The Confraternity Of Our Lady Of Lourdes, Qrendi

This Confraternity was erected by Decree of the late Mgr. Scicluna as Archbishop of the Maltese Diocese on the 21st January, 1878, exactly 20 years after the first apparition of the Holy Virgin in Lourdes, France which took place on the 11th February, 1858. The Qrendi Parish Priest at the time, i.e. in 1878 was the Rev. Dr. Peter Paul Xuereb who was instrumental in commissioning the creation of the artistic statue of Our Lady of Lourdes by the well known artist Carlo Darmanin who hailed from Senglea. On the 23rd April, 1878, the Lourdes Confraternity was joined intimately with the Primary Congregation of the Annunciation in Rome, Italy, and on the 7th May of the same year it was united as well with the Archsolidarity of Our Lady of Lourdes in Rome.

For some inexplicable reasons, the Lourdes Confraternity stopped its activities between the years 1935 and 1958 as the Church Authorities at the time had suddenly suspended all its usual functions. However, following long drawn arguments, discussions, wrangling and bickering between the church and representatives of the Lourdes Confraternity over its suspension and through the diplomatic intervention of the late Dr. Joseph Cassar, as a first conciliatory gesture on the part of His Grace Sir Michael Gonzi, the sanctions imposed on the Confraternity were finally lifted on the 27th June, 1958. This meant that after 23 years, the Statue of Our Lady of Lourdes could be carried processionally again through the streets of Qrendi, but the decoration of the village streets and the playing of marches and Band Programmes were still not allowed for a while, but in 1962, the Confraternity was allowed to organise all the internal and external religious functions as before like every other Secondary feast.

Following the erection of the Lourdes Confraternity in 1878, we come across the creation of the first civil club in Qrendi, better known at the time as the “Circolo Bellini”. This club came into being on the initiative or a small nucleus of people. These public-spirited gentlemen got together and formed the first club in Qrendi on the 10th February, 1895. It is worth recording that the committee of this club used to organize and oversee all the external and internal festivities in honour of the Assumption of Mary in heaven which is Qrendi’s patron saint as well as those in honour of Our Lady of Lourdes. This practice was later discontinued as eventually another club was set up by the St. Mary’s Musical Society. The Circolo Bellini later on became known as the Lourdes Philarmonic Society whose first President was Mr. Mikelin Fenech for the period 1896-1906.

The Setting Up Of The First Civic Club In Qrendi

Mr. Nikol Magri succeeded Mr. Mikelin Fenech as the Lourdes Philarmonic Society’s President between 1908-1912 and was founder of the “Orchestra Bellini”. This Orchestra which was the first of its kind in Qrendi at the time was named after the famous Italian composer Vincenzo Bellini, and its first director was Mro. Anthony Pace. Among succeeding directors of this orchestra we find Mro. Carmelo Zammit, Alphonse Kissaun and finally Mro. Ferdinand Falzon, this latter hailing from Zurrieq.

The Society’s third President was the Hon. Dr. Francesco Buhagiar. Dr. Buhagiar was born and baptised in Qrendi Parish Church in 1877 and became President of this Society between 1913 and 1922. Dr. Buhagiar was also Prime Minister of Malta in October, 1923. He was succeeded by the Hon. Notary Saviour Borg Olivier as the Society’s fourth President for the period 1924 - 1930. The presidency of this society from 1930 to 1936 was the responsibility of Legal Procurator Alfred Mc Keon, and it’s sixth president was Mr. Mikiel Cassar who was a building contractor. Mr. Cassar assumed the onus of the presidency between 1937 and 1941.

Following the end of hostilities of World War II, the Bellini Orchestra was eventually disbanded, but in 1942 with the unstinted help of Mr. Carmel Aquilina and other committee members of Lourdes Society, the Lourdes Band was formed under the baton of Mro. Michael Ciantar who remained as its director right up to 1947. Mro. Ciantar composed a hymn set to music with lines by the late Rev. Dun Karm Psaila, Our National Poet. This hymn was dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes and is still played by the Lourdes Band of Qrendi to this very day.

From the year 1941 onwards or rather up to November, 2001, the Presidency of Lourdes Band Club became the responsibility of the late Dr. Guze` Cassar. Dr. Cassar has served under various Socialist Administrations with different ministerial portfolios. He served under Prime Minister Dom Mintoff and Sir Paul Boffa as Minister Of Justice, Housing, Education, Customs & Port, etc. He had a ministerial post also when Malta had a coalition Government made up of both Labour and Nationalist members of Parliament. Dr. Cassar also stood in as acting Prime Minister and subsequently as acting President of the Republic Of Malta for some time. Dr. Cassar passed away on the 27th November, 2001.

During the late Dr.Cassar’s long presidency of Lourdes Band Club, Qrendi, both the Lourdes Confraternity and the Lourdes Band Club had gone through a lot of wrangling and bickering with the Maltese Church Authorities over the internal and external religious festivities in connection with the Feast in honour of Our Lady of Lourdes in Qrendi, when the Lourdes Confraternity and the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes were suppressed between 1935 and 1958.

Between 1948 and 1963, the Musical Director of Lourdes Band was Mro. Carmelo Scicluna. Mro. Scicluna, like his predecessor, Mro. Michael Ciantar, also included a Hymn set to music with lyrics by the late Rev. Fr. Frans Camilleri in his repertoire which he dedicated to the Holy Virgin Of Lourdes. This Hymn is played practically every year during the Feast of Our Lady Of Lourdes in Qrendi with the accompanyment of a choir made up of some of Malta’s best singers. This special Hymn is normally played as soon as the procession with the artistic statue of Our Lady Of Lourdes approaches the main village square exactly opposite the Lourdes Band Club’s premises. A Special feature about this Hymn is that, as soon as the Choir starts singing the “Ave Maria” the crowd present in the square also joins in the singing and as soon as the Hymn singing is over, the religious procession proceeds “Aux Flambeaux” right up to the Qrendi Parish Church for the feast’s conclusion ceremony.

The late Mro. Nazzareno Mifsud succeeded Mro. Carmelo Scicluna as Musical Director of Lourdes Band during the period 1963 - 1983. During those 20 years as director, Mro. Nazzareno Mifsud also composed a special Hymn set to music with lines by School Master Paul Zammit apart from other compositions in his repertoire. From 1983 onwards the onus of the band’s responsibility was assumed by Mro. Charles Cachia who hails from Zebbug, Malta. He is still the Lourdes Band’s Musical Director to this very day. In 1995, the Committee of Lourdes Band Club Qrendi, approved Mro. Emmanuel Bugeja of Zurrieq as one of its honorary Band Directors.

The Orchestra Bellini

In 1928 the Orchestra Bellini Qrendi organised an Orchestral Programme marking the 50th Anniverasry from the erection of the Lourdes Confraternity 1878 - 1928. This Orchestra was eventually dissolved following the outbreak of World War II in 1939.

The Lourdes Band Qrendi

The Lourdes Band played marches and executed several programmes to mark the following important occasions : On the 13th July, 1958 when the statue of Our Lady of Lourdes was carried processionally around the streets of Qrendi to mark the lifting of sactions imposed by the local Church Authorities on the Lourdes Confraternity for 23 Years between 1935 and 1958. On Malta’s Independence Day on the 21st September, 1964. On the 20th January, 1978, to commemorate the Centenary Anniversary from the erection of the Lourdes Confraternity in Qrendi, Malta, and simultaneously in Rome, Italy. On the 31st March, 1979 to mark Malta’s Freedom Day or “Jum il-Helsien” In September, 1987, when the statue of Our Lady of Lourdes was re-decorated and given a fresh face-lift by the well-known Gozitan artist Chevalier Alfred Camilleri Cauchi. On the 6th June, 1992, in order to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Dr. Joseph Cassar’s Presidency of the Lourdes Band Club, when the Lourdes Band took part in a musical programme under the baton of Mro. Charles Cachia. Among the distinguished guests present for this occasion in 1992, were the President of Malta H.E. Dr. Censu Tabone, The Prime Minister, Dr. Eddie Fenech Adami, and the Leader of the Opposition, Dr. Alfred Sant. In 1995, The Lourdes Band held another musical programme in order to mark the Centinary Anniversary from the setting up of the Lourdes Band Club, Qrendi, and among the eminent guests present for the special occasion were H.E. Dr. Ugo Mifsud Bonnici, President of the Republic and other dignitaries. On each and every memorable occasion, the Lourdes band used to parade the streets of Qrendi and other places in Malta with two beautifully gold embroidered banners, one of which represents the Coat of Arms of the City Of Lourdes, France showing three towers with the Pyrenees mountains in the background, and the other banner symbolizes the Australian nation. This latter banner was kindly donated to Lourdes Band Club by a group of Maltese Australians who were once members of Lourdes Band Club back in 1984. Such is the chequered history of the Lourdes Confraternity and of the Lourdes Band Club of Qrendi.

Edward St. George

Il- mejjet Edward ST.George twieled Hal-Lija, Malta nhar is-6 ta’ Marzu, 1928 Miz zwieg bejn Nazzareno Zimmermann Barbaro u l mejta Dama Cecilia Pick, Nee Depiro. Naturalment, l-ebda ammont ta’ tifhir ma huwa bizzejjed sabiex jiggustifika l-gratitudni dovuta lejn dan il-bniedem li huwa maghruf bhala benefattur u filantropu eccezzjonali li kien jipposjiedi ntelligenza straordinarja u talenti kbar li kien jaqsamhom ma’ l-umanita kollha. Edward St.George jibqa mfakkar bhala ex-President Onorarju tal-kazin tal Banda Santa Marija tal-Qrendi. Edward kien ta’ donazzjoni lill-istess St.Mary Band Club fl’Lulju, 2003. Il-Kumitat u l-Membri ta’ Lourdes Band Club tal-Qrendi jiftakru sewwa d-data tat- 23 ta’ lulju, 2003, meta Edward St George kien onora lis-Societa’ Lourdes Band Club tal Qrendi bill-prezenza simpatika tieghu u kien iregala lill-istess Socjeta’ donazzjoni sabieha sabiex tkun tista tkompli miexja l=quddiem fill-hidma siewja taghha biex teduka u tnissel l-imhabba ghall-arti tal-muzika u l-kult lejn il-Madonna. Edward St.Goerge kien persuna b’reputazjoni internazzjonali u kien maghruf sewwa ghall-umanizmu u l-karizma li kien jipposjiedi. Apparti milli kien ghen qatih liz-zewg kazini Ta’ Lourdes u dak ta’ Santa Marija tal qrendi, huwa kien ta’ fondi wkoll ghat-tiswija u restawr tal-orgni Naplitan jew Sqalli tal Knisja Parrokkjali Tal-Qrendi. Dana L-orgni antic huwa “Positivo ta’ Severino” u kien inhadem minn xi artigjan Naplitani jew Sqallin fl-1778, u restawr tieghu kien sar recentement mid ditta Maltija “Pipe Organ Builders” ta’ Robert Buhagiar. Edward St.George kien hallas ukoll gaht tiswija ta’ l-Arlogg tal-Kampnar tal- Knisja Parrokkjali Tal-Qrendi u kien ghen ukoll billi pprovda iktar fondi ghal- Bini Tal-Kappella l-gdida tac-Cimiterju tal-Qrendi apparti wkoll milli kien ikkontribwixxa fondi ghall-Knisja Parrokkjali Tal-Qrendi. Bhall-kumplament tad-Dinastija Depiro, Edward St.George ser jibqa mfakkar bhala l-mudell eccellenti tas-“Sammaritan it-Tajjeb” ghaliex bla dubju ta’ xejn kien iddedika hajtu kollha jaghmel mill-ahjar li seta’ biex jghin l-umanita’ kollha minghajr ma kien jippretendi xejn lura. Wiehed m’ghandhux jinsa l-fatt illi l-mibkija Dama Cecilia Pick li hija omm l-mejjet Edward St.George ser tibqa mfakkrha mill-Qrendin kollha bhala dik il-mara eccezzjonali li l-qalb tajba taghha dejjem kienet is- sinifikat ewlieni tal-ezistenza taghha. In-Nobbli Dama Cecilia Pick minn Dejjem Kellha L-ahjar Relazzjoni Mar –residenti tal-Qrendi u dan sar peress illi hija kienet ghamlet xi zmien tghix il-Qrendi f’Palazzo Gwarena. L-akbar Sodisfazzjon tagha kienet tkun meta tghin niss minn kull strata tas-socjeta’ minghajr ma tistenna xejn lura min ghand hadd. Cecilia Pick dejjem kien l-iskop ta’ hajjitha li ggib il-paci, l-armonija u s-serhan tall-mohh specjali fejn kien ikun hemm it-tilwim u nuqqass ta’ftehim u allura kienet dlonk ttuza il-hiliet intelletwali taghha kiex jinholoq sens ta’ justizzja u sliem u jinholqu relazzjoniet tajba nejn kullhadd. Sina s-sinjura irnexxiela anka tressaq il kazini tal-banda fil-Qrendi lejn xulxin u jibdew jirrispetaq ugwalment lill xulxin, u jinqatghu l-piki zejda u l-inwiet bla sens specjalment fil-festi religjuzi. Biex juri l-apprezzament tieghu ghax-xoghol siewi li ghamlet Cecilia Pick u l-Familja Kollha Depiro fill- Qrendi, Il Kumitat ta’ Lourdes Band Club, Qrendi ghamel Bust ta’ Cecilia Pick U Iehor ta binha Charles St.George f’post Prominenti F’sala ta’ l-istess Band Club. Il- kumitat u l-Membri ta’ Lourdes Band Club tal-Qrendi ma jistax isib il kliem adattat biex juri l-gratitudni tieghu ghal- generozita u ;- qalb tajba kbira li kienu l-karatteristici ewlenin tal-mejjet Edward St.George li dejjem offra l-ghajnuna tieghu lill proxxmu kollu minghajr qadt ma ppretneda xejn lura. Sfortunatament Edward St. George madux maghna. Huwa Miet Fl-20 ta’ Dicembru, 2004 f’nofs il-lejl fl-Isptar Methodista Ta’ Houston, Texas Fl Amerika Ta’ Fuq, USA. Il Kumitat ta’ Lourdes Band Club, U N-nies kollha tal-Qrendi tilfu habib kbir bill-mewt ta’ Edward St.George u zgur ser jibqghu grati hafna lejn ir-Rev. Professur Dun Manwel Agius u lejn il-wisq Rev.Kappillan tal-Qrendi Dun Mario Mifsud li gentilment iccelebraw Quddiesa flimkien ghar-ruh Edward St. George bhar il-15 ta’ Jannar, 2005 fill-Knisja Parrokkjali Tal-Qrendi. Ghal dina l-quddiesa attendew hafna nies li fosthom kienu prezenti wkoll qraba tal-mejjet Edward St. George. Il-Kleru u l-Kommunita’ Parrokkjali tal-Qrendi kollha jixtiequ jaghtu l-kondoljanzi taghhom lis-Sinjura Henrietta mart l-mejjet Edward St. George u lill-familja kollha tieghu. Edward St. George sfortunatament halliena imam ghalkemm m’ghadux fostna, il-memprja tieghu zgur ser tibqa’ fi qlubna u fill-qlub ta’ dawk kollha li kienu jafuh u li kienu habbewh bhala is-Samaritan It-Tajjeb li dejjem kien. Ahna lkoll ser nibqghu niftakru fih fit-talb taghna u j’alla l-Mulej li kien tant habb jaghtih il-mistrieh ta’ dejjem, rigal lit ant jixraqlu.

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