The month of December is filled with the joy of the celebrations commemorating the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus in Bethlehem. During the time of Advent and Christmas the Church not only reflects on the coming of our Lord in the event of the incarnation, but also on his glorious coming at the end of time. This season in the Church’s year is also a special time for the Seminary where our premises reflect the joy in our hearts by the various Christmas decorations. The community’s daily program is slightly altered. During Advent, the seminarians and their formators meet in the Chapel earlier in the mornings, at 6.10am, to pray together the Office of Readings. From 15 December onwards, the community celebrated the Novena in preparation for Christmas. Each day during mass, one of the seminarians shared a reflection about the profound relation between the crib of Bethlehem with its various elements and the mystery of the Eucharist. This theme was chosen by our community in the light of this pastoral year’s motto “So he went in to stay with them.” (Lk 24:29) During advent the Seminary community also organised a vocational meeting for both the vocational groups and the altar servers above age 13. This moment of prayer and adoration took place on Thursday 12 December. Those who attended were then invited to dinner at the Seminary. The community shared their festive joy on Thursday 19 December, where they had the opportunity to exchange greetings and gifts. The first term at the Seminary came to closure on the 20 December. In the evening, at 6.00p.m., the Rector Fr. Joseph Bajada celebrated mass at the Seminary chapel, together with the formators, the seminarians and their families, the Franciscan sisters, and the members of the association ‘Aħwa-Ħbieb tas-Seminarju’. After mass, all present gathered for a reception in the refectory to exchange their wishes for this festive season. Later in the evening, the seminarians went home with their families for two weeks of Christmas holidays. They will return back to the Seminary on Monday, 6 January 2024, to commence the second term.
