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On Tuesday, 13th February, the eve of Ash Wednesday, the Seminary celebrated the annunciation of Lent.  At the beginning of the celebration, which was led by  Rev. Rector Richard N. Farrugia, the artal and ambo were clad their Lenten vestments. The Rev. Rector explained the Reading of the First Sunday of Lent (Mk 1, 12-15). Lenten hymns were sung during the celebration which ended with the sharing of the new programme of activities for Lent.

Is-seminaristi temmew l-ewwel semestru għal din is-sena nhar il-Ġimgħa 19 ta’ Jannar. Bħal dejjem, tmiem ta’ perjodu ta’ studju jġib miegħu l-eżamijiet.  Dawn saru bejn l-Erbgħa 24 ta’ Jannar u l-Erbgħa 7 ta’ Frar.  Fi tmiem l-eżamijiet il-komunità kellha jumejn ta’ mistrieħ f’Malta.  B’dan il-mod kulħadd kien ippreparat biex jagħti bidu għat-tieni semestru ta’ studju, li beda nhar it-Tnejn 12 ta’ Frar.

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On Friday, 19th January, the seminarians ended the first semester of the year.  This time of the year is Examination time. This year the examinations lasted from Wednesday, 24th January, to Wednesday, 7th February.  A two-day spree of activities in Malta served as a break before the start of the second semester on Monday, 12th February.

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Nhar is-Sibt 13 ta’ Jannar is-saċerdoti Għawdxin inġabru fis-Seminarju għall-awgurju tal-bidu tas-sena.  Mons. Isqof jieħu din l-okkażjoni biex jawgura s-sena t-tajba lis-saċerdoti kif ukoll iwassal il-messaġġ tiegħu fil-bidu tas-sena l-ġdida. Mons. Isqof saħaq li l-Knisja trid tqiegħed idejha fost l-oħrajn fuq il-laħam tal-marid, ta’ min hu bla xogħol, ta’ min qed ibati l-inġustizzja, ta’ min qiegħed f’relazzjoni affettiva irregolari u ta’ min għandu kriżi ta’ fidi. L-Isqof kompla billi qal li d-diskors dwar Alla jsir ħafna astratt jekk mhux ukoll kiebi, meta jkun distakkat mill-esperjenza umana. Żied jgħid li lill-bniedem wieħed jista’ jifhmu u jirrispettah biss fl-isfond tal-infinit. Is-seminaristi attendew ukoll għal din l-attività.

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On Saturday, 13th January, the Gozitan priests met at the Seminary to exchange greetings for the new year. Every year, Bishop Mario Grech joins in the exchange of greetings and shares his thoughts for the coming year.  On this occasion, he said that the Church should be closer to the sick, to the unemployed, to those who are being treated unjustly, to those who are in an irregular relationship and to those whose Faith is in a crisis.  The Bishop said that words about God sound abstract and even sad when they are not associated with human experience.  Man can be understood and respected only in terms of his relationship with the Infinite. The seminarians attended this activity.

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Nhar il-Ħadd, 3 ta’ Diċembru l-Knisja tat bidu għas-sena liturġika tagħha permezz tal-ewwel Ħadd tal-Avvent. Dan hu żmien li fih il-Knisja tħeġġeġ lill-insara kollha sabiex jiftakru iktar fit-tieni miġja ta’ Kristu waqt li wkoll jippreparaw biex jiċċelebraw il-festa tal-Milied.  Dan hu wkoll żmien partikulari fil-ħajja tas-Seminarju, għax fih il-programm tas-Seminarju jieħu svolta differenti waqt li l-ambjent tas-seminarju jilbes l-ilbies festiv tal-Milied.

Il-komunità tas-Seminarju tat bidu għal dan iż-żmien nhar is-Sibt, l-1 ta’ Diċembru, permezz tat-Tħabbira tal-Avvent.  Din hi ċelebrazzjoni li ssir ta’ kull sena u li tinkludi fiha qari ta’ lezzjoni mill-Iskrittura flimkien ma’ spjagazzjoni tagħha, bl-iskop li tħeġġeġ lill-komunità biex tħejji ruħha għall-miġja ta’ Kristu; u l-preżentazzjoni flimkien mat-tberik tal-ikona li se takkompanja lill-komunità tul din is-sena.  Wara li jsiru xi invokazzjonijiet ir-Rettur jindika xi tibdiliet fil-programm tal-komunità, li jkunu se jieħdu posthom tul dawn il-ġranet, biex ifakkruna li dan hu żmien speċjali. L-ikona, miktuba apposta għal din is-sena minn Vincent Mangani, ġiet ispirata mis-silta:  “Niżlet f’riġlejn il-Mulej tisimgħu”, meħuda minn Lq 10,39. Hija frażi li tinsab fis-silta meta Ġesù mar għand Marta u Marija.

Dan hu wkoll żmien li fih nibdew naraw l-ambjent ta’ madwarna jilbes il-libsa tal-Milied, u dan ma jonqosx fis-seminarju fejn is-seminaristi kif ukoll il-formators jieħdu ħsieb li jżejnu s-seminarju bl-istatwi ta’ Ġesu’ Bambin, b’siġar, dwal, u anke il-presepju ma jonqosx.

Matul iż-żmien tal-Avvent il-liturġija fis-Seminarju tkun xi ftit differenti. Ta’ kuljum filgħodu kmieni jiġi ċċelebrat l-Uffiċċju tal-Qari. Dan jiġi ċċelebrat f’ambjent ta’ dawl baxx b’sens ta’ stennija. Waqt il-quddiesa issir ukoll spjega qasira tal-Liturġija tal-Kelma minn wieħed mill-formators, waqt li fiż-żmien tan-Novena din issir mis-seminaristi. Marbuta wkoll ma’ dan iż-żmien hija Quddiesa, li l-komunita’ tas-seminarju tiċċelebra f’għar li jinsab fir-raħal tax-Xagħra, fejn l-ambjent tal-għar u d-dawl tax-xema tgħin iktar biex wieħed jidħol fl-atmosfera tal-Milied u jħalli l-ħsieb tiegħu itir lejn il-ġrajja ta’ Betlehem, fejn l-Iben ta’ Alla sar bniedem.

Huwa wkoll żmien marbut mar-rigali, u dan ma jonqosx ukoll fl-ambjent fratern tas-Seminarju fejn is-seminaristi u l-formators jagħtu rigali lil xulxin. Iktar mill-valur tar-rigal, dan juri sens ta’ ġenerozita’ u għotja fejn il-persuna tkun lesta li taqsam ma’ ħaddieħor b’mod partikulari ma’ dawk li int ma tkun qed tistenna xejn mingħandhom. Dan joħroġ b’mod partikulari fl-attivita’ li s-seminarju jorganizza ta’ kull sena fejn iżur post li fih jinsabu jgħixu nies fil-bżonn. Din is-sena, il-komunita’ għamlet żjara lid-dar tal-anzjani tas-sorijiet Dumnikani li tinsab fir-Rabat.

Dan hu wkoll żmien li fih is-seminaristi jkollhom ukoll xi ftit tal-vaganzi sabiex igawdu xi ftit aktar lill-familja. Għalhekk nhar il-Ġimgħa 22 ta’ Diċembru filgħaxija s-seminaristi bdew il-waqfa tagħhom għall-Milied. Mons. Isqof Mario Grech, dakinhar filgħaxija, ġie s-Seminarju jmexxi l-quddiesa ta’ radd il-ħajr fi tmiem l-ewwel term.  Għal din il-quddiesa kienu mistiedna l-ġenituri tas-seminaristi. Is-seminaristi jerġgħu jirritornaw is-Seminarju nhar it-Tnejn 8 ta’ Jannar 2018.

Min hawn f’isem il-komunita’ nixtiequ nawgurawlkom Milied hieni u l-isbaħ xewqat għas-Sena l-Ġdida.

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On Sunday, December 3rd, the Church started its liturgical year with the first Sunday of Advent.  Advent is a time during which the Church urges all Christians to concentrate more on the second coming of Christ while preparing for Christmas.  Advent is a particular time in the Seminary calendar.  The building itself is donned with Christmas decorations and the daily programme of events takes on a different schedule.

The Seminary community started this time of year on Saturday, October 1st, with the proclamation of Advent.  It is an annual celebration which includes the reading and explanation of an extract from the Scriptures which exhorts the faithful to prepare themselves for the coming of Chirst and the presentation and blessing of the icon for the year.  Following some invocations, the Rector indicated changes in the daily programme of the community.  The icon, written by Vincent Mangari, was inspired by the verse:  “She sat by the Lord s feet, listening to what he said”  (Lk 10,39).  This verse refers to the visit Jesus paid to Martha and Mary.

During Advent, the world dons its Christmas decorations and so does the Seminary.  The seminarians and formators decorate the building with images of Baby Jesus, the crib, the Christmas Tree and Christmas lights.

At this time of year, the liturgy is different.  Every day, early in the morning, there are the Morning Vespers, read in a dim light as a sign of expectation.  At Mass, one of our formators gives a short explanation of the Liturgy of the Word.  The seminarians conduct the Novena.  Every year too, Mass is said in a cave at Xaghra. The cave itself and the sunlight which filters in help the individual to embrace the Christmas spirit and help the mind re-enact the Nativity scene in Betlehem when the Son of God became man.

Christmas time is associated with gifts.  The seminarians and formatiors too exchange gifts, which are appreciated not for what they are worth but for what they represent: a sense of generosity on the part of an individual who is ready to give and expects nothing in return.  This gesture is especially evident in the annual activity when the community pays a visit to a home which houses needy persons.  This year, the community visited the Home for the Elderly of the Domenican Sisters.

Christmas time is also holiday time for the seminarians.  The holidays started on Friday, December 22nd.  That Friday afternoon, Bishop Grech celebrated Mass at the Seminary.  The parents of seminarians were invided to join the community at Mass.  The second term at the Seminary will start on Monday, January 8th, 2018.

We wish all our readers a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

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Is-Sibt 16 ta’ Diċembru filgħodu, bosta abbatini nġabru fis-Seminarju għall-attività tal-Milied.  Il-laqgħa saret fil-bitħa tas-Seminarju.  Matthew Bajada mexxa l-laqgħa u tkellem fuq il-paċi fid-dinja. Dan kollu ġie spjegat bil-għajnuna ta’ rappreżentazzjoni qasira marbuta ma’ din it-tema.

Wara s-seminaristi qassmu lit-tfal fi tliet gruppi, organizzawlhom logħob adattat għall-okkażjoni u anki pprovdewlhom xi snacks.  Mons. Isqof Mario Grech żar lill-gruppi u tkellem mat-tfal.  Fl-aħħar tal-attività s-seminaristi qassmu r-rigal tal-Milied imħejji minnhom għal din l-okkażjoni.

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On Saturday morning, December 16th, a group of altar boys and members of the Vocations Groups met for a Christmas activity in the Seminary yard.  The activity started with a short talk about peace in the world delivered by Matthew Bajada. The talk was followed by a short play related with the theme of peace.

The boys were then divided into three groups and took part in games.  They were also provided with light snacks.  Bishop Grech talked to the respective groups.  At the end of the activity the boys were each given a Christmas present, which the seminarians had prepared for them.

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L-E.T. Mons. Alessandro d’Errico, Nunzju Appostoliku għal Malta u l-Libja żar is-Seminarju tagħna nhar il-Ħamis 14 ta’ Diċembru 2017 filgħodu. Huwa ġie milqugħ mill-komunità u l-formators u kellu laqgħa mal-professuri li jgħallmuna. Wara l-laqgħa ġie meħud ritratt tal-okkażjoni u ġiet iċċelebrata quddiesa fil-kappella. Waqt l-omelija li kienet indirizzata lis-seminaristi huwa tkellem dwar il-karatteristiċi li jeħtieġ li jkollu s-saċerdot tallum u tal-futur. B’riferiment għall-eżortazzjoni appostolika Evangelii Gaudium hu tenna li s-saċerdot irid ikun lest li joħroġ ifittex in-ngħaġ il-mitlufa bil-ferħ u miftuħ għal pjanijiet ta’Alla. Din iż-żjara ntemmet permezz tal-pranzu.

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On Thursday morning, December 14th, His Excellency Mgr Alessandro d’Enrico, Apostolic Nuncio for Malta and Libya, paid a visit to our Seminary.  He was welcomed by the community and the formators and had a meeting with the lecturers.  A group photo was then taken.  Mass was celebrated in the chapel.  During the homily, addressed primarily to the seminarians, the Apostolic Nuncio talked about the characteristics that the priest of today and of the future should have.  Referring to the apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, he said that the priest should be ready to go out in search of the lost sheep.  He should do so with joy and should be open to embrace God’s plans. A dinner rounded up this visit.

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Nhar il-Ġimgħa 8 ta’ Diċembru, il-Knisja Kattolika ċċelebrat is-Solennità tal-Immakulata Kunċizzjoni.  Din il-festa għandha wkoll rabta mas-Seminarju, minħabba li l-Kappella tas-Seminarju għandha bħala titular tagħha l-Immakulata Kunċizzjoni.

Il-Ħamis 7 ta’ Diċembru, lejliet is-solennità, saret ġurnata adorazzjoni b’talb għall-vokazzjonijiet fil-kappella. Waqt il-quddiesa ta’ filgħodu d-djaknu Joseph Hili għamel ħsieb qasir. Filgħaxija, is-seminaristi taw is-servizz tagħhom fil-kant tal-Għasar fil-Katidral u wara animaw siegħa adorazzjoni b’talb marjan fil-kappella tas-seminarju. L-adorazzjoni ntemmet bil-Barka Sagramentali. Il-Ġimgħa filgħodu tlabna l-Uffiċċju tal-Qari u tkanta t-Tifħir ta’ Sbiħ il-Jum fil-Kappella. Fit-8.00am is-seminaristi taw is-servizz tagħhom fil-Pontifikal fil-Katidral u filgħaxija tlabna it-talba tar-rużarju.