A discreet group of nine nuns, who tend to sick priests and religious people without much fuss, have been awarded for their commitment to the elderly – although they still cannot figure out why.
Mother Superior Sr Maria Falzon, from the Qaddejja taċ-Ċenaklu, said the voluntary group of consecrated women did not expect to win the Nazzareno Vassallo Award 2023.
“There are so many others who do good in society,” she insisted. “I sincerely do not know why they honed in on us; we are not special.”
The NV Award, organised by Vassallo Group and CareMalta, honours the achievements of individuals and organisations whose initiatives improve the lives of older people.
There are so many others who do good in society- Mother Superior Sr Maria Falzon
For 60 years, the low-key group of nuns, the Qaddejja taċ-Ċenaklu at the Dar tal-Kleru, in Birkirkara have been tending to the ill, elderly and even homeless priests and religious people who have given their lives to the community and missions but can sometimes feel lonely because they have no family.
As vocations continue to dwindle, they are assisted by lay staff, trying to lead by example and passing on their “spirit of service” and a “love from the heart” to make sure their 42 residents “feel at home”.
The Qaddejja were never a big number, starting out as 12, and Sr Maria wonders how they coped.
But she has found a “flicker of hope” in a young vocation three years ago and she does not intend to lose this. A social worker joined them and “it is not all that bleak”, she maintained.
‘Called by God to live this life and we answered’
“We are called by God to live this life and we answered,” says the nun, now in her 50s. “It is a pity that the noise out there drowns out his voice.”
The group has collectively clocked up 335 years of dedication to their mission to improve the quality of life of the retired priests.
Their day, which starts at 5am, is a balance between work and prayer and some community life too. “When we are not praying, we are serving and running the home,” said Sr Maria. In their recreation, they sometimes leave the home and, yesterday, it was to enter the limelight and attend the awards ceremony at San Anton Palace, held under the patronage of President George Vella.
Former prime minister Lawrence Gonzi, who chaired the awards selection board committee, said it considered how the nine consecrated women have always worked without any publicity.
By selecting Il-Qaddejja taċ-Ċenaklu as the winners among nine nominees, the board was also sending a message of appreciation towards the work of the priests and spiritual directors in their care.