A portrait of Mgr Mikiel Azzopardi displayed at Dar tal-Providenza, which he founded in 1965.

The beatification process of Monsignor Mikiel Azzopardi, the founder of Dar tal-Providenza, could soon start, now that the Archbishop has declared he will request that the Vatican look into the matter.

Archbishop Charles Scicluna called on the director of the Siġġiewi home, which offers support for people with severe disabilities, to set the ball rolling to beatify Mgr Azzopardi by writing a formal request.

Mgr Scicluna made the request during a speech on Wednesday, when he visited the home on the occasion of the anniversary of the death of Mgr Azzopardi.

With the official beatification request in hand, Mgr Scicluna said he will be able to forward the request to the Vatican to start the process of investigation to determine whether Mgr Azzopardi was worthy of consideration.

If approved, he would earn the title of ‘venerable’.

I was so impressed as I watched him retrieving one envelope after another”

To be beatified – a step closer to sainthood – it would have to be proven that one miracle occurred as a result of Mgr Azzopardi’s intercession. If this is proven, the next move would be to canonise him a saint – which requires a second miracle – although the Pope could waive this requirement.

When contacted, the Siġġiewi home director, Fr Martin Micallef, said the idea of Mgr Azzopardi’s beatification had long been brewing in his mind. “But when the Archbishop mentioned it, it was encouraging to know we have his backing,” Fr Micallef said.

Asked if he was aware of any miracles attributed to Mgr Azzopardi he said there had been several reports over the years. While he could not recall examples, he said the annotations of these reports would now be investigated further.

Mgr Azzopardi was born in Valletta in 1910 and ordained a priest at the Mdina Cathedral in 1934.

After the war he started his mission by founding the Malta Catholic Action. In 1965 he set up Id-Dar tal-Providenza to offer residential services to persons with disabilities who could not continue living with their natural family. Mgr Azzopardi died on May 13, 1987, aged 77.

Since then Dar tal-Providenza has continued to expand its services. This includes respite services for families of people with disabilities.

The home needs almost €4 million every year to get by and depends almost exclusively on the people’s generosity – something that Mgr Azzopardi strongly believed in. In an article posted on the Dar tal-Providenza website, Mgr Azzopardi’s nephew Tonio Azzopardi wrote: “Dun Mikiel used to attend social occasions to be presented with donations day in, day out.

“I was so impressed as I watched him retrieving one envelope after another... with sums of money, big and small, that people of all backgrounds used to donate for the project. Divine Providence at work – as Dun Mikiel used to tell us.”