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On Thursday morning, 1^st November 2012, His Lordship Mgr Enrico dal Covolo, Rector of the Lateran Pontificial University, paid a visit to the Seminary.  He had been invited to Malta to hold conferences on the island.  One of these conferences was held at the Gozo Seminary and it was attended by members of the Clergy, members of religious orders and the Gozitan seminarians.  The theme of the conference was La sintesi tra consacrazione e missione nella vita del ministro ordinato.  The conference was held on the occasion of the hundred and forty sixth anniversary of the founding of the Sacred Heart Seminary.  This anniversary falls on Sunday, 4^th November.

During the conference, Mgr dal Covolo explained how throughout the ages there has always been a strong bond between the consecration of the ordained minister (the intimate union between the priest and Jesus Christ) and the priest’s mission (the priest who herds Jesus’ flock).  Mgr dal Covolo traced the history of the Church, from its very foundation by Jesus Christ, to the times of the School of Antioch (making special references to St Ignatius of Antioch and St John Chrysostom), the thoughts of St Augustine, the Decree Presbyterorum Ordinis of the Vatican Council II and on to the post-Synodal exhortation Pastores Dabo Vobis.

During the conference Mgr dal Covolo explained how the Vatican Council II, instead of using new terminology, used the maxim of St Augustine to show that there is no dichotomy between the consecration and the mission of the priest:  “Sit amoris officium pascere dominicum gregem” (to herd the Lord’s flock should be a duty of love).   By the life they led and in their writings, both St Ignatius of Antioch and St John Chrysostom had already affirmed the declaration of St Augustine.  Pope John Paul II confirmed all this in the exhortation Pastores Dabo Vobis 23, when he stated:  “La carità pastorale è quella virtù con la quale noi imitiamo Cristo nella sua donazione di sé e nel suo servizio.  Non è soltanto quello che facciamo, ma il dono di noi stessi, che mostra l’amore di Cristo per il suo gregge”.

Bishop Mario Grech, who has just attended the Synod about the New Evangelisation, confirmed that what Mgr Enrico dal Covolo had just stated embraces the spirit of the ministerial priest that the Church contemplated during the Synod.  He exhorted the members of the clergy to do an examination of conscience, quoting thereby Fr Michael Attard who used to remind fellow priests and the seminarians that:  “one does not become a priest on the day of one’s ordination; one becomes a priest gradually, day by day”.

Later, His Excellency Mgr Enrico dal Covolo joined the community at lunch.

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Il-Ħamis 25 ta’ Ottubru filgħaxija l-istudenti tal-Live-In Vokazzjonali ġew mistiedna biex iżuru lis-Seminarju.  Huma kellhom laqgħa mad-direttur il-ġdid tagħhom, Fr Joseph Curmi, u wara daħlu fil-kappella għall-kant tal-Għasar, flimkien mal-komunità tas-Seminarju.  Fi tmiem it-talb, is-seminaristi u l-istudenti għaddew għar-refettorju fejn sabu tistennihom iċ-ċena, imħejjija mis-sorijiet u xi helpers oħra.  Wara l-ikel l-istudenti u s-seminaristi nġabru flimkien għal logħba, ippreparata għalihom mill-Grupp tal-Vokazzjonijiet, fil-Conference Room.  Din tal-lum kienet okkażjoni sabiħa biex l-istudenti tas-6^th form setgħu jsiru jafu aktar lil Fr Joseph Curmi u anke sabiex jesperjenzaw ftit mill-atmosfera tas-Seminarju.

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On Thursday afternoon, 25^th October, the students of the Vocational Live-in visited our Seminary.  They met their new director, Fr Joseph Curmi, and then they joined the community of the Seminary for the prayer of the Vespers in the chapel.  After prayers, the whole congregation met in the refrectory for the supper prepared by the nuns and helpers.  Then, the students joined the seminarians in the Conference Room and participated in a game prepared by the Vocational Group.  This was a special occasion in which 6^th Form students could get to know Fr Joseph Curmi better and could experience life at the Seminary.

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Il-komunità tas-Seminarju ingħaqdet mal-Knisja fit-tħejjija għall-Jum Missjunarju.  Dan għamlitu permezz ta’ ġimgħa ta’ attivitajiet bejn it-Tnejn 15 u l-Ħadd 21 ta’ Ottubru 2012, bit-tema: “Aqdu lil xulxin fl-imħabba” (Gal 5,14).  Ta’ kuljum sar talb għall-Knisja ta’ kull kontinent partikulari.  Il-Ħamis 18 ta’ Ottubru l-Grupp Missjunarju organizza laqgħa lill-istudenti tas-Seminarju Minuri li trattat il-parabbola taż-żerriegħa tal-mustarda u l-missjoni fil-Guatemala.  L-għada filgħodu Mons. Ġorġ Grima ngħaqad mal-komunità għall-ewkaristija.  Tulha hu qasam l-esperjenza tiegħu fil-missjoni.  Hu stqarr li hi biss il-fidi f’Ġesù Kristu li żżomm lill-missjunarju sod, mimli kuraġġ u tama u ffukat fil-ħidma ta’ evanġelizzazzjoni li hu msejjaħ li jwettaq.  Dan jgħodd għal kull Nisrani: il-lajk, il-ministru ordnat, imma b’mod speċjali għall-missjunarju.

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The community of the Seminary has joined the Church in the preparations for Mission Day.  We launched a week of activities, lasting from Monday 15^th to Sunday 21^st October 2012.  The chosen theme was: “Out of love, place yourselves at one another’s service” (Gal 5,14).  Prayers were said daily for the Church of a particular continent.  On Thursday 18^th October, the Missionary Group visited the Minor Seminary and delivered a talk to the students about the parable of the mustard seed and the mission of Guatemala.  The following morning Mgr George Grima joined our community for the Holy Eucharist.  He shared with us his experience in the Missions.  He said that it is only faith in Jesus Christ which strenghens the missionary, fills him with courage and hope, and keeps him focused on the evangelisation which he is called to spread.  This applies to every Christian: the laity, the ordained priest and especially the missionary.

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Bejn il-Ġimgħa 19 waranofsinhar u s-Sibt 20 ta’ Ottubru l-komunità tas-Seminarju niżlet Malta fid-dar Rivotorto – parti mill-kumpless taċ-ĊAK – għal seminar ta’ formazzjoni umana.  Maria Vella, psikologa Għawdxija (minn Ta’ Sannat), li qed tkompli l-istudji tagħha u tipprattika l-professjoni tagħha ġewwa Londra, fl-Ingilterra, mexxiet dan is-seminar.  Hi tat żewġ konferenzi.  Fl-ewwel waħda tkellmet fuq l-emozzjonijiet u fit-tieni ppreżentat il-maħfra u l-proċess tal-mourning.  Wara kull konferenza kien hemm ħin ta’ riflessjoni u anke mument ta’ sharing fejn kull seminarista seta’ jippreżenta l-ħsieb tiegħu fuq is-suġġetti diskussi.

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Between Friday 19^th October in the afternoon and Saturday 20^th October, Rivotorto House (part of the CAK complex) in Malta, hosted the community of the Seminary for a seminar on human formation.  The seminar was led by Maria Vella from Ta’ Sannat.  Ms Vella is a Gozitan psychologist who is following her studies in London, England and who practises her profession there.  She gave two talks.  In the first talk she concentrated on emotions while in the second she focused on forgiveness and the process of mourning.  Following each talk there was time for reflection and for sharing.

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It-Tnejn 15 ta’ Ottubru – wara l-irtir ta’ tlitt ijiem li għamlu f’Manresa – ingħaqdu mal-komunità tas-Seminarju t-tliet studenti tal-Propedewtika.  Għal din is-sena l-esperjenza tal-Propedewtika ħadet xgħira diversa mill-esperjenzi preċedenti.  It-tliet propedewtiċi: Andrew Grima mill-parroċċa ta’ San Lawrenz f’San Lawrenz, Daniel Mercieca mill-parroċċa ta’ Marija Assunta fil-Belt Victoria u Mario Mercieca mill-parroċċa ta’ Marija Assunta fil-Belt Victoria, qed jgħixu fis-Seminarju.  Fr Michael Curmi, il-Viċi Rettur, hu responsabbli mill-formazzjoni tagħhom flimkien mad-Direttur Spiritwali Fr Alex Refalo.  Għalkemm qed jgħixu fl-istess kwartieri tas-seminaristi, huma għandhom programm partikulari għalihom.  Fil-fatt huma jingħaqdu biss mal-komunità għal tliet mumenti: il-quddiesa, l-adorazzjoni li ssir filgħaxija u ċ-ċena.

Following a three-day retreat at Manresa House, the three students of the propaedeutic year joined the community of the Seminary on Monday, 15^th October.  The propaedeutic experience for this year will be somewhat different from previous experiences as the three propaedeutic students will be living at the Gozo Seminary.  The students are Andrew Grima from the Parish of St Lawrence, in San Lawrenz, and Daniel Mercieca and Mario Mercieca both from the Parish of the Assumption of Mary, in Victoria.  Vice-Rector Fr Michael Curmi and Spiritual Director Fr Alex Refalo will be responsible for their formation.  Although they will be living in the same quarters of the seminarians, they will be following their own particular programme.  In fact, they will be joining the community of the seminary only three times during the day: at Mass, during the adoration which takes place in the evening and for supper.

During the summer recess two interactive whiteboards were installed at the Seminary.  One was installed at the Conference Room while the other was installed in one of the lecture rooms of the Faculty.  These white boards help to facilitate the academic teaching at the same Faculty.  Ms Pamela Borg, tutor on interactive whiteboards, led a seminar regarding the use of these new whiteboards.  This was also an occasion for those present to have a hands-on experience in the use of such boards and to put queries regarding the use of the same boards.

Tul il-waqfa tas-sajf li għadda ġew installati żewġ Interactive White Boards fis-Seminarju: wieħed fil-Conference Room u ieħor f’waħda mil-lecture rooms tal-Fakultà.  Dan sar bl-iskop li jiġi ffaċilitat it-tagħlim akkademiku fi ħdan l-istess Fakultà.  Is-seminar tmexxa minn Pamela Borg, tutor tal-Interactive White Boards.  Il-lecturers u s-seminaristi kienu mistiedna għalih.  Tul it-tliet sigħat tal-konferenza Pamela Borg ippruvat tagħti deskrizzjoni tal-faċilitajiet li jinkludu fihom dawn il-boards.  Dawk preżenti kellhom iċ-ċans li jagħmlu hands on experience tal-istess boards u kellhom iċ-ċans ukoll jagħmlu l-mistoqsijiet tagħhom dwar l-użu tal-boards.

As from this year of formation, Fr Alex Refalo, from the Nativity of Mary Parish in Xagħra, is replacing Fr Joseph Farrugia as spiritual director of the Major Seminary.  Fr Farrugia hails  from the Parish of the Visitation in Għarb.  It was deemed fitting to thank Fr Farrugia for his essential work which he performed within the community for five years.  With this aim in mind, the Seminarians’ Representative Council (K.R.S.) organised a barbeque at Imġarr ix-Xini Bay, on Friday 12^th October 2012.  At the end of the barbeque Fr Farrugia and Fr Alex Refalo cut the cake prepared for the occasion.  The community presented Fr Joseph with a memento.

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