Celebrations marking the first centenary of the foundation of the parish of Christ the King at Paola end this week.

Over the past 12 months, the Paolites have been actively participating in a very intense programme of celebrations, which included liturgical functions, spiritual formation courses and meetings, social and cultural events.

Highlights of the celebrations include the publication of a book entitled Paola – 5,000 Years Of History, 100 Years Of A Parish, written by Alfred Ellul Galea, the performance of an original oratorio with text by Oliver Friggieri and music by Dion Buhagiar, at St John’s Co-Cathedral, Valletta, an exhibition organised in conjuction with Heritage Malta, which saw some unique exhibits being made available for public viewing for the first time , five concerts of sacred music by various choirs and orchestras and the production of a documentary covering the history of the locality and the parish.

The liturgical function marking the foundation day of the parish was a Mass concelebrated by Archbishop Paul Cremona together with six other Maltese bishops, a first for the parish of Christ the King and probably for Malta. Other liturgical functions during the year were celebrated or presided over by Apostolic Nuncio Tommaso Caputo, Archbishop Emeritus Joseph Mercieca, the late Bishop Emeritus of Gozo Nikol Cauchi, Gozo Bishop Mario Grech and the AuxiliaryBishop of Tirana – Durres in Albania, Mgr George Frendo.

A valid contribution to the celebrations was made by the two Paola band clubs, the G.M. Fra Antoine de Paule Musical Society, Banda Kristu Re and the Kristu Sultan Musical Society, Banda Paola.

The Paola local council organised a civic event on the day marking the anniversary of the laying of the foundation stone of the new parish church and also contributed part of the expenses involved in the publishing of the book, which was distributed to all households in the locality.

All these events were marking the history of a parish which goes back to July 12, 1910 when Bishop Pietru Pace formally approved the foundation of the parish at Paola dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Even before the early days of the 20th century, the Paolites were already asking for the Church of St Ubaldesca – which was built by Grand Master Fra Antoine de Paule in 1630 as a small chapel but extended later to meet the growing pastoral needs of the ever increasing population – and they petitioned the ecclesiastical authorities at the time to have Casal Paola declared a parish. In fact, months before the issuing of an official document marking the foundation of the parish, the Paolites were already experiencing a joyful feeling when, on October 26, 1909, the delineations of the parish of Tarxien by its parish priest Fr Feliċ Franġisk Attard were approved. This was a clear sign the time for the granting of the wish of the Paolites was fast approaching.

This joyful feeling increased when, in August 1910, Fr Salv Chircop was appointed the first parish priest of the parish dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Fr Chircop was well known and much admired for his pastoral work in a number of towns and villages and his installation as parish priest was very well received by the parishioners and fostered a sense of unity among them.

In September 1910, the artistic statue of St Ubaldesca, a work of art by Carlo Darmanin, was taken out in a procession around the streets of the new parish accompanied by the newly set-up band G.M. Fra Antoine de Paule.

In 1925, Pope Pius XI, in his encyclical Quas Pimas, founded the liturgical feast of Christ the King and the Paolites expressed their wish that the new parish church, which was still under construction, should be dedicated to Christ the King. Seven years later, in 1932, the marble statue of Christ the King arrived from Rome and replaced the statue of the Sacred Heart on the altar of the Blessed Sacrament. This sealed the dedication of the parish to Christ the King

It was thus very appropriate these events should be marked by a year of celebrations, which started on the liturgical feast of Christ the King in November 2009 and will end with the celebration of the diocesian manifestation in honour of Christ the King led by Archbishop Cremona on Sunday.

The motto chosen for this centenary year was: We Grow, Renew And Strengthen Ourselves In Christ.

Parish priest Fr Vincent Cachia, who, besides presiding over the organising committee responsible for the celebrations, was also seeing to a major structural maintenance and embellishment project of the parish church itself, said: “We ensured that in every activity that was organised, no one would be left out, neither organisations nor individuals, so these celebrations will leave a legacy of unity and understanding among the community of Paola, as befits these Christian celebrations.

“I think, and this is the feeling of many, that our aims have been achieved and this is a great gift from the Lord, which, I hope, shall continue to bear fruit in many years to come”.

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