The Malta Independent 19 February 2025, Wednesday
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TMID Editorial: The Church’s generous gesture

Thursday, 11 July 2024, 14:10 Last update: about 8 months ago

Good news is many times not given the importance it deserves.

On too many occasions, when something positive takes place, it is quickly overcome by other pieces of information that speak of scandals, disasters and other problems in our society. The media, often, plays an unfortunate part in this in the sense that it is always at the ready with “negative” headlines, and not so much prepared to push the “positive” news.

And so one important “positive” news item did not get as much exposure as it merited. With all that continues to happen in this blessed country of ours – and elsewhere around the world – this particular news items did not make it to the front pages, and its presence in the internet world was quickly lost as other news stories were uploaded.

The news item we are referring to took place on 5 July, when it was announced that Dar Saura in Rabat will be converted into an empowerment hub for children and young people with disabilities after the Archdiocese of Malta generously handed over the multimillion-euro property to The Malta Trust Foundation for 65 years.

The foundation is administering a centre for music and the arts, Villabianca, which opened its doors in Santa Venera in November 2021 but which quickly became too small to cater for the demand. The centre has grown so much that there is now a waiting list of 250 children. When, in two years’ time the empowerment hub will be opened after an extensive restoration and upgrading programme, will provide space for 500 children who will explore the therapeutic power of music, dance and the arts.

A beaming archbishop Mgr Charles Scicluna was pictured alongside President Emeritus Marie Louis Coleiro Preca as she proudly showed the keys to the building which for many years served as a home for the elderly, but which now will “come to life with youngsters’ laughter and music,” as a statement issued by the Curia said on the day.

It was described as an “altruistic” move by the Church and, as Mgr Scicluna said at the event, “the best use of Church property is when it is destined for a social purpose, especially to help those who need the most support”.

He was echoed by Coleiro Preca, who said that her dream is for every child in our country, whatever their abilities, to find access to the support needed to reach their full potential. Organisations like the ones being led by Coleiro Preca are doing excellent work among the needy, filling in the gaps to sustain what the State does to assist people in difficulty.

The Curia’s gesture must be commended, and it must be pointed out that this is the second property that the Church has handed over to an NGO after the Adelaide Cini Institute was passed on to Hospice Malta in 2019. The building is being converted into the first state-of-the-art complex providing comprehensive palliative care, a project which is nearing completion.

Our suggestion is that, while the Church should continue to do its utmost and, where possible, use its property for the benefit of society as a whole, others – private individuals and companies – should follow in the Church’s footsteps. There are so many neglected and abandoned properties around the island which, with a little effort and goodwill, could also be used for social purposes.

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