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.

On July 13, six members of a group of 17 from the MSSP Youth Foundation were 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 Giovann Tabone, president of the MSSP Foundation and leader of the group, prepared the youths for voluntary work with young children in the parish of St Catherine of Alexandria in Pagalanggang in Bataan, the Philippines, 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.

The group of young people from the MSSP Youth Foundation, who will be doing voluntary work in the Philippines, with members of the Catenian Association before the presentation of the Bursary Fund awards.

A mass was celebrated by Fr Bernard Falzon and Fr Tabone to bless and commemorate the missionary journey to the Philippines. Each member of the group was handed a cross to carry with them during their voluntary work.

Catenian provincial director Steve Fenech spoke briefly about the Catenian Association’s history and its presence through five groups of Catenians in Malta and another in Gozo. He said this was the second group of young people who were being funded for their voluntary work abroad.

The volunteers were each presented with a gold crucifix

A group of 16 youngsters from Xagħra were similarly assisted in their voluntary work in Guatemala at the beginning of July.

The youths, aged 16 to 25, and many of their families, attended a special mass at the Nativity of Our Lady church in Xagħra, before they left for their mission. 

During mass, organised by Mgr Richard Farrugia, the archpriest of Xagħra, the volunteers were each presented with a gold crucifix.

Also present were members of the Victoria-Gozo Circle led by its president, Reg Fitzpatrick, and Catenians from Malta. 

The Catenian Association Bursary Fund presents awards to young Catholics, aged 16 to 24, travelling anywhere at home or abroad on such missionary work.

In the past year alone, the Victoria-Gozo Circle received over €20,000 in awards from the UK to assist young Gozitans travelling to Guatemala on these missions.

After mass, Fitzpatrick, a resident of Xlendi for the past 20 years, presented a cheque of €500 to each of the 13 youths, for a total of €6,500, to assist with their travel expenses.

Another two groups will also be similarly assisted, with one group of 13 youngsters from Għarb going to Guatemala at the end of the month and another group of six university students going to Ethiopia and Egypt later this summer.