After the introduction in Malta of Mother's Day in 1961, which I had introduced during the children's programmes, there was a gap of many years before many appreciated that fathers also play an important role in the family. It was 16 years before I became aware of it.
Celebrating Father's Day in mainland Europe dates back to at least the Middle Ages and was observed on 19 March, the feast day of St Joseph. It was a feast in honour of the "father" of Jesus more than any other pater familias. This celebration was taken to the Americas by the Spanish and Portuguese. In Latin America, Father's Day is still celebrated on 19 March. Father's Day was not celebrated in the US, outside Catholic traditions, until the 20th century. As a civic celebration in the US, it was inaugurated in the early 20th century to complement Mother's Day by celebrating fathers and male parenting.
It was only during the latter part of the 20th century that Father's Day gained in popularity. As far as I am aware, it was never mentioned here and when I became aware of its introduction in many countries around the world, I felt I had to do something about it. No less than78 nations celebrate Father's Day on the third Sunday in June, though many others, for religious or political reasons, celebrate it on different days throughout the year.
After carrying out casual research, in an era well before the internet, I learnt that this day was gaining in popularity. I decided to do something about it and early in June 1977 (40 years ago), I started to refer to it in my daily children's programmes. Some children did in fact surprise their fathers by wishing them a good day and thanking them for what they had done for them.
I had also managed to persuade the radio and TV news to mention this day. For the next two years, I persisted with my efforts, but in 1979 I had stopped the programmes, mainly because TV had become more popular and also because I had been assigned managerial positions in local industry and could not concentrate on two different responsibilities. Nevertheless, I kept up my efforts. Progress was slow, especially as no specialised greeting cards were available.
Considering everything, I am proud of my efforts and the way this day has now been accepted as part of the local calendar. I encourage all families to treasure their parents. While the mother enjoys the full love and respect of her children, fathers work and strive, often without any special recognition. But the role of the fathers is an essential and important one, and all children should be grateful to them. Normally, the father is in the background, but most of them shoulder their responsibilities in silence and with great love for their children.
Frans H. Said