Nhar is-Sibt 4 ta’ Marzu, is-seminaristi Maltin flimkien mal-formators tagħhom żaru s-Seminarju ta’ Għawdex. Dan hu wieħed mill-ftit mumenti li fih is-seminaristi Maltin u Għawdxin jkollhom mument ta’ fraternità flimkien.
Dun Richard N. Farrugia mexxa l-quddiesa u wara kilna flimkien. Mons. Isqof Mario Grech kien preżenti magħna għall-ikla. Iż-żjara ntemmet permezz ta’ mument fratern flimkien. Dun Richard, wera l-apprezzament tiegħu lill-komunità tas-Seminarju tal-Arċisqof, għaż-żjara tagħhom.
On Saturday 4th March, the Maltese Seminarians and their formators visited the Gozo Seminary. This is one of the rare occasions when the seminarians of the two Seminaries meet. Fr Richard N. Farrugia led the Mass and then we had dinner. Bishop Grech joined us at dinner. An informal gathering followed. Our Rector thanked the guests for their visit to our Seminary.
Mument sabiħ fis-Seminarju kien it-Tlieta 28 ta’ Frar, lejliet Ras ir-Randan, meta saret it-tħabbira tar-Randan Imqaddes.
Fil-bidu ta’ din iċ-ċelebrazzjoni li tmexxiet mir-Rettur, Dun Richard N. Farrugia, l-artal u l-ambone ġew imlibbsa għal dan iż-żmien liturġiku. Ir-Rettur għamel spjegazzjoni tas-silta tal-Vanġelu tal-Ewwel Ħadd tar-Randan (Mt 4:1-11). Ma naqasx ukoll il-kant ta’ innijiet marbuta ma’ dan iż-żmien. Wara, ir-Rettur indika xi tibdiliet fil-programm tal-komunità, li kellhom jieħdu posthom tul ir-Randan, biex ifakkruna li dan hu żmien speċjali.
Mill-Ħadd 19 sas-Sibt 25 ta’ Frar il-parroċċa tal-Għasri organizzat ġimgħa ta’ talb għall-vokazzjonijiet. Matul din il-ġimgħa waqt il-quddies sar talb speċjali għall-vokazzjonijiet. Il-Ħamis 23 imbagħad, il-komunità kollha tas-Seminarju flimkien mas-superjuri mexxew l-adorazzjoni li fiha ħadu sehem it-tfal tad-duttrina u wara quddiesa. Is-seminarista Gabriel Vella qasam l-esperjenza tal-vokazzjoni tiegħu lit-tfal waqt l-adorazzjoni.
On Tuesday 28th February, on the eve of Ash Wednesday, we assisted to the announcement of Lent. The celebration was led by Rector Fr Richard N. Farrugia. At the beginning of the celebration, the main artal and the ambon were dressed in their Lenten array. The Rector shared his thoughts on the reading from the Gospel of the First Sunday of Lent (Mt 4:1-11). The community joined in the singing of hyms related with this time of year. Afterwards, the Rector announced some changes in the normal schedule, to remind us that the Lenten season is a special time in the Liturgical calendar.
From Sunday 19th to Saturday 25th February the Għasri Parish hosted a week of prayer for vocations. During the week, special prayers for vocations were said during Mass. On Thursday 23rd, the Seminary community and their superiors led the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. The children who attend the religion lessons took part in this session of prayer which was followed by Mass. Seminarian Gabriel Vella talked to the children about his call for priesthood.
Kif kien ġie mħabbar fl-aħħar xhur, l-għeluq tas-sena formattiva tas-Seminarju għal din is-sena se jkun wieħed mhux tas-soltu għaliex nhar il-21 ta’ Ġunju li ġej il-komunità tas-Seminarju se tħalli lil Malta sabiex tmur tagħmel esperjenza volontarja fil-missjoni ta’ Dun Anton Grech fil-Gwatemala. Bħala parti mill-preparazzjoni għal din il-missjoni, is-Seminarju se jkun qed jorganizza diversi attivitajiet ta’ fundraising.
L-ewwel attività li saret kienet mixja ta’ ħmistax-il kilometru mis-Seminarju għal Ta’ Pinu imbagħad għaddiet għall-Wied il-Għasri u Marsalforn u lura fis-Seminarju. Mal-wasla fis-Seminarju kulħadd sab tistennieh xi belgħa kafè jew tè u xi pasta! Il-parteċipanti kienu mitluba jagħtu donazzjoni libera, b’dik proposta mis-Seminarju kienet ta’ 15-il ewro. Din il-mixja saret nhar il-Ħadd 12 ta’ Frar u damet għal madwar tlett sigħat. Minn qalbna nixtiequ nirringrazjaw lil kull minn ħa sehem. Il-parteċipanti kienu madwar tmenin persuna.
L-attività li jmiss se tkun Carwash li se ssir is-Sibt 18 ta’ Marzu bejn id-9.00am u s-6.00pm fil-parking tal-Arkadia u fil-parking tal-Iskola Agius de Soldanis. Inħeġġu lil kulħadd sabiex jipparteċipa! Narawkom!
As announced earlier, the end of the current formative year at the Seminary will have a missionary characteristic since on the 21st June the Seminary community will be leaving Malta on a voluntary experience in the Mission of Fr Anton Grech in Guatemala. As part of the preparations for this experience, the Seminary will be holding various fundraising activities.
The first activity was held on Sunday 12th February. It was a fifteen kilometre walk starting from the Seminary, proceeding to Ta’ Pinu, to Wied l-Għasri and Marsalforn and ending at the Seminary, where the participants were offered a cup of coffee and a piece of cake. The participants were free to give a donation, preferably not less than €15. The walk started at 2.00pm and ended at 5.15pm.
The next activity will be a Carwash, held on Saturday 18th March, from 9.00am to 6.00pm, at the parking space at Arkadia and the school ground. We look forward to meeting you!
Is-seminaristi temmew l-ewwel semestru għal din is-sena nhar il-Erbgħa 25 ta’ Jannar. Bħal dejjem, tmiem ta’ perjodu ta’ studju jġib miegħu l-eżamijiet. Dawn saru bejn is-Sibt 28 ta’ Jannar u l-Ħamis 9 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 13 ta’ Frar.
This year, the first semester came to an end on Wednesday 25th January. As always, the end of a study period is marked by examinations. The examinations were held between Saturday 28th January and Thursday 9th February. The examinations were followed by holidays which we spent in Malta. This break served to spur us on for the start of the second semester of study which started on Monday 13th February.
Il-komunità tas-Seminarju nhar it-Tlieta 24 ta’ Jannar attendiet għall-konferenza li saret mill-Kardinal Gianfranco Ravasi bil-titlu It-Tempju u l-Pjazza – Twemmin, kultura u soċjetà. Din it-taħdita kienet organizzata mill-Patrijiet Agostinjani f’Malta li qegħdin jiċċelebraw il-200 sena minn meta twaqqfet il-Provinċja Agostinjana Maltija. Din it-taħdita saret fis-Sala tal-Iskola tas-Sorijiet Agostinjani fil-Gżira. Qabel it-taħdita is-seminaristi kellhom iċ-ċans jiltaqgħu u jitkellmu ftit mal-Kardinal.
On Tuesday 24th January, the Seminary community attended a talk given by Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi. The talk was about The Temple and the square – Belief, culture and society. The Cardinal was the guest of the Maltese Augustian Community who are celebrating 200 years since the Maltese Province was set up as an independent Province from the Sicilian Province. The talk was held in the hall of the Augustinian Nuns in Gzira. Before the talk started, the seminarians had the opportunity to meet the Cardinal.
