More than a month has gone by since at Ħamrun we celebrated with the usual pomp the feast of our town’s patron saint, St Cajetan of Thiene. Many refer to our feast as a big feast, others say it’s a noisy and bubbly feast, while others dare say that it’s a feast during which one might expect some kind of riot or fights. I fully agree with the first two but beg to differ with the last one. This year, together with the previous years, proved me more than right.
On the part of our society this year’s was truly a big and very well organised feast. This thanks to the full support of all my fellow members forming part of the executive committee, as well as those forming part of the Band Commission, the Youth Commission, the Social Activities Commission and the Ladies’ Commission. Many have pronounced that the participation of the club’s members and admirers during the full week of various activities organised by our society was truly impressive. We saw a huge increase in the number of people who chose to celebrate with us during this year’s feast.
During the Friday’s VIP reception held in honour of all the members of our society, the parish clergy, members of other social, political and band clubs at Ħamrun, other distinguished guests and benefactors, besides various contributions from various members of Parliament and other benefactors, our club received two sentimental donations which will be cherished forever on our premises. The first donation was a golden ring belonging to the late Victor Tedesco, one of our town’s patriots bearing his initials, which is now kept in the hall dedicated to him. A very big word of thanks to his wife Josephine Tedesco who honoured us with her presence together with her children Louise and Patricia.
Another donation was that presented by the family of the late Maesto Willie Attard, our club’s second bandmaster who composed the immortal hymn in honour of St Cajetan. His children Mro Anthony Attard, our club’s honorary president, Emidio Attard, Doris Mallia, Agnes Aquilina and Josephine Portelli presented the club with the prestigious piano on which their father composed all his music, as well as with the pen and ink pod with which he used to compose this same music, his birth certificate, a framed photo of their father and a framed certificate to commemorate this donation.
All these donations were greatly appreciated not only by the club’s members but also by the public who made their way through the halls of our club to admire all the club’s memoires during the week of celebrations.
I feel it is my duty to publicly thank the parish priest, Fr Henry Balzan, the Assistant Commissioner of Police and superintendent Charles Magri, who worked diligently so that we could celebrate a big feast with no tension or troubles whatsoever. Thanks also go to the president, general secretary and officials of St Cajetan’s Band Club, all our benefactors and all those members and admirers who participated and gave their support towards this year’s big feast success.
The tremendous enthusiasm shown not only during the feast’s celebration but during the six activities already held by our club’s various commissions after this feast fills us all with great courage and determination to go on working to increase our club’s glories, even more now that we are nearing the celebrations to mark the 125th anniversary of its foundation, in 2014. Thank you all very much and keep it up!