First Friday Mass
First Friday of every month sees members of the Maltese Association come together to hear Mass, usually held at the Chapel of Our Lady of the Victory in Valletta. First Friday in November coincided with the Feast of All Saints and Holy Mass was this month celebrated at the Palazzo Manresa, the Archbishop’s Curia in Floriana.
The place was erected by Fra Francesco Rosignoli, a Jesuit, as a Retreat House in 1743. Mass was celebrated in the chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Manresa built by the famous Renaissance Architect Carapecchia while the paintings are by the Order’s favourite painter Antoine Favray. The chapel holds the remain of Saint Calcedonius.
Monsignor Brendan Gatt, Principle Chaplain of the Association officiated Mass with the assistance of Monsignor Gatt, Monsignor Vella , Archpriest of Saint John’s Co-Cathedral, Monsignor Zammit McKeon and Canon Nicholas Doublet. The Maltese Association was led by its President, Dr Michael Grech, members of the Council, and a very large number of Members, old and young as well as several volunteers.
In his homily Monsignor Gatt emphasised that the Holy Saints we celebrate on this day were people like us and are among us. What was extra was their love for God. He was the centre of all their activities .
He urged those present to emulate them. At the end of Mass the President of the Association presented Certificates to two medical students, Mr Adriel Camilleri and Mr Andre’ Chetcuti Caruana, who gave service to Our Lords the Sick at this year’s pilgrimage to Lourdes.
NBS
Images of the event are available at the gallery below:
