Updated 8.10pm with details on the Caritas lunch.

It was a busy Christmas Day for Caritas and Soup Kitchen OFM Valletta, which between them welcomed over 650 people for lunch. 

Monday saw around 500 people head for the Archbishop's Curia in Floriana for a meal of soup, roasted turkey and desserts hosted by Caritas Malta, while over 150 people turned up for lunch at Soup Kitchen OFM Valletta. 

Both organisations reported a successful and fulfilling day — for both guests and volunteers.  

“The feel-good factor was very high,” said Caritas Malta spokesperson Marica Cassar, while OFM founder Franciscan friar Marcellino Micallef called the day’s work a “great joy.”  

Archbishop Charles Scicluna greets those who turned up for the Caritas lunch. Caritas photo.

Soup kitchen volunteer Joanne Yilmaz said it was "very nice to see the appreciation of people who maybe are lonely and would have been alone today. When you give, you receive more back... it was a very nice experience.” 

This was her third time helping at the soup kitchen in Valletta, but her husband Atakan volunteers up to five times per week.  

“Very good food, with different types of food served every day, and friendly service,” he said of the kitchen. And although a Muslim, Atakan doesn’t see any conflict with volunteering at a Catholic Franciscan-run centre: “Same God,” he said simply.   

This year saw the soup kitchen’s Chef Jean-Pierre Micallef prepare a meal of lasagne, roasted turkey, potatoes and vegetables, and fruit-topped sweet pastries for dessert, served up by a team of enthusiastic and smiling volunteers. 

Many requests from people wishing to volunteer

In fact, both Caritas and the soup kitchen said they had received so many requests from people wanting to volunteer they had even had to turn some people away. 

Volunteers preparing to serve tea to Caritas lunch attendees at the Archbishop's Curia. Photo: Caritas.

And in addition to the team of volunteers on hand at the Archbishop’s Curia, Caritas also received help from members of its Prison Inmates Programme, which allows prisoners with drug abuse problems to spend the last 10 months of their sentence in rehabilitation with the organisation. The Caritas meals were provided by the Alfred Mizzi Foundation with dessert provided by the President's Office.

According to Cassar, they too had a positive experience helping with Christmas lunch: “It was good to see them having a good time serving guests,” she said.  

Why do people come for lunch? 

While, according to Fr Marcellino, many of those seeking help at Soup Kitchen OFM are homeless or struggling with mental health issues, Caritas told Times of Malta most of its visitors had turned up because of loneliness.  

Calling it a “growing problem,” Cassar said Caritas had been forced to stop promoting the Christmas Day lunch because it had been “inundated” with requests, with even some volunteers offering their time because of loneliness.  

And according to a study last year from the Faculty of Social Wellbeing, more than half of the Maltese struggle with feelings of loneliness. 

Meanwhile, Fr Marcellino explained the Valletta soup kitchen provides a safe space for people to find food, emotional support and, in some cases, a job.    

One young Columbian woman who asked not to be named explained that she had struggled for months to find employment before asking for help.    

“I went all around Malta looking for work but had no luck. Then Father Marcellino helped me and now I have a job. My life changed when I visited the soup kitchen,” she said.    

Gifts 

Those visiting the soup kitchen on Christmas Day were also given a gift bag containing food items such as rice and canned goods and a card made by primary school children.   

One such card written by Mikhail from St Margaret College in Żabbar read: “The gift of love, the gift of peace, the gift of happiness, may all these be yours at Christmas.” 

And earlier this month, the kitchen received a helping hand from ultrarunner Stephen Sammut Nurminen, whose 24-hour run around the university track in Msida led to the donation of 1,600 meals.  

“He’s unique, I have only words of gratitude for him,” Fr Marcellino said of the athlete.…

Calling the day’s work a “great joy,” Father Marcellino said the soup kitchen had welcomed people from across the country on Christmas Day. 

“It’s a moment of peace, joy and gratitude... thank you Malta, thank you all of you”, he said.