St. Joseph Parish Church

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Location: Kalkara

On 10 April 1942 during the bombardments of World War 2 were all the treasures of the first Kalkara Parish church were lost including the titular statue, the Kalkara’s Parish church was destroyed. On 21 November 1943, Rev Carmelo Xuereb became the third Parish Priest of Kalkara. He was committed to rebuild the Parish church and the community of Kalkara that were destroyed during the Second World War. In 1944, a temporary church was inaugurated in the ex-Malta Gas Works store. At the same time, the design of the new Parish church made by Chev. Vincenzo Bonello with the help of Ġużè Damato was approved. It was decided that the new Parish Church would be located some place different than the old Parish church. Hence, Archbishop Mons. Michael Gonzi bought a piece of land on which the new Parish church would be built. The first stone of the church was blessed on 13th October 1946. Almost six years were taken to finish the construction of the church. The church has a neo-classical design and it was built using Globigerina limestone. On 13th March 1949, the new titular statue of Saint Joseph arrived in Kalkara through a pilgrimage from Bormla. The statue is made of wood and was sculptured by the artist Ferdinand Stuflesser and designed by Chev, Vincenzo Bonello. The Archbishop blessed the new church and celebrated the first mass on 7th September 1952. In 1953, Loreto Mintoff donated a fine marble high altar to the church. The Parish church was consecrated on 12 December 1954. In collaboration with Kottonera Foundation.

Wara t-twaqqigħ traġiku tal-ewwel knisja Parrokkjali tal-Kalkara fl-10 ta’ April 1942 waqt il-bombardamenti tat-2 Gwerra Dinjija kienu ntilfu t-teżori kollha tagħha inkluż l-istatwa titulari. Fil-21 ta' Novembru 1943, Dun Carmelo Xuereb sar it-tielet Kappillan tal-Kalkara. Huwa kien kommess li jibni mill-ġdid il-knisja Parrokkjali u l-komunità tal-Kalkara li ġew meqruda matul it-Tieni Gwerra Dinjija. Fl-1944, ġiet inawgurata knisja temporanja fil-maħżen tal-ex Malta Gas Works. Fl-istess ħin, id-disinn tal-knisja Parrokkjali l-ġdida magħmul minn Chev. Vincenzo Bonello bl-għajnuna ta’ Ġużè Damato ġie approvat. Ġie deċiż li l-Knisja Parrokkjali l-ġdida tkun tinsab f'xi post differenti mill-knisja Parrokkjali l-qadima. Għalhekk, l-Arċisqof Mons. Michael Gonzi xtara biċċa art li fuqha kienet ser tinbena l-knisja Parrokkjali l-ġdida. L-ewwel ġebla tal-knisja ġiet imbierka fit-13 ta’ Ottubru 1946. Ittieħdu kważi sitt snin biex titlesta l-kostruzzjoni tal-knisja. Il-knisja għandha disinn neoklassiku u nbniet bl-użu tal-ġebla tal-franka. Fit-13 ta' Marzu 1949, l-istatwa titulari l-ġdida ta' San Ġużepp waslet il-Kalkara permezz ta' pellegrinaġġ minn Bormla. L-istatwa hija magħmula mill-injam u ġiet skolpita mill-artist Ferdinand Stuflesser u ddisinjata minn Chev, Vincenzo Bonello. L-Arċisqof bierek il-knisja l-ġdida u ċċelebra l-ewwel quddiesa fis-7 ta’ Settembru 1952. Fl-1953, Loreto Mintoff ta donazzjoni artal maġġur tal-irħam fin lill-knisja. Il-knisja Parrokkjali ġiet ikkonsagrata fit-12 ta’ Diċembru 1954. B’kollaborazzjoni mal-Fondazzjoni Kottonera.