Tuesday, 17 September

2004-2024

On Tuesday 17th September, Drachma held its 20th anniversary mass celebrated by the Archbishop of Malta, H.G. Mgr. Charles J. Scicluna, at Mount St. Joseph Retreat House. Several priests concelebrated and the event was attended by past and current members as well as relatives, friends and all those who collaborated and interacted with Drachma in the past two decades.

In his homily, the Archbishop reflected on Jesus’ parable of the lost drachma (or lost coin) and its significance in the story of Drachma LGBTI+, serving as a meaningful source of inspiration not only for the name taken on by the community but also in its work and ministry.

At the end of the mass, the Archbishop was presented with a painting created by local artist Ellie Abela and symbolising the early beginnings of Drachma and its growth and flourishing through the years.

The evening ended with a moment of fellowship and social time together as those present reminisced past experiences of Drachma and expressed hope and enthusiasm for the future. 🌈

Drachma's Twentieth Anniversary Painting

Artist: Ellie Abela

The core of this painting is the concept of past, present and future. In particular, the past, present and future of not only Drachma, but the people of the LGBTQIA+ community as a whole. It predominantly uses colour, texture, saturation and spatial perspective to illustrate the transitions between these three time-frames.

The past is illustrated through the use of a monochrome palette, the feeling evoked by this section is bleak and oppressive. This is further aided through the jagged strokes and harsh textures present, as well as the overwhelming shadow surrounding the edge. Despite this, specks of colour are still present, showing that despite the oppression of such a discriminatory environment, we are still present.

For the present, the spatial perspective is integral to get the message across. Rather than designating a specific colour or texture to represent the present, I decided to illustrate it as a point of transition. In this case, it could be called an open doorway leading to the hopeful future. In a literal sense, the present is where progress is felt and can occur. As is illustrated here, we can see that the light shining from the hope of the future is bleeding into the bleak past, showing that change can and will happen.

The future is represented in light and colour, as well as a texture that evokes the feeling of celebration.

The light in the centre alludes to Drachma’s focus on spirituality, and the main colours utilised in this sections are the two colours present in the Drachma logo.

Testimonials on Drachma

On the Twenty Anniversary - Drachma

Rev Dr Ray Francalanza osa STHD

I have been a priest for these last 34 years, but I was always adamant that the offering of a blessing should never be confined to the priestly order.

For me blessing is a gift. It is a tapestry of hope and encouragement, of healing and wholeness.

And I believe that when a blessing is invoked or received, a window opens in eternal time.

Through my priestly ministry I have also become aware of the power of a spirituality rooted in God, but also in earth, in nature, in common reality and in mystery of being human.

I am sure it has been a journey and a sacrament of friendship, of belonging...these being the currency of our integrity. So on this anniversary, may I wish every blessing on all for now and in the future.

May we all be blessed by all things: delight of eyes, intimacy of touch, eternity of soul, embrace of God.

· May we live our days: compassionate of heart, gracious in awareness and generous in love.

· May we have joy and peace in the temple of our senses.

· May we find harmony between our soul and our life.

· May we continue to experience each day as a sacred gift woven around the heart of wonder

May our houses shelter our life...may they be a safe place full of understanding and acceptance.

· When the wind arises free and wild – the limitations, the banality or the pain - may nothing negative control our lives.

· And may we all know the urgency with which God longs for us all. May his gaze continue to fill our souls with light and love.