The Catenian Association's Bursary Fund has awarded a total of €22,000 so far this year to young people in Malta and Gozo who are doing voluntary missionary work in Guatemala, the Philippines, Egypt and Ethiopia.
Six members of a group of 17 from the MSSP Youth Foundation were recently awarded a total of €3,000 to help them carry out voluntary work in the Philippines this summer.
The cheques were presented at a special event held at the MSSP Oratory chapel in Birkirkara, which was also attended by members of the local community.
Fr Giovan Tabone, president of the MSSP Foundation and leader of the group, prepared this group for voluntary work with young children in the parish of St Catherine of Alexandria in Pagalanggang in Bataan, run by the Missionary Society of St Paul, and among the informal settlers occupying the lower part of 13th Street, where the MSSP house of formation is located.
A mass was celebrated by Fr Bernard Falzon and Fr Tabone to bless the missionary journey to the Philippines and each member of the group was handed a cross to carry with them during their voluntary work.
Catenian Provincial director Steve Fenech then spoke briefly about the Catenian Association's history and its presence in Malta through five groups of Catenians and another one in Gozo. He said that this was the second group of young people who are being funded for their voluntary work abroad. A group of 16 youngsters from Xaghra were similarly assisted in their voluntary work in Guatemala.
The Xaghra youths aged 16 to 25, together with family members, attended a special mass celebrated by archpriest Mgr Richard Farrugia at the Nativity of Our Lady church in Xaghra. The group, who will be spending almost a month on this project, were each presented with a gold crucifix. Also present were members of Victoria-Gozo Circle led by its president, Reg Fitzpatrick and other Catenians from Malta.
The Catenian Association Bursary Fund makes awards to young Catholics, aged 16 to 24, travelling anywhere at home or abroad on such missionary work. In this last year alone Victoria-Gozo Circle has obtained over €20,000 in awards from the UK Catenian Head office to assist young Gozitans travelling to Guatemala on these missions.
After the mass, Fitzpatrick, a resident of 20 years in Xlendi, presented a cheque for €500 to each of the 13 youths, for a total of €6,500, to assist with their travel expenses.
Another two groups have also been similarly assisted with one group of 13 youngsters from Gharb going to Guatemala and another group of six University students going to Ethiopia and Egypt this summer.
For more information contact George Portelli via email on: [email protected] or by phone on 7900 8936.