On 3 July of this year we commemorate the 91st anniversary since the death of Mgr Enrico Dandria in 1932 as well as 100 years since he became Minister of Education in 1923. Mgr Dandria was not only a virtuous and exemplary priest but also a politician, educator and a fervent patriot.
He was born in Valletta on 14 June 1892, son of Alfredo Dandria and Raphaela Savona. He was the third born in a family of 13, eight sons and five daughters. At a tender age he began attending St Mary School and eventually the Istituto San Paolo founded by his grandfather and political activist Sigismondo Savona. He eventually enrolled at the University of Malta where he graduated in Canon Law and Theology.
He would then get his Doctorate in Philosophy from the Gregorian University in Rome. Despite the wish of Vatican diplomats to keep him in Rome, Dandria would return to Malta as he had promised his Bishop Mauro Caruana that he would dedicate a lot of work to helping the local youth.
Dandria became ordained a priest on 18 September 1915 and celebrated his first mass at the Church of St James in Valletta.
In November of 1920 he helped found the Gioventu Cattolica, a circolo which is still active to this day and which throughout its history has done a great deal of good materially as well as spiritually. Another important event during his time working with the youth was when Bishop Caruana asked him to establish the Federazzjoni tal-Għaqdiet tal-Ġuvintur Kattoliċi (Federation of Catholic Youth Groups). Mgr Dandria also laid the foundations upon which the Azzjoni Kattolika (Catholic Action) was founded.
As an educator, Dandria used to give free lessons to children who were not well-off. He also went on to teach at the Seminary. He was also a member of the educational committee which had the role of giving both the British and later local government advice regarding the education system. He held this position until in 1923 he became Minister of Education. During his time as minister, 10 new schools were constructed. Schools closed by the colonial government were re-opened besides the renovation of a number of houses which were being used as schools. This expansion of the school system helped greatly to decrease the overcrowding which was occurring. It was during this time also that Dandria, as Education Minister, passed a law decreeing that students who had already started attending school were obliged to finish their respective courses. This is what is known as the Compulsory Attendance Act. Teachers were also given a salary rise as well as being offered special courses for those who wished to improve their teaching skills.
When the Assemblea Nazzjonali (National Assembly) was founded, which had the aim of achieving a constitution for colonial Malta, there was a call for all Maltese groups to take an active part in it. Dandria represented the group Għaqda Foedus and he used to be very active in the Assemblea. We know that Mgr Dandria was also present during the 7 Giugno revolts during which a number of Maltese patriots were shot and killed by the British. While the majority of the people in the Assemblea were not up to controlling the crowd in the streets, Dandria went to the court building where the British authorities were in order to discuss with them. At one point, Dandria found himself between British armed soldiers and an angry crowd and, despite the apparent dangers he found himself in, managed to courageously calm down the people in the streets. After the 1921 Constitution, Mgr Dandria remained politically active within the Unione Politica Maltese party, led by Mgr Panzavecchia and various other priests. He remained with the Unione even after it merged with Enrico Mizzi's Partito Democratico Nazionalista to become the contemporary Nationalist Party in 1926.
The 1932 election was held two years overdue due to the suspension of the constitution by the British. A year prior, Dandria had gone to England in order to explain to both the British government as well as the press the situation in Malta. It was there that he wrote the short book The Malta Crisis. A few months later, Malta was given back its constitution and the election was held in 1932.
Despite evident sickness, in May of 1932, Mgr Dandria took part in a mass rally at Żurrieq, which would be his last. Shortly after the meeting ended, Dandria was taken home and a few days later to Italy for treatment. He came back to Malta from Bagheria following a Nationalist electoral victory and was sworn in as Education Minister. Unfortunately, Mgr Dandria would not fulfil his role for this legislature as on 3 July 1932 his soul would meet its maker. His testament prior to his death was said to have been: "I think that all which I had to do I have done...I hope that I fulfilled all my duties... I did all that I could for my religion and my country."
Mgr Dandria was truly a priest of God and servant of his homeland. He understood that he could not be a good priest without also being a good patriot. His pastoral work as a priest was remarkable, and on the political horizon, there is yet to be seen a priest of Christ and of the patria who can be called his successor. It is sad to see the stark contrast between politicians of the calibre of Mgr Dandria and today's mediocre crop who we have elected. May Dandria serve as a point of reference for future politicians as well as priests who genuinely have at heart the Catholic faith and love of the patria.