In the heart of the parish of Tarxien, the Sisters of Charity of St Jeanne Antide Thouret have opened a drop-in centre for anyone needing support in a quiet, calm and welcoming atmosphere. Named Antide Centre for St Jeanne Antide Thouret, the indomitable French foundress of the Sisters of Charity, the centre is one of the services of the St Jeanne Antide Foundation open to families from Tarxien and neighbouring parishes.
At the official opening on Thursday, Archbishop Mgr Paul Cremona OP blessed the premises and thanked the Sisters of Charity for having inspired this initiative of loving-kindness despite the lack of vocations for the consecrated life of a nun. The Archbishop told the gathering of 150 service users, nuns, volunteers and guests: “It gives me pleasure to know that this initiative is driven by the Sisters of Charity. To me this signifies that you are not stuck in an anonymous, consecrated, religious life lacking the sure timbre of charity. Thank God that you remembered the early beginnings of your congregation and the charism of your foundress – charity.”
Archbishop Cremona referred to the 55 volunteers active within the St Jeanne Antide Foundation as the “heart” of the organisation and went on to say that it is important that the heart be guided by professionals so that its expression gives dignity and love to persons and families in difficulty. The Archbishop encouraged the Foundation to encourage and nurture volunteering among youths because they too have much to give to society.
Referring to the Sisters of Charity’s decision to re-structure the St Jeanne Antide Welfare Campaign which Sr Salvina Bezzina soc, the Superior Provincial, had earlier described, Archbishop Cremona said that “the Malta Province of the Sisters of Charity was very courageous in taking this decision. It is often the case that someone starts something and it fizzles out with their departure. Thank you for being courageous enough to adopt what Sister Laura started into a new structure capable of taking the initiative forward.”
Archbishop Cremona also presented certificates to youths who completed the Foundation’s Bridge Programme at the Antide Centre – a programme that offers basic skills training to youths in difficulty so that, they too, find it possible to integrate in society.
In a quaint garden packed with stakeholders and guests Sr Salvina Bezzina soc, the Superior Provincial and Chairperson of the Foundation’s Board of Governors, spoke about the mission and aims of the Foundation and explained that the sisters had allocated the best part of their provincial house for the Foundation’s use. She also highlighted the collaborative spirit that is engendered by sisters and lay persons working side by side to reach out and work with vulnerable families.
Nora Macell, CEO of the Foundation, explained the process through which the Foundation identifies unmet needs through research and dialogue with parish priests, pastoral workers and practitioners and how the organisation develops collaborative responses at grassroots level. She also described the Foundation’s services and thanked the NGO Project Selection Committee within the Ministry for Social Policy for the financial backing that made it possible for the Foundation to open the Antide drop-in centre.