Palm Sunday has a very special meaning leading up to Good Friday. On this day, two very commendable events were held to boost funds for Hospice Malta. Senglea nursery young footballers joined other teams from Cottonera in a football tournament in aid of Hospice. I would like to publicly acknowledge these youngsters’ efforts in fundraising for such a noble cause.
In some areas of Malta the Three Cities area is looked down upon. The action of these young people from the area who wear their hearts on their sleeves speaks louder than words. Senglea nursery, who themselves are in desperate need of funds, managed to identify other organisations who have a greater need. What a fantastic attitude which will surely benefit these youngsters greatly in their future life.
The second event was presented by the Salesians Community at the unique and beautiful church of Our Lady of Porto Salvo, where the Soċjeta Filarmonika La Vincitrice gave a concert of sacred music. This is the third year that this concert in aid of Hospice has been held. The occasion was to commemorate 70 years from the death of Mgr Ġużeppi Bonanno 1882-1942, a Senglean through and through. The programme was most varied under the baton of Senglean Brian Cassar and included many well known pieces: my favourite was In a Monastery Garden, a truly moving presentation indeed.
Mgr Bonanno was known as a friend and benefactor to the poor. He was born into a very rich family with very high morals.
He later was to become the parish priest of Senglea as well as being instrumental in setting up a number of Church children’s homes, many of which he actually paid for out of his own pocket. To this day there are still two very large buildings in Victory Street, Senglea which he and his family bequeathed for the use of youngsters of the area.
At the end there was a retiring collection which, once it’s added to the money raised from the football tournament, will go some little way towards helping with the great expense of the daily running of all free services provided by Hospice Malta.