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Between Friday 23rd and Sunday 25th October, the community of the Seminary was in Malta for a Human Formation Weekend.  The Archbishop’s Seminary at Rabat hosted us for this weekend.  The weekend was divided into four sessions which were led by Fr Dunstin Xuereb, a young expert in psychology.  The topics of the sessions were stress management, time management, self care and peer pressure. The sessions were followed by discussions related with the topics.  Besides these discussions, which were surely helpful to the seminarians, there were also moments of communial prayer.  In the evenings the seminarians spent some free time together.

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Nhar il-Ħadd li għadda, 18 t’Ottubru, il-Knisja ċċelebrat Jum il-Missjoni.  Dan hu jum fejn kulħadd huwa mistieden jirrifletti u jagħraf kif jista’ jaqdi s-sejħa tiegħu biex ikun missjunarju fl-ambjent li hu jgħix fih.  Hu mument li fih nitfgħu ħarsitna fuq il-Knisja li tinsab ’il barra minn pajjiżna, speċjalment fil-pajjiżi tat-tielet dinja.

F’din l-okkażjoni l-Grupp Missjunarju fi ħdan il-komunità tas-Seminarju jieħu ħsieb iħejji ġimgħa ta’ attivitajiet.  B’hekk anki s-seminaristi jkunu jistgħu jilqgħu s-sejħa li jkunu missjunarji!  Għal din is-sena, it-tema magħżula kienet: Fidi + Karità = Missjoni.  Kuljum, bejn it-Tlieta 13 u s-Sibt 17 ta’ Ottubru sar talb partikulari għall-missjoni f’kull kontinent.  Stajna nagħrfu li barra l-ħafna sorijiet u lajċi missjunarji li ħarġu minn Għawdex tagħna, hemm ukoll kwantità kbira ta’ saċerdoti u patrijiet (’il fuq minn 60) li sal-lum għadhom jaqdu fil-Knisja ’l bogħod minn pajjiżna.

Minn din is-sena, kull tielet Ħamis tax-xahar filgħodu, bħala komunità tas-Seminarju, se ningħaqdu mas-sorijiet Klarissi fil-monasteru tagħhom, Nazaret, fir-Rabat sabiex magħhom nitolbu t-Tifħir ta’ Sbiħ il-Jum u wara niċċelebraw il-Quddiesa.  Għalhekk nhar il-Ħamis 15 t’Ottubru filwaqt li fakkarna t-tifkira ta’ Santa Tereża t’Avila tajna bidu għal dawn il-Ħamisijiet għand il-Klarissi.  Il-Grupp Missjunarju stieden lill-E.T. Mons. George Bugeja ofm sabiex imexxi l-Quddiesa u jaqsam magħna l-esperjenza missjunarja tiegħu.

Mument mill-isbaħ kien il-Ħamis wara nofsinhar fejn il-Grupp Missjunarju żar l-iskola tas-Seminarju Minuri u wassal il-messaġġ missjunarju lill-istudenti kollha tal-iskola!

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Last Sunday, October 18, the Church celebrated Missions Day.  On this day, the Christians are invited to reflect on and understand how they can be missionaries in the environment they live in.  On this day too, we are invited to think about the Church in Third World Countries.

For Missions Week, the Missions Group within the Seminary Community organizes a number of activities.  In this way, the seminarians too can embrace the call to be missionaries.  The theme for this year was: Faith + Charity = Missions.  Every day, between Tuesday and Saturday, October 13 to 17, special prayers were said for the missions of each continent.  We could appreciate the fact that besides the many nuns and lay missionaries who serve the missions, there are still more than 60 priests and monks who are working in parishes abroad.

During this year, in the morning of every third Thursday of the month, the Seminary community joins the Poor Clares at Nazaret, their monastery at Victoria.  We recite the Lauds and then we celebrate Mass.  Thursday, October 15, was our first Thursday at Nazaret.   We celebrated the feast of St Therese of Avila and then we participated in the Mass led by His Excellency Mgr George Bugeja, whom the Missions Group had invited to share his missionary experiences with us.

In the afternoon of the same Thursday, the Missions Group paid a visit to the Minor Seminary.  Members of the group delivered a message about the missions to all the students of the school.  It was a visit worth remembering.

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Nhar it-Tnejn 12 ta’ Ottubru ngħaqad mal-komunità tas-Seminarju ż-żgħażugħ li se jibda l-esperjenza tas-Sena Propedewtika.  Joseph Bajada mill-parroċċa ta’ Marija Bambina, ix-Xagħra se jkun qed jagħmel l-esperjenza tal-Propedewtika fis-Seminarju. Hu għandu programm speċifiku għalih imqassam tul il-ġimgħa bejn it-Tnejn u l-Ġimgħa.  Fin-nofstanhar ta’ filgħodu jmur fuq il-post tax-xogħol, li s-Seminarju assenjalu.  Waranofsinhar Joseph jingħaqad mal-bqija tal-komunità għall-attivitajiet li jsiru fis-Seminarju.  Tul din is-sena Joseph ser jagħmel ukoll xi korsijiet introduttorji għall-filosofija u għat-teoloġija.  Is-sena Propedewtika tkun għalih ukoll mument importanti ta’ riflessjoni u ta’ dixxerniment biex fi tmiemha jressaq t-talba biex jiġi aċċettat għall-ewwel sena tal-kors bħala seminarista.  Merħba fostna Joseph!

On Monday, 12^th October, Joseph Bajada from the parish church of Marija Bambina, started his one year propaedeutic course at the Seminary.  He is to follow a specific programme spread over the week, from Monday to Friday.  During the morning he is at work, a job assigned to him by the Seminary, and then, in the afternoon, he joins the seminary community in the activities at the Seminary.  During this year, Joseph is going to follow introductory courses in philosophy and theology.  The propaedeutic year will be for him a year of reflection and discernment and at the end of the year he will present his request to be accepted as a first year seminarian.  Welcome, Joseph!

Nhar il-Ħamis 8 ta’ Ottubru ħabat l-ewwel Ħamis mid-disa’ Ħamisijiet ta’ talb għall-vokazzjonijiet.  Filgħodu bdejna bil-Quddiesa fil-Kappella tas-Seminarju u wara saret l-esposizzjoni ta’ Ġesù Ewkaristija.  L-adorazzjoni kompliet fis-skiet sal-4.00pm.  Filgħaxija l-komunità tas-Seminarju ngħaqdet flimkien ma’ dik tal-Għarb għal siegħa adorazzjoni fil-bażilka tal-Viżitazzjoni fl-Għarb.  Fl-ewwel parti tal-adorazzjoni r-Rettur, Fr Tony Sciberras mssp, għamel ħsieb marbut mas-sejħa li kull imgħammed għandu biex iwettaq ir-rieda ta’ Alla.  Dan għamlu billi kkwota siltiet mir-riflessjonijiet ta’ Dun Mikiel Attard.  Fit-tieni parti mbagħad, is-seminaristi mexxew it-talba tar-Rużarju b’meditazzjonijiet marbuta mas-sejħat li għamel Alla fl-Iskrittura.  Fi tmiem l-adorazzjoni r-Rettur ta l-Barka Sagramentali u wara l-Arċipriet Mons. Joseph Sultana rringrazzja lis-Seminarju talli ngħaqad mal-komunità tal-Għarb għal dan il-mument ta’ talb.  L-adorazzjoni li jmiss se ssir il-Ħamis 12 ta’ Novembru.  Dakinhar, sal-4.00pm it-talb isir fil-kappella tas-Seminarju u fis-7.00pm fil-Bażilka ta’ Marija Bambina fix-Xagħra.

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Thursday 8th October was the first of nine Thursdays of prayer for vocation.  In the morning, Mass was celebrated in the Seminary Chapel and then the exposition of the Holy Eucharist and Adoration in silence followed.  The Adoration in silence ended at 4.00pm.  In the evening, the Seminary community joined the community of Gharb for an hour of Adoration in the Basilica of the Visitation at Gharb. In the first part of the Adoration, the Rector, Fr Tony Sciberras MSSP shared with us his thoughts about the call of every baptised person to do God’s will.   He quoted selections from the reflections of Fr Mikiel Attard.  In the second part, the seminarians led the recitation of the Rosary with meditations associated with God’s calls in the Sacred Scripture.  At the end of the Adoration, the Rector blessed the congregation with the Holy Eucharist. Archpriest Mgr Joseph Sultana thanked the Seminary community for joining the community of Gharb in this day of prayer.  The next day of Adoration will be on Thursday 12th November.  Prayers will be said in the Seminary Chapel till 4.00pm and at the Basilica of Maria Bambina at Xaghra at 7.00pm.

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Last Monday, 5th October 2015, the sessions of Lectio Divina recommenced.  The Lectio Divina is a meeting of prayer based on the reading of the Holy Scriptures, and according to an old method.  For this year, contrary to what has taken place in the past, each Lectio is to be based on the Gospel of the following Sunday.  All the priests of the diocese are invited to take part.  The Rector, Fr Tony Sciberras mssp presented the first meditation for this year of formation.  During the sessions for this year, the Lectio Divina are going to be presented by different priests.  The meditation for next Monday, 12th October, will be presented by Archpriest Mgr Carmelo Refalo.

Nhar it-Tnejn li għadda, 5 ta’ Ottubru, tajna bidu mill-ġdid għal-Lectio Divina.  Il-Lectio Divina hi laqgħa ta’ talb bl-Iskrittura Mqaddsa skont metodu antik.  Għal din is-sena b’differenza mis-snin l-imgħoddija l-Lectio se tibda ssir fuq il-Vanġelu tal-Ħadd li jkun imiss, u għal-Lectio huma mistiedna s-saċerdoti kollha tad-Djoċesi.  Ir-Rettur, Fr Tony Sciberras mssp, ippreżenta l-ewwel meditazzjoni għal din is-sena ta’ formazzjoni.  Matul din is-sena l-Lectio Divina se titmexxa minn saċerdoti differenti.  Nhar it-Tnejn li ġej, 12 ta’ Ottubru se jmexxiha l-Arċipriet Mons. Carmelo Refalo.

Il-komunità tas-Seminarju reġgħet lura għal sena oħra ta’ formazzjoni nhar it-Tnejn 21 ta’ Settembru.  Tul il-waqfa tas-sajf kien hemm diversi mumenti li fihom il-komunità ltaqgħet flimkien, fosthom in-nofstanhar ta’ riflessjoni li sar nhar il-11 ta’ Awwissu f’Manresa, ir-Rabat.  Mexxa r-riflessjoni Fr Martin Cilia mssp.

It-Tnejn 21 ta’ Settembru s-seminaristi taw daqqa t’id fit-tindif u fit-tħejjija tas-Seminarju għal sena oħra ta’ formazzjoni. L-għada, it-Tlieta 22 ta’ Settembru filgħodu ġiet iċċelebrata l-Ewkaristija u wara s-seminaristi ltaqgħu flimkien u tkellmu waqt sharing fuq id-diversi esperjenzi ta’ volontarjat li huma wettqu fis-sajf.  Ta’ min jgħid ukoll, li f’dan il-jum is-seminaristi ltaqgħu għall-ewwel darba mal-pastoral mentor, Dun Giovanni Curmi. Dun Giovanni se jakkumpanja lis-seminaristi fl-esperjenzi pastorali li jkollhom fil-parroċċi matul is-sena ta’ formazzjoni. Imbagħad filgħaxija l-komunità tat bidu għall-irtir tal-bidu tas-sena fir-Rabat Malta. Din is-sena sar ukoll fid-Dar tas-Sorijiet tas-Saint Joseph.  Din id-darba kien Mons. Anton Gouder li mexxa l-irtir li ntemm is-Sibt 26 ta’ Settembru.

L-Erbgħa 30 ta’ Settembru ngħata bidu għas-sena akkademika permezz tal-Quddiesa tal-Ispirtu s-Santu, immexxija minn Mons. Isqof Mario Grech.  Minħabba li dakinhar iċċelebrajna t-tifkira ta’ San Ġilormu, waqt l-omelija l-Isqof qasam magħna xi riflessjonijiet ta’ dan il-qaddis. San Ġlormu ddeskriva lill-kjeriku, il-persuna kkonsagrata, bħala bniedem li s-sehem tiegħu huwa Alla. San Ġlormu, is-saċerdot li ttraduċa l-Kotba Mqaddsa mill-Grieg għal-Latin, jgħallimna li “min ma jafx l-Iskrittura Mqaddsa ma jafx lil Kristu”. Għaldaqstant l-Isqof ħeġġeġ lis-saċerdoti sabiex ikunu qrib l-Iskrittura u jagħrfu jittraduċuha għaż-żminijiet tal-lum. Għal din l-Ewkaristija kienu mistiedna l-professuri, il-familjari tas-seminaristi u l-membri tal-Aħwa Ħbieb tas-Seminarju. Fi tmiem il-Quddiesa saret bibita.

Omelija ta’ Mons. Isqof – Alla huwa l-wirt tagħna

The Community of the Seminary started another year of formation on Monday, 21st September. During the summer holidays, there were occasions when the members of the community met and shared moments of prayer. One such occasion was a half-day retreat, led by Fr Martin Cilia MSSP, at Manresa House on 11th August.

On Monday, 21st September, the seminarians gave a helping hand in the clean-up and preparation of the premises for the coming year of formation. The following morning, Tuesday 22nd September, we joined in the celebration of Mass and then shared our summer experiences of voluntary service in the community. We had our first meeting with Fr Giovanni Curmi, our pastoral mentor, who, during the year, is going to accompany us in our pastoral experiences in the parishes. That same afternoon, the community started its annual retreat at St Joseph Nuns’ Covent at Rabat, Malta. Mgr Anton Gouder led the retreat which ended on Saturday, 26th September.

On Wednesday, 30th September, Mgr Bishop Mario Grech celebrated the Mass of the Holy Spirit, which marked the beginning of the academic year. That day happened to be the feast day of St Jerome, and during his homily the Bishop shared with us some of St Jerome’s reflections. The saint describes the member of the clergy, the consecrated member, as a person who has to focus his life on God. The same saint, who translated the Sacred Scriptures from Greek to Latin, teaches us that “he who does not know the Scripures does not know Christ”. The Bishop encouraged the priests to embrace the Scriptures and to apply their teachings to modern times. Professors, relatives of seminarians and the members of Aħwa Ħbieb tas-Seminarju participated in the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. They were later invited for refreshments.

Bishop’s Grech Homily

Nhar is-Sibt, 20 ta’ Ġunju 2015, fil-Knisja Katidrali, Mons. Mario Grech, Isqof ta’ Għawdex amministra s-Sagrament tal-Ordni Sagri fil-grad tad-Djakonat lil Joseph Attard mill-Parroċċa taż-Żebbuġ, Massimo Buttigieg mill-Parroċċa tal-Katidral, u Mario Curmi mill-Parroċċa tax-Xagħra, fil-preżenza tal-familjari u l-ħbieb flimkien ma’ numru sabiħ ta’ saċerdoti. Il-Quddiesa tal-Ordinazzjoni ġiet animata mill-Kor Djoċesan taż-Żgħażagħ.

Fl-omelija tiegħu, Mons. Isqof qasam mat-tliet seminaristi li ġew ordnati djakni x-xewqa tiegħu li ma jitwieldux djakni għajjenin.

L-Isqof Grech silet il-ħsieb tiegħu mill-Vanġelu tal-Liturġija tal-ġurnata, li jirrakkonta dwar kif Kristu sikket it-tempesta fuq il-Baħar tal-Galilija.  Ġesù, qal l-Isqof, kien mimli ħeġġa biex jaqsam lejn in-naħa l-oħra tal-għadira, lejn Ġerasa, il-post li jirrappreżenta l-komunità pagana, għax lilhom ried iwassal il-Kelma.  Eku ta’ dan hi s-sejħa tal-Papa Franġisku biex inkunu Knisja li toħroġ, taqdef ’il barra biex tevanġelizza fil-periferiji tas-soċjetà.  Hemm bżonn li anki aħna “naqsmu għal Ġerasa”, qal l-Isqof Grech, u ma nsofrux mill-“kumpless ta’ Ġona” li ttenta jaħrab mir-rieda ta’ Alla li jħabbar l-indiema lill-pagani midinba.

L-Isqof interpreta l-biża’ tad-dixxipli bħala l-biża’ tagħna wkoll li nidħlu għal din l-avventura evanġelika, għax jogħġbuna iżjed l-ambjenti komdi li drajna fihom u nibżgħu minn xi tempesta!  “Tfittxux imwejjed mifruxin”, wissa lid-djakni, hu u jfakkarhom fil-missjoni tagħhom li jkunu qaddejja tal-komunità.  Ħeġġeġ ukoll biex ma naqilgħux tempesti għall-komunità, imma nħallu lil Ġesù jaħdem fina.

Bi tħejjija għal dawn il-mumenti qawwija l-Knisja ta’ Għawdex ġiet mistiedna biex il-Ġimgħa, 19 ta’ Ġunju, tinġabar fis-Seminarju biex tingħaqad mal-ordinandi u titlob flimkien magħhom. Din il-velja ta’ talb, li ġiet imxandra b’mod dirett fuq Radju Marija, kienet tikkonsisti f’żewġ mumenti partikulari.  Fl-ewwel mument ġiet iċċelebrata l-liturġija tal-Kelma, fejn wara l-qari ta’ siltiet mill-Iskrittura, r-Rettur tas-Seminarju spjegaha permezz tal-omelija.  Fi tmiem il-prietka ġie espost Ġesù Sagramentat għal ftit mumenti ta’ adorazzjoni.

Wara il-Barka Sagramentali, Ġesù Ewkaristija ġie meħud imbagħad fil-kappella u baqa’ espost il-lejl kollu sabiex il-fidili setgħu jinġabru għat-talb personali.  Mons. Isqof Mario Grech għalaq il-Velja billi wassal il-messaġġ tiegħu tal-okkażjoni.

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