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On Saturday 14th January the Gozitan priests met at the Seminary to exchange New Year’s greetings.  Every year, on this occasion Bishop Grech exhanges greetings with the priests and passes on a message for the new year.  Bishop Grech said that the priest should be the one who forms the conscience of man and who not replaces it.  The discernment has to be personal and the priest has to apply the art of the proposal of truth and waits patiently for the penitent to accept it.  The Bishop also read the guide lines regarding the application of chapter 8 of the Amoris Laetitia.  The guide lines had been published the day before by Bishop Grech in conjunction with Archbishop Scicluna.  The seminarians attended this activity too.

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Nhar it-Tnejn 9 ta’ Jannar 2017, is-seminarista Joseph Hili ppreżenta it-talba tiegħu biex jiġi aċċettat għall-ordinazzjoni djakonali filwaqt li d-djakni Michael Grima u Carl Scerri ippreżentaw it-talba għall-ordinazzjoni presbiterali. Dan sar waqt il-quddiesa ta’ filgħodu fil-kappella tas-Seminarju, fil-preżenza tal-formators, is-seminaristi u anke s-sorijiet.

Joseph, Michael u  Carl ressqu t-talba tagħhom waqt il-mument tal-offertorju.

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On Monday 9th, January 2017, seminarian Joseph Hili presented his request to be ordained deacon while deacons Michael Grima and Carl Scerri asked to be ordained priests.  The request was presented during the morning mass at the Seminary chapel.  The formators, the seminarians and the nuns were present for the mass.  Joseph, Michael and Carl presented their request during the Offertory.

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Ix-xahar ta’ Diċembru huwa xahar speċjali anki għall-komunità tas-Seminarju.  F’dan iż-żmien il-programm tal-ġurnata jiġi mibdul.  Jisbieħ il-bini tas-seminarju u jiġu organizzati attivitajiet li ma jsirux fil-bqija tas-sena.Tul żmien l-Avvent fis-6.15am isir it-talb tal-Uffiċċju tal-Qari u fil-Quddiesa ta’ kuljum isir ħsieb wara l-Vanġelu.

Fl-aħħar jiem ta’ qabel il-Milied, is-seminaristi flimkien mal-formators, iżejnu s-Seminarju u jiġu organizzati diversi attivitajiet fosthom il-quddiesa fl-għar u l-attività flimkien mal-familjari tas-seminaristi.

Din is-sena s-seminaristi ħarġu għall-vaganzi tal-Milied nhar il-Ġimgħa 16 ta’ Diċembru.  Dakinhar saru l-aħħar lectures għas-sena 2016.  Huma se jirritornaw lura nhar it-Tlieta 3 ta’ Jannar 2017.

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December is a special time of the year.  It is a time when mankind reflects on Baby Jesus in the cradle in the cave at Betlehem.  It is a special time for the Seminary community too.  The programme of the day is adjusted accordingly, decorations are set up and various activities are held.

During Advent, we have more communal prayers.  Everyday at 6.15 a.m. we participate in the reading of the Litugy of the Hours.  At Mass, then, we have reflections on the Word of God. In the days before Christmas, seminarians and formators help with the decorations for Christmas time.  Various activities are held, including the activity for altar boys and Vocation Groups, the Mass in the cave and the activity for relatives of seminarians.

The seminarians start their Christmas holidays on Friday, 16th December, when they attend the last lectures for 2016.  They will return to the Seminary on Tuesday, 3rd January 2017.

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Bħala parti mill-attivitajiet tal-150 sena seminarju, nhar is-Sibt 3 ta’ Diċembru ġie mtella’ il-Kunċert Sur Sum Corda fis-sala tas-Seminarju. Tul dan il-kunċert mill-Cordia String Quartet b’diversi silitiet mużikali b’tema vokazzjonali u anke tal-Milied, ġie mniedi l-ktieb The Sacred Heart Smienary – The Heart of Gozo. miktub minn Mons. Joseph Bezzina dwar l-istorja tas-seminarju.

L-għada l-Ħadd 4 ta’ Diċembru filgħaxija, Mons. Isqof inawgura wirja kommemorattiva li magħha kien hemm abbinata wkoll open week għall-pubbliku. Fil-wirja kien hemm esposti diversi dokumenti u oġġetti marbuta mat-twaqqif u l-ħajja tas-seminarju. Wara l-wirja, wieħed seta’ wkoll iżur l-imkejjen fejn is-seminaristi jgħixu u jqattgħu l-parti l-kbira tal-ġurnata. L-open week ġiet fi tmiemha l-Ħadd 11 ta’ Diċembru.

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One of the activities to commemorate the 150^th anniversary of our Seminary was the Concert Sur Sum Corda, held on Saturday, 3rd December, in the Seminary hall.  The Cordi String Quartet played various pieces related with Christmas and vocations.   The Sacred Heart Seminary – The Heart of Gozo, a book written by Mgr Joseph Bezzina, was launched during the concert.  The book traces the history of the seminary.

On Sunday, 4th December, Bishop Grech inaugurated an exhitibion which included various documents and artefacts related with the history of the Seminary.  The same evening marked also the beginning of the Open Week at the Seminary.  During this week, visitors could tour the building which hosts the seminarians during their years of preparation for priesthood.  The Open Week ended on Sunday, 11th December.

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Tradizzjoni antika fis-Seminarju hija l-lungo passeggio. Din is-sena sar it-Tlieta 13 ta’ Diċembru, Jum ir-Repubblika. Is-seminaristi flimkien mal-formators telqu bil-mixi mid-Dwejra u mxew mal-kosta lejn Marsalforn. Il-mixja kienet ftit impennjattiva iżda fl-istess waqt kien mument fejn is-seminaristi setgħu jammiraw is-sbuħija tan-natura li għandna Għawdex. Nistgħu ngħidu li t-temp kien favorevoli għax wara jiem ta’ maltemp, it-Tlieta ħareġ jum xemxi li għen sabiex il-mixja tkun waħda sabiħa.

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As in previous years, this year too, the seminarians followed the tradition of participating in a lungo passeggio. This hike took place on Tuesday, 13th December, a public holiday.  Accompanied by their formators, the seminarians walked all the way along the coast from Dwejra to Marsalforn.  The track was somewhat difficult but we were lucky to have fine weather considering the stormy weather we had had some days before.  The hike offered us the opportunity to admire the picturesque landscape of Gozo.

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Is-Sibt 10 ta’ Diċembru filgħodu, bosta abbatini nġabru fis-Seminarju għall-attività tradizzjonali tal-Milied organizzata mis-Seminaristi.  L-attendenza għal din l-attività kienet sabiħa ħafna.

Bħas-sena l-oħra, il-laqgħa saret fil-bitħa tas-Seminarju. Fil-bidu, Mons. Isqof għadda messaġġ lil dawk preżenti. Is-seminarista Matthew Bajada mexxa l-laqgħa u tkellem fuq x’attitudni għandu jkollu n-nisrani f’dan iż-żmien tal-Milied, attitudni ta’ għajnuna lil ħaddieħor. Hu qal li dan huwa possibli jekk inħallu ’l qlubna timtela bl-imħabba t’Alla. Waqt il-laqgħa is-seminarista Joseph Hili libes ta’ San Nikola. Dan il-mument ferraħ mhux ftit lit-tfal!

Wara, is-seminaristi qassmu lit-tfal fi tliet gruppi, organizzawlhom logħob differenti, pprovdewlhom xi snacks u qassmu tifkira ta’ din l-okkażjoni lil kull min kien preżenti.

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On Saturday, 10th December, a Christmas activity was held at the Seminary for altar boys and the Vocation Groups.  Bishop Grech greeted the altar boys and delivered his message for Christmas.  Matthew Bajada reflected on the attitude the Catholic should have at  Christmas time: he should his best to help others.  This is possible only if we let our hearts be filled with God’s love.  Seminarian Joseph Hili dressed as St Nicholas.  This was a special treat to our guests.  During the activity, the altar boys could reflect on how important it is for us to let God fill our hearts with love which we would then share with others.  The altar boys were then divided into three groups and took part in various games.  They were offered a snack and a memento of the occasion.

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Nhar il-Ħamis 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.

L-Erbgħa filgħaxija, is-seminaristi taw is-servizz tagħhom fil-kant tal-Għasar fil-Katidral. Il-Ħamis 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 fit-3.00pm saret it-talba tal-Akathistos.  Din hi t-talba ta’ tifħir li l-Knisja ta’ Lvant tagħmel lil Marija Omm Alla.

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