‘Unbelievable But True’: Franco Debono Reacts To Plans To Build Rooftop Cafeteria In Paola Church
Paola Parish priest Marc Andre Camilleri has submitted a planning application to build a small cafeteria in a room in an existing belfry, and former PN MP Franco Debono is not impressed.
“It has been reported that to defend the opening of a food establishment on the dome of the Church Raħal Ġdid, the Curia is saying that even the Vatican has some cafeterias. Are you going to compare the church of Raħal Ġdid to the Vatican? You’d really have to exaggerate to see this,” Debono wrote on social media.
Yesterday, reports of a planning application for a rooftop restaurant in the church began circulating, however the Paola parish quickly provided a clarification, stating that it has no intention of opening a fully-fledged restaurant. Rather, it plans to establish a small cafeteria for parishioners and visitors.
Outdoor seating will be provided, it explained, but no additional structures will be added to ensure no adverse impact on the church’s aesthetic value. Similar projects have been implemented successfully in other churches, including St Peter’s Basilica in Rome, Newsbook wrote.
If approved, the project aims to improve the parish’s economic sustainability while maintaining its role as a pastoral hub for residents, visitors, and the wider community.
The project is part of wider restoration efforts approved in 2017 to address structural issues within the church, ensuring its preservation.
Proposals for ground floor facilities and pastoral use rooms are also part of the project in order to provide space for parish groups, including a coffee shop atop the Christ the King Basilica.
Debono uploaded a series of posts poking fun at the project, like posting God is a DJ by Faithless and writing “Paola parish church restaurant official song” and asking whether poor and homeless people that go to the cafeteria will be asked to pay.
Do you think that developing a cafeteria in the church is a good idea?
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