Sr Pasqualina Attard, FSJSr Pasqualina Attard was born and baptised with the name of Ċensa – after her maternal grandfather Ċensu Fenech (originally from Ħamrun) – on October 17, 1944.
She was the first child and eldest daughter of Baskal Attard (ta’ Kunċetta) and Maria Dolores Fenech (tal-Biskuttelli) at 22, Trejqet Ġan Piet Agius de Soldanis in Victoria, just across from the Convent of the Franciscan Sister of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Palm Street. The Attards moved from this house to 86, Vajrinġa Street, only after the birth of their second child Joseph (my father) who was born in 1946.
Ċensa hailed from a religious family. Her father’s uncle was the late Mgr Tarċisju Gatt (1912-1966), while her mother was the niece of the late Fra Filippu Fenech, OSA (1902-1977), who was known simply as Fra Lipp (he chose the name of Filippu after his grandfather Filippu Fenech who hailed from Żebbuġ).
Since she was young, Ċensa was attracted to the religious life; the fact that she lived across from the convent must have made it easier for her to join the Franciscan Sisters of Madre Margherita Debrincat.
She entered religious life in 1964. She received her ‘vestizzjoni’ on December 15, 1965, and she made her simple vows on August 3, 1967. She made her solemn vows on September 17, 1972, feast of the Stigmata of the Seraphic Patriarch St Francis of Assisi.
In her group, there was also Sr Marċellina Tabone (ta’ Gerit), who died tragically in Pakistan in 1997 and whom many consider a martyr of the faith. Sr Pasqualina remained a member of the community at the Casa Madre in Palm Street until July 4, 1979, when she was sent as superior of the community in Xagħra, in the convent next to the church of Gesù Nazzarenu. She remained there until September 25, 1988, when she was sent to Nadur where she also in charge of the community there.
Her time in Nadur came to an end on April 23, 2022, when, for health reasons, she was transferred to the Casa Madre where she remained until last December 14, when she was hospitalised.
On November 13, 2022, the Nadur local council honoured the Franciscan Community of Nadur with Ġieħ in-Nadur as they celebrated the centenary of their presence in the community, aptly commemorated by a publication researched and written by historian Mgr Joseph Bezzina.
Sr Pasqualina breathed her last on December 24 – Christmas Eve – at about 4.30pm, accompanied by one her nephews, Francesco Pio Attard. She bore the name of the Resurrection of the Lord – Pasqualina, a name that evoked her dear father Pasquale (Baskal) – and died on the eve of the birth of her beloved spouse.
She used to tell me how, since her formative years back in the 1960s, she was diagnosed with progressive osteoporosis. This condition worsened in recent years, making it difficult for her to breathe, which even affected her speech. I have no doubt she suffered a lot of pain in silence, but she hardly complained. She was happy to see us – her family – happy and content. She will be sorely missed.
Her funeral took place at the conventual church of Our Lady Queen of the Sacred Heart in Palm Street, Victoria, on Friday. Her cousin Rev. Fabio Attard, SDB preached the homily during the funerary mass.
Requiescat in pace.