Fr General visits Paulo Freire Institute

A delayed flight and lost luggage didn’t stop Fr General from making the planned stop at the Paulo Freire Institute, Malta where he was greeted by Fr Edgar Busuttil SJ, PFI staff and some members of the management team.

Fr Edgar gave an overview of PFI’s humble beginnings and history, while explaining about the many services which it provides to children and adults in the local community.

Thirty-five years ago, back in 1989, the then Province of Malta opened a small Jesuit residential community in Ir-Raħal t’Isfel, Żejtun. They formed part of the newly formed Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice. The primary aim was to live close to the people as an ‘insertion’ community, and to gain a better understanding of the local community. This Jesuit community was given the task to reflect on social justice issues in Malta and to help to promote justice on the island. It was precisely through living in close contact with the people and listening to them that illiteracy was identified as one of the most pressing issues.

This led to the founding of the Paulo Freire Institute Foundation, which aims to empower and promote the self-development, self-reliance and talents, including functional literacy, of each individual, especially the most vulnerable in society. Today the Institute uses three interrelated approaches: community development, formal and non-formal education and community social work.

In 2023 approximately 300 persons received support from PFI, 130 children and 170 adults. Since September 2001 circa 8000 have been assisted.

Fr Arturo Sosa is the Superior General of the Society of Jesus, and he is on an official familiarisation visit to Malta, Albania and Romania which all form part of the Euro-Mediterranean province together with Italy. He is accompanied on his trip to Malta by our Provincial Fr Roberto Ricci and by Fr Cipriano Díaz Marcos, Regional Assistant for South Europe.

View the Paulo Freire Institute’s website