Maltese Association’s 60th Anniversary – Feast of Blessed Gerard
The celebration of the 60th Anniversary of the Maltese Association was held on Sunday, the 12th of October at Saint John’s Co-Cathedral. The Feast of the Founder of the Order, Blessed Gerard, was also celebrated on the same day.
Members of the Association, Knights’, and Dames, guided by Christopher Cassar Torregiani, Master of Ceremonies, filed out of the Oratory behind the standard of the Order and took their seats in order of seniority, with the Council, led by its President, Dr Michael Grech, taking their places on the benches in front of the altar. The Choir of Saint John animated the proceedings throughout the celebration.
Mass was celebrated by Monsignor Brendan Gatt, Principal Chaplain of the Association, assisted by Monsignor Carmel Paul Vella, Rector of Saint John’s Co-Cathedral, and several members of the clergy, most of whom are Conventual Chaplains of the Order.
Two previous Presidents of the Association, Dr Alfred Caruna Galizia and Marchesino Daniel de Petri Testferrata, read the two readings and the responsorial psalm, while the Biddings prayers were read by the Secretary General, Marchesino Josef Formosa Gauci.
In his homily, Monsignor Gatt used the message of gratitude found in the day’s Gospel, to ask God to bless all those members of the Association who had passed away as well as invited those present to renew their commitment within the charisms of the Order, the ‘ tuitio fidei’ and ‘ obsequium pauperum’.
Four Donats, Dr Noel Buttigieg Scicluna, Mr Andre Cauchi, Ms Greta Gatt and Ms Nicky Aquilina took up the offerings.
At the end of Mass, the President read the Prayer of the Order, on that occasion taking special meaning for all those present celebrating a special birthday of their Association.
A Gala Dinner will also be held in December, to celebrate this anniversary.
Attending this special day were members from the American Association.
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More photos are available here:
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