The recent correspondence regarding the Paola parish church has prompted me to write an appreciation.

Without in any way diminishing the work and efforts of all those who came before and after them I would say that the times Fr Frangisk Xuereb and Fr Adolph Agius (later both monsignors) served as parish priests merit a special mention.

They continued the building of the church immediately after the war and they did a very good job. My family went to live in Paola in 1946 and I clearly remember the half-built building at the time. The ceiling was made of corrugated sheets and rainwater would seep into the church. The floor was layered with concrete.

The contribution of the priests towards this church and the faithful was both spiritual and financial, and with the help of volunteers made the church what it is today.

The dedication and the consecration of the church’s set of bells by Archbishop Michael Gonzi on January 3, 1960, remain a landmark of that period.

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