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On Friday, December 8th, the Catholic Church celebrated the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception.  This feast has a bond with the Seminary, since the Seminary Chapel is dedicated to the Immaculate Conception.

On Thursday, December 7th, on the eve of the solemnity, the Blessed Sacrament was exposed in the chapel for the whole day.  Prayers for vocations were said. During the morning Mass, Deacon Joseph Hili delivered a short homily.  In the evening, the seminarians were present at the Cathedral for the evening vespers and then participated in an hour of Adoration in the Seminary chapel during which they sang marian hymns.  The hour of Adoration came to an end with the Sacramental Blessing.  On Friday morning, the morning Vespers were said in the chapel.  At 8.00am, the seminarians attended the Pontifical Mass at the Cathedral.  In the evening, the rosary was said.

Mument sabiħ fis-Seminarju seħħ nhar is-Sibt 2 ta’ Diċembru.  Dakinhar saret it-tħabbira tal-Avvent Imqaddes u saret ukoll il-preżentazzjoni tal-ikona għal din is-sena ta’ formazzjoni.

Waqt din iċ-ċelebrazzjoni, ir-Rettur, Dun Richard N. Farrugia qasam mal-komunità l-ħsieb tiegħu fil-bidu ta’ din is-sena liturġika.  Ma naqasx ukoll il-kant Maranathà u innijiet oħra marbuta ma’ dan iż-żmien tal-Avvent.  Din is-sena l-ikona nkitbet minn Vincent Mangani. L-ikona ta’ din is-sena 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.

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On Saturday, December 2nd, the Seminary community attended to the proclamation of Advent and to the presentation of the icon for this year of formation.  During the celebration, Rector Fr Richard N. Farrugia shared with us his thoughts for the beginning of this liturgical year.  Various hymns related to Advent, including Maranathà, were sung.  The icon for this year was written by Vincent Mangani and 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.

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Nhar il-Ħadd 26 ta’ Novembru, wara diversi tħejjijiet, il-komunità tas-Seminarju tat bidu għall-esperjenza vokazzjonali ġewwa l-parroċċa ta’ Sannat. Din l-esperjenza li ġiet organizzata bejn il-Ħadd 26 ta’ Novembru u l-Ġimgħa l-1 ta’ Diċembru kellha l-għan li tqajjem aktar għarfien dwar il-vokazzjonijiet Saċerdotali waqt li jsir ukoll talb lil Alla sabiex ikompli jsejjaħ aktar vokazzjonijiet qaddisa, anke mill-Parroċċa ta’ Sannat, sabiex jaħdmu fil-għalqa tiegħu.

Din il-ġimgħa fetħet b’Quddiesa, immexxiha mill-Viċi-Rettur flimkien mal-formators u mas-saċerdoti kollha tal-parroċċa. Għal aktar minn darba l-komunità tas-Seminarju ċċelebrat l-Ewkaristija mal-komunità parrokkjali, is-seminaristi żaru wkoll l-Iskola Primarja t’Għajnsielem.  Ġew organizzati diversi mumenti ta’ adorazzjoni u anki saru laqgħat lit-tfal fid-djar tad-duttrina u tal-MUSEUM.  Saru laqgħat lill-gruppi tal-adolexxenti u liż-żgħażagħ fiċ-Ċentru Parrokkjali.  Fi tmiem il-ġimgħa ġie organizzat ukoll mument ta’ fraternità maż-żgħażagħ u mas-saċerdoti tal-parroċċa.  Madankollu l-aktar attività ċentrali tul din il-ġimgħu kienet il-home visits.  Is-seminaristi, bejn it-Tnejn u l-Ħamis, kellhom iċ-ċans iżuru diversi familji li għandhom ulied adolexxenti jew żgħażagħ.  Fi tmiem din l-esperjenza s-seminaristi flimkien mas-superjuri tas-Seminarju raddew ħajr lil Alla, lill-Arċipriet Dun Michael Curmi u anki lill-parroċċa ta’ Sannat talli offritilhom din l-opportunità sabiħa biex permezz tagħha huma setgħu jħossuhom aktar qrib tal-Poplu ta’ Alla.

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Sunday, November 26th, saw the beginning of Vocations Week at Sannat Parish.  The week ended on Friday, December 1st. The activity was hosted by the Seminary Community and its main aim was to create more awareness of the need for priestly vocations and, at the same time, offer prayers to God for more vocations, including from the Parish of Sannat.

The week started with a Mass celebrated by the Vice Rector together with the formators and the priests of the parish.  The Seminary community celebrated Mass on other days of the week.  During the week, the seminarians paid a visit to the Primary School, organised moments of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, met the children who attend Cathecism centres and the MUSEUM and hosted groups of adolescents and young people in the Parrochial Centre.

At the end of the week, the seminarians had informal meetings with the young people and the priests of the parish.  However, the most important activity of the week consisted of home visits, held between Monday and Thursday.  Families of adolescents and young people opened their doors to the seminarians.  At the end of the experience, the seminarians and the Seminary community thanked God, Archpriest Fr Michael Curmi and the Sannat parish for them, the seminarians, the opportunity to be closer to the People of God.

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Il-manifestazzjoni djoċesana ta’ Kristu Re din is-sena saret il-Ħadd 26 ta’ Novembru fir-Rotunda tax-Xewkija. Fl-omelija Mons. Mario Grech qal li jissuspetta li fost in-nies hemm min jaf il-morali, imma ma jaf la lil Alla u lanqas lil Ġesù Kristu – hemm min jidentifika l-morali ma’ Alla. L-Isqof Grech temm jgħid li se jitlob lill-Ispirtu s-Santu biex jagħti lill-poplu d-dawl biex jifhem aħjar kif jista’jxandar l-ferħ tal-Vanġelu lid-dinja ta’ dan iż-żmien.

The diocesan manifestation of Christ the King was held this year on the 26th November at the Rotunda in Xewkija.  In his homily, Bishop Grech said that amongst the congregation there might be people who are well versed in morals but who know neither God nor Jesus Christ.  There are people who identify morals with God. The Bishop said that he will pray the Holy Spirit to illuminate the faithful to understand better the way the Joy of the Gospel should be spread around the world.

Nhar is-Sibt 11 ta’ Novembru l-Aħwa Ħbieb tas-Seminarju flimkien mas-Seminarju u voluntiera oħra organizzaw l-Ikla ta’ San Martin.  L-iskop ta’ din l-ikla hu dak ta’ fund raising. Din l-ikla għandha storja twila ħafna u dejjem ġiet marbuta mal-festa ta’ San Martin ta’ Tours li taħbat fil-11 ta’ Novembru.  Din is-sena wkoll kien hemm numru sabiħ ta’ nies li attendew u kellhom ix-xorti li tul l-ikla jiġu servuti mis-seminaristi.  Hi tradizzjoni antika li s-seminaristi, waqt din l-ikla jagħmluha ta’ waiters.

On Saturday 11th November, the Aħwa Ħbieb tas-Seminarju and volunteers organised the fund raising activity known as St Martin’s Dinner.  This dinner has a long tradition and has always been associated with the feast of St Martin of Tours, celebrated on the 11^th November.  The guests were served by the seminarians who have kept the tradition of serving as waiters throughout the evening.

Tradizzjoni li daħlet sew fil-kalendaju tas-Seminarju hija l-lungo passeggio, li din is-sena ġiet organizzata nhar il-Ħamis, 9 ta’ Novembru. Is-seminaristi flimkien mal-formators telqu bil-mixi miċ-Ċirkewwa għaddew għal Marfa u mxew mal-kosta biex waslu fil-bajja tal-Għadira fejn imbagħad irritornaw lura lejn iċ-Ċirkewwa mit-triq prinċipali biex jaqbdu l-vapur.

Minbarra li din kienet l-ewwel darba li lungo passegio sar Malta l-mixja kienet ftit impenjattiva però fl-istess waqt kien mument fejn is-seminaristi setgħu jammiraw is-sbuħija tan-natura li għandna fil-gżejjer tagħna. Nistgħu ngħidu li t-temp kien favorevoli għax il-Ħamis ħareġ jum xemxi li għen sabiex il-mixja tkun waħda sabiħa.

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A traditional activity that is included in the calendar of the Seminary is the lungo passeggio, which this year was held on Thursday, 9th November. The seminarians were accompanied by their formators during this long walk, which started from Ċirkewwa, proceeded to Marfa and on along the coast to Għadira Bay. They took the main road to return to Ċirkewwa from where they boarded the ferry.  It was the first time that this activity was held in Malta.  The track was rather rough but it was worth following since the hikers could enjoy the natural beauty of the area.  The weather was ideal for such a walk.

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Nhar l-Erbgħa 8 ta’ Novembru, Dr Marlene Cauchi mexxiet laqgħa ta’ informazzjoni dwar metodi ta’ riċerka bl-internet. L-għarfien dwar dawn il-metodi kien interessanti u utli għas-seminaristi kemm għall-iskola u anke għall-pastorali tagħhom.