On, Wednesday March 2nd Msgr. Salvatore Grimaldi celebrated the function of the Ash Wednesday at Basilica Magione where a huge group of Sicilian Knights and Dames attended. In his homily, Archbishop Grimaldi pointed out that the day of the Ash Wednesday is not a day of pain, but of hope and peace and that “the gesture of ashes on the head cancels out our egoism and projects us towards the Easter light”.
On Friday, after the ceremony of the Holy Ashes, Mr. Salerno, Mr. Lipari and Mr. Cacioppo met Father Rino Randazzo in Castelvetrano and delivered medicines and food. Father Randazzo joyfully received these Knights to whom he expressed his gratitude for this generous donation. During the meeting, a moment of prayer and a thought was dedicated to the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.
On Wednesday, March 9, the first distribution of products for children from zero to three years took place in Monreale. Diapers, milk, pasta and baby food were donated to 25 children, including many newborns.
On Friday, March 11, the Sicilian delegation participated in the collection of basic products to help refugees in Ukraine. These products were delivered at the church of Saint Francis in Ficarazzi (near Palermo). These donations included children’s clothing, blankets, sheets, clothing of various kinds and some medicines.
On March 11, a mass was celebrated in honor of Blessed Mary Christine in Barrafranca.
Cav. Matteo Bertino, Cav. Balsam Alessandro, Cav. Marco Milazzo, Cav. Claudio Fazzi, Cav. Vincenzo Graci and Mrs Giuseppina Crescimanna, as well as the distinguished Constantino Giuseppe Mastrobuono attended the Holy Mass, celebrated by the Chaplain of the Order Fr Luigi Sansone and concelebrated by Fr Francesco Bondà.
On that occasion, the Delegation of Sicily offered various food, medicines, clothes and toys for children in order to alleviate the suffering of the Ukrainian population. The donated products were delivered to the Salesians who will ensure that they reach the population hit by the war.
Saturday, March 19, the Vice Delegate for Sicily and Mr. Claudio Ragusa donated some products from the “Briciole di Salute” Project at the Benedictine Caritas in San Martino delle Scale.
On Wednesday, March 23, Mrs. Lia Giangreco and Mrs. Antonella Zito distributed some products to 25 children from needy families. The donation took place at church Maria SS degli Agonizzanti in Monreale.
On Friday, March 25, the Vice Delegate of the Sicilian delegation and the meritorious Lia Giangreco donated diapers and baby food for the new children welcomed in the “Casa del Sorriso” structure in Monreale.
On March 24th, a cultural meeting was held at the Monreale Town Hall in which a short film was presented to the city, directed by the director Linda Ferrante and sponsored by the Delegation of Sicily, aimed at publicizing the situation of Afghan women, after the advent of the Taliban regime.