In the year in which Pope Benedict XI dedicated to the priesthood, our thoughts go to the local priests whose pastoral love has made or is still making a difference in the life of so many people.
Incidentally, Id-Dar tal-Providenza is this year commemorating the 100th anniversary of the birth of its founder, the late Dun Mikiel Azzopardi.
The theme chosen to commemorate this special occasion, ‘Dun Mikiel, il-habib ta’ kulhadd’, (Dun Mikiel, everybody’s friend) says it all. Dun Mikiel’s inclusive pastoral love knew no boundaries. He never chose whom to serve. He served with an undivided heart. It is therefore quite appropriate that during this year dedicated to the priesthood, we stop to appreciate and witness the life of priests who, like Dun Mikiel, inspired by the gospel, served God and his people with great love, generosity and dedication.
Dun Mikiel will remain synonymous with his active involvement within the Maltese Catholic Action, the education sector and the media, but most of all in the field of disability, not only because he founded id-Dar tal-Providenza, the first residential home for people with disability, but also for inviting us to look positively at these persons.
It was on Sunday, 12 September 1965, when during a radio station programme, Dun Mikiel announced his deep desire to build a home for people with disability who for one reason or another could not remain living with their natural family. Soon after his programme ended, a generous young lady who heard him on the radio went straight to meet him and gave him a donation of Lm100 which she had saved for a holiday to allow him to start realising his dream. Dun Mikiel used to say that from that very day, those Lm100 multiplied like those five loaves and two fish with which Jesus fed the large crowd that was listening to him.
Today, Id-Dar Tal-Providenza comprises four homes: Villa Monsinjur Gonzi, Villa Papa Giovanni, Villa Papa Luciani and Dar Zerniq, a small home in Siggiewi. Id-Dar tal-Providenza also offers respite services to support families with persons with disability, so as to let them live within their natural family environment.
Dun Mikiel promoted a concept of value, respect and dignity towards persons with disability, concepts which helped persons with disability in Malta to be in a better position not only to have equal opportunities but also to give their valid contribution to Maltese society. Dun Mikiel confessed that this struggle was not an easy one considering the negative mentality towards persons with disability at that time. But filled with an astonishing sense of justice, Dun Mikiel was determined to support people with disability in order for them to be treated equally and with dignity.
Dun Mikiel was fully aware that the greatest obstacle for equal treatment of persons with disability was the people’s negative attitude as well as conscious or unconscious attitudes which are unjustly imposed on them. Unfortunately, although great progress has been achieved, persons with disability are still facing obstacles which exclude them from full access and participation due to the negative and insensitive attitude of others. The need to educate our society to have a positive attitude towards persons with disability remains an urgent priority.
To take up this challenge, we all need to listen to persons with disability and their families. They are the people who can say best what is hindering their inclusion in society and the Church so that the necessary possible actions can be taken to eliminate all physical obstacles and negative attitudes. It is only by listening to them and their families that one can find the best solution to their real needs.
To acknowledge the dignity and positive contributions of people with disability we should also defend the right to life and thus reject the culture of death. We should unequivocally oppose negative attitudes towards disability which often lead to abortion, medical rationing and euthanasia.
Defence of the right to life implies the defence of all other rights which enable the individual with the disability to achieve the fullest measure of personal development of which he or she is capable. This includes the right to equal opportunity in education, employment, entertainment, housing and health care, as well as the right to free access to public accommodations, facilities and services. We should also give full support to families of persons with disability so that they can continue giving all the support these people require. Those people who notwithstanding this support need a temporary or permanent residential service should have personalised and decent attention together with all the necessary support and services from the community.
Mgr Azzopardi had a great love for the Virgin Mary. He left his masterpiece, i.e. id-Dar tal-Providenza, in Her hands. Incidentally, the first Lm100 were given to him on the day of the Feast of Our Lady of Providence. It was on 11 February, the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes that the first three persons with disability took up residence at id-Dar tal-Providenza and it was on the 13th May , Feast of Our Lady of Pompei, that he was called to join Our Lord the Saviour and the Holy Mary in Heaven. Therefore on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of his birth we pray to Our Lady of Divine Providence to grant us the possibility to continue what Mgr Mikiel Azzopardi started doing back in 1965.
May Dun Mikiel’s example be an encouragement to us all to continue building together a society which is truly human, founded on welcome and respect for all, and to give witness that every person is of a unique and sacred value with the same dignity and human rights.