REMARKS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE AT ST. PATRICK’S SALESIAN SCHOOL AND HOME FOR BOYS, SLIEMA
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE AT ST. PATRICK’S SALESIAN SCHOOL AND HOME FOR BOYS, SLIEMA, FRIDAY, 6 OCTOBER, 2006
Hu unur kbir ghalija bhala l-President ta' l-Irlanda li nzur l-iskola taghkom. Permezz ta’ din iz-zjara niehu l-okkazzjoni biex inwasslilkom it-tislijiet mill-qalb tal-poplu Irlandiz. (Translation: It has been a great honour for me as President of Ireland to have the opportunity of visiting St. Patrick’s Salesian School and Home for Boys during my visit to Malta. I bring with me warm greetings to you from the people of Ireland.)
Thank you for such a lovely welcome and for the chance to visit St. Patrick’s Salesian School and Home for Boys during my State visit to this beautiful country. I bring you greetings from the people of Ireland who have considerable experience of the work of the Salesians in education, community and youth work. They are highly respected for we know that whether in Ireland or here in Malta, the Salesians have put their talents at the service of many young people through the years helping them on their way to good and full lives.
The strong links between Ireland and Malta are very evident here for an Irishman, Fr. Patrick O’Grady, was the first rector of the school and other Irish Salesians worked here right up until the late 1980’s, bringing Irish culture, tradition and history to the heart of school life. Some of those Irish traditions continue on for I understand St. Patrick’s Church is something of a home for the Irish community in Malta, particularly on St. Patrick’s Day when a special mass is celebrated and a reception hosted for the Irish Community.
Around the world, the name of St. Patrick links Ireland and her many friends whether it is celebrating St. Patrick’s Day everywhere from Moscow to Beijing or in the schools or hospitals or churches that carry his name. He is a great ambassador for Ireland and so too are the generations of Irish members of religious orders, like the Salesians who spent their lives outside of Ireland working unselfishly for the benefit of others. Their work brought great credit to Ireland and meant that Ireland was viewed very positively in countries where we might otherwise have been unknown.
The Irish Salesians are no longer here in this school but their legacy and spirit lives on and their work of care continues in many parts of the world.
It makes us proud to know that you still value your links with Ireland and that many of you know our country well from your travels and indeed from your in-service training. I hope you will always find a welcome there just as I have found a warm welcome from your Rector, Fr. Alfred Sacco, the staff and all the boys of St. Patrick’s.
We have a saying in Irish mol an oige agus tiochfaidh se – which means that when we encourage the young, they blossom. We are glad that Ireland has had a noble role here in helping Malta’s young men to blossom to their fullest potential. I wish the community of St. Patrick’s, staff and boys a future to be proud of for themselves, for their country and for our common European homeland in which we share that future together.
Grazzi. Thank you.