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Yesterday the community of our Seminary animated a Eucharistic Adoration with special prayers for vocations at the parish church of Saint Lawrence. Afterwards we celebrated the Holy Mass together.

Last Saturday, at noon, with the beginning of Advent, the Church commenced a new liturgical year. The Seminary community prepared for the starting of this liturgical season with the Proclamation of Advent, held at the Seminary Chapel.

The celebration, which began at 11.00am was divided in four parts. During the first part, the Word of God was enthroned on the altar and after the initial greeting by the celebrant, the Rector Can Richard N. Farrugia, the first Advent candle was lit. The second part of the celebration was the Liturgy of the Word. After the reading of 1 Cor 1: 3-9, which is the second reading of the liturgy for the first Sunday of Advent (B), the Rector did a Lectio Divina on the text. The third part was the enthronement of the new icon representing this year’s theme: Kings 19, 1-15. This was then followed by an explanation of the symbols in the icon, by the iconographer Daniel Mercieca and the blessing of the icon by the Rector. The celebration ended shortly after noon with the blessing of the celebrant on the community.

During this Advent, the Seminary community will be following a slightly different program compared to the rest of the year. Before mass, at 6.10am, the community will be meeting to pray the Office of Readings in the chapel. Also, during mass, the celebrant will be making a short reflection after the reading of the Gospel.

An annual activity held by the Seminary community is the Lungo Passeggio. As the name suggests it is a long walk around the Gozitan countryside. A different route is chosen each year; this year being from Mġarr Harbour to Xlendi Bay. The seminarians together with three of the formators, namely the rector Fr Richard Farrugia, the vice-rector Fr Samuel Grech and the prefect of studies Fr Noel Debono, left the Seminary at around 8.45am. After a short drive to Mġarr, the walk started at the area near Fort Chambray. Then, the group proceeded to x-Xatt l-Aħmar Bay and afterwards to Mġarr ix-Xini Tower where they took a short break. They continued walking to the Ta’ Ċenċ area and finally by the Sanap Cliffs before reaching the Xlendi Tower. The walk took just over four hours. Although it had been quite a rainy week, this morning’s weather was ideal. Naturally, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, all members of the group wore face masks at all times. To better observe social distancing, the group was split into smaller groups. The Seminary community returned to the Seminary at around 1.15pm.

On Wednesday 25^th November 2020 our Seminary hosted Ms Carmen Ogilvie-Galea and Mr Eugene Bugeja who shared with us their experience of commitment within the civil service. Ms Ogilvie-Galea, who is the Director General of the Operations Division within the Ministry for Gozo, shared with us her civil work experience. She explained the several divisions within the Ministry for Gozo and talked about the importance of maintaining commitment, order, and flexibility. These values help in serving the people in a better way. Civil service, being a service for the people, is a way of practicing Christian values. Mr Bugeja, who is the Assistant Director (Human Resources Management) of the Corporate Services Directorate within the Ministry for Gozo, also shared with us his long work experience within the civil service. At the end of this meeting we were given the opportunity to ask questions.

Yesterday the community of our Seminary animated a Eucharistic Adoration with special prayers for vocations in the Corpus Christi parish church of Għasri. Afterwards we celebrated the Holy Mass together.

The 4^th of November 2020 marks the 154^th anniversary of the inauguration of our Seminary. During all these years this building has housed many young men who answered the call of the Father and accepted to follow Him. On this day we pray God to continue blessing our diocese with more holy vocations and to help all the priests who have left this Seminary to continue with their mission of love. We also pray for the many benefactors that throughout the years have sustained our Seminary.

Last week the Liturgical and Missionary Group organised various activities in view of the World Mission Sunday celebrated on 18^th October 2020. The theme of this week was inspired by the phrase “We are all in the same boat” which was used by Pope Francis during his Urbi et Orbi blessing last March. The message that the Group wished to convey was that every human being can spread God’s love, even during these particular times of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This Mission Week started on Monday 12^th October 2020. On this day the community prayed for Fr Manuel Cutajar, who is a Gozitan missionary in Albania.

On Tuesday 13^th October 2020, the Seminary community made a video call with Fr Victor Zammit MSSP, who is a Gozitan missionary in Peru. During this video call Fr Victor shared with the community his missionary experience of these last 17 years. He also talked about the difficulties encountered, especially during these times of the COVID-19 pandemic. Fr Victor emphasised the importance of inculturation and evangelisation which render mission a beautiful adventure. He also prayed that each one of us would have a mission-oriented heart. Each member of the community had the opportunity to ask him questions.

On Wednesday 14^th October 2020, the Seminary community prayed for bishop George Bugeja OFM, who is a Gozitan missionary in Tripoli. After dinner the seminarians watched the film “Alla luce del sole”. This film is about the life of Don Pino Puglisi, a Sicilian priest killed by the mafia on his birthday because of his emphasis against corruption.

On Thursday 15^th October 2020, the Seminary community welcomed Fr Joseph Camilleri, who is a Gozitan missionary in Guatemala. Fr Joseph celebrated mass, in which he shared his missionary experience. The community also made a prayer for his mission.

On Friday 16^th October 2020, the Seminary community prayed for Fr Mario Curmi, a Gozitan missionary in Guatemala.

On Saturday 17^th October 2020, the Seminary community prayed for bishop Giovanni Cefai MSSP, who is a Gozitan missionary in Peru. During this day the community attended a half-day seminar at Manresa Retreat House in Victoria, led by Fr Noel Debono. This year’s theme is inspired by 1 Kings 19, 1-15.

Apart from the above mentioned activities, every day a poster with an extract from the Pope’s message for the Mission Sunday was uploaded on the Seminary’s Facebook and Instagram page. Also, a brief video prepared by the Liturgical and Missionary Group was sent to all the Gozitan secondary schools so as to deliver a message for this week. The activities for the Mission Week came to an end during the weekend, where the seminarians continued to spread the message among the groups in the parishes where they are assigned for their pastoral work. Although this Mission Week was quite different due to the COVID-19 restrictions, its message was still delivered effectively.

The summer holidays are over and the Seminary opened its doors again to welcome the Seminary community for a new year of formation.  Although summer is a time of relaxation, the community made sure to meet once a month for a half-day retreat. These were led by the Rector Fr Richard N. Farrugia and were held at Stella Maris Retreat House in Żebbuġ and at Manresa Retreat House in Victoria. Also, an intensive course about Media and Evangelisation was held between 27th and 29th July. This was led by Fr Daniel Sultana and Mark Lawrence Zammit.

On Monday 23rd September, Rector Fr Richard Nazzareno Farrugia led the celebration of the Holy Mass with the participation of the seminarians.  After Mass, the seminarians shared their personal summer experience.  On Tuesday 22nd September, the community joined the Maltese seminarians at the Archbishop’s Seminary for a retreat which lasted till Sunday 27th September. Fr Fabio Attard SDB led the retreat which was based on the themes of love and service.

On Tuesday 29th October, life at the Seminary came in tune with its day-to-day routine. The official academic year 2020-2021 started on Friday 2nd October with the celebration of the Mass. This was led by the Bishop of Gozo Msgr Anton Teuma. Formators, lecturers, sisters, and relatives of the seminarians participated in this celebration which was held in the Seminary hall. At the end of the mass the Veni Creator was prayed as an invocation to the Holy Spirit in the beginning of this new formative year.

Each year, the Seminary community goes on a silent spiritual retreat as a preparation for the coming year of formation.  This year’s retreat was held with the Seminary community of the Archdiocese of Malta between the 22nd and 27th of September at the Archbishop’s Seminary in tal-Virtù in Rabat Malta.  The preacher was Rev. Fabio Attard sdb who hails from Gozo.  The seminarians were accompanied by the Rector Can Richard Farrugia and the new Vice-Rector, Rev. Samuel Grech.

Throughout the retreat Fr Fabio preached about the importance of love, listening and being of service to others.  He also emphasised the importance of prayer to develop a closer relationship with God.  Only when one is spiritually mature does true pastoral activity take place.

This retreat was a moment of grace for both communities to commence a new year united with God and each other in prayer.

On 21 of August, Mgr Anton Teuma, Gozo’s Bishop-elect, was ordained Bishop at the hands of Mgr Mario Grech, Pro-Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops. The co-consecrating bishops were Mgr Charles J. Scicluna, Metropolitan Archbishop of Malta and Mgr Alessandro d’Errico, Apostolic Nunzio to Malta. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the consecration, which started at 5.30pm, was held in the Xewkija Rotunda Church instead of the Cathedral, since the former is much larger in space.

The Seminary community would like to wish well to H.L. Mgr Teuma on the beginning of his ministry as Bishop and also accompany him in prayer.

Last Tuesday, 28th July, a pasta night was held at Villa Fiorita in Marsalforn as a fundraising activity for the Seminary.  Each year, at the end of all the courses of Lenten spiritual exercises organised in the Diocese of Gozo, a collection is made in aid of the Seminary. Due the to the Covid-19 restrictions which were in effect for several months, these collections did not take place this year.  Thus, this pasta night was organised to help finance the works being done at the Seminary, namely: a new Wi-Fi system, new bathroom facilities for the seminarians and the renovation of the refectory.

Our whole-hearted thanks goes to the many volunteers who helped in the preparations of this event. We would also like to thank the various shops and establishments for the gifts and gift vouchers they offered as prizes for the raffle held. Finally, we would like to thank all those who attended the event.

Between the 27^th and the 29^th of July, an intensive course about the Church and its relation and use of the media was held at the MSSP’s Stella Maris House in Żebbuġ.  The course was coordinated by the Seminary’s new prefect of studies, Rev. Fr Noel Debono.  It was delivered by two speakers: Rev. Fr Daniel Sultana who holds a degree in Church Communication and the T.V. journalist Mark Laurence Zammit.  The course was not addressed only to the seminarians but was open to the rest of the Gozitan clergy and the lay people involved in the Diocese’s media.

In the first day Rev. Sultana tackled the theoretical aspects of the subject.  Mr Zammit led the following two days and took a more practical approach which involved hands on exercises.  In today’s world, learning how to speak the language of the media is of fundamental importance to the Church.  The media is the place where people meet and thus the Church should be present in this space to make Christ’s message heard and known.