette.
I am sure that there are so many who identify themselves with the difficulties which Josette faced so many times during her existence. I am sure that a number, after looking hard at the God Who created them, understood better the language of love.
Josette has taught all this to us. She has prepared us all so well to welcome lovingly among us He who created us, was born, suffered and died to love each and every one of us.
Extended hours
Catering establishments, nightclubs and discothecues can remain open until 4 a.m. tonight and on New Year's Eve, the Finance Ministry said yesterday.
The ministry said all obligations such premises had regarding playing amplified music remained unchanged and no inconvenience to neighbours was permitted. If they break the rules, legal action would be taken by the police without hesitation, the ministry warned.
Gozo ferries
The Gozo ferry service will be suspended on Christmas and New Year's Day between noon and 3 p.m. in order to allow crews to have lunch with their families.
The noon, 12.45 p.m., 1.30 p.m., and 2.15 p.m. trips from Mġarr and the 12.45 p.m., 1.30 p.m., 2.15 p.m. and 3 p.m. ferries from Ċirkewwa will not operate. The last trip from Mġarr will be at 11.15 a.m. and the last one from Ċirkewwa is scheduled for 12 noon. The service will resume at 3 p.m. from Mġarr to Ċirkewwa, and the first trip from Ċirkewwa to Mġarr will be at 3.45 p.m.
Traffic arrangements at Paceville
The police announced traffic arrangements at Paceville and its environs today and on New Year's Eve and said police will be patrolling the streets in the area to ensure order.
The police also appealed against drink-driving.
Arrangements concern entry and exit from Paceville and include parking restrictions.
Access to Paceville will be from Regional Road to Sant'Andrija and onto San Ġorġ streets (in the direction of the police station); from Regional Road to Sant'Andrija and Santu Wistin streets to St George's Bay, Dragonara Road and Il-Knisja Street; and from Pembroke to St George's Bay to Dragonara Road and Il-Knisja Street.
Exit from Paceville will be via San Ġorġ Street in the direction of the police station; Il-Knisja Street to Ross and San Ġorġ streets in the direction of the police station; Dragonara Road to Il-Knisja Street.
No parking will be allowed on both sides of Dragonara Road, Wilġa Street between San Ġorġ and Ball streets; the lower part of Church Street up to Dragonara Road; and on both sides of the Paceville bus terminus (part of Sant'Andrija Street) except for buses. Vehicles parked in those streets will be towed away.
The police said that streets in Swieqi namely Mrabat, is-Sirk, Lordes and l-Għarbiel streets and Swieqi tunnels in Santu Wistin Street as well as in Paceville namely Paceville Avenue corner with Ross Streets will be only accessible to residents and their guests on the presentation of their documents.
The police said that one can make use of parking facilities at the Luxol grounds where there will be a shuttle service to the Paceville centre during the night between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.
The police appealed to the public to avoid congestion by making use of buses, private coaches, taxis, minibuses and chauffeur-driven cars.