Caritas hosted a Christmas lunch yesterday for 550 Maltese people at the headquarters of the Archbishop’s Curia in Furjana.

Several Church volunteers helped to create a lavish Christmas lunch for vulnerable people or those who otherwise would have been alone on the festive day.

They also delivered over 100 more meals to those that couldn’t leave their house for a number of reasons.

This event has been revived after an absence of two years due to the pandemic. It was the wish of Archbishop Charles Scicluna that this tradition would be continued as this is not just for Christmas but creates a connection with those attending that lasts all year round.

“While restaurants are preparing for Christmas, the Curia is transformed into a gigantic restaurant which accepts the poor and suffering into its fold,” the Archbishop said. 

The spread was organised by Caritas Malta with the help of The Alfred Mizzi Foundation for catering and St Peter’s Foundation for logistics.

Apart from that, a whopping 700 desserts were prepared at the Office of President George Vella.

Caritas director Anthony Gatt explained that recent studies show that 54% of Maltese society has passed through a period of solitude.

Because of this and because the rate is increasing, Caritas started a campaign last December where it made an appeal that no one should feel lonely.

The event was also attended by Prime Minister Robert Abela and Leader of the Opposition Bernard Grech.

In a separate initiative, a team of volunteers at the Franciscan Fathers’ Soup Kitchen in Valletta cooked and served lunch for over a hundred homeless people.

“We don’t just provide food, but also toilets, showers, and even underwear. These things are important, and they signify dignity.”

He asserts that in Malta we have hundreds of people sleeping outside and thousands living in garages.

“Christmas means also joy, and joy is contagious,”

What do you think of this initiative?