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On Sunday 23rd October, the Church celebrated Missions Sunday. On this day we are all invited to reflect on how we can embrace the call to be missionaries in the environment where we live. On this day too, we can reflect more on the Church which is beyond our shores, especially in the Third World countries.

On this occasion, the Missions Group within the Seminary community organizes a week of activities. The theme for this year was “Missions start at home”, inspired by the contemporary saint, Mother Teresa. The programme included a series of activities, held between Sunday 16th and Saturday 22nd October.

On Sunday 16th, in the morning, members of the Seminary community donated blood at the Gozo General Hospital. On Thursday 20th, a Peoples’ Meal was held at the Minor Seminary for Form 4 students. Through this meal, the students could become aware of the poverty that exists around us, the extent of which we are hardly aware. In the afternoon, we hosted Fr Martin Cilia MSSP who delivered a talk on the new evangelisation in Malta. Then on Saturday 22nd, during morning Mass, Mgr Guzeppi Farrugia shared with us his reflections on the new evangelisation during the papacy of Pope John Paul II.

During the week, prayers were said for the missionaries who are away from their homeland.

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Nhar it-Tnejn 17 ta’ Ottubru ngħaqdu mal-komunità tas-Seminarju t-tlitt żgħażagħ li se jibdew l-esperjenza tas-Sena Propedewtika.

Marlon Bajada u Franklin Micallef mill-parroċċa tal-Madonna tas-Sakkors u San Girgor il-Kbir, ta’ Kerċem u Matthew Borg mill-parroċċa ta’ Marija Bambina, ix-Xagħra se jkunu qed jgħixu l-esperjenza tal-Propedewtika fis-Seminarju. Huma għandhom programm speċifiku għalihom imqassam tul il-ġimgħa bejn it-Tnejn u l-Ġimgħa.  Fin-nofstanhar ta’ filgħodu huma jmorru fil-post tax-xogħol, li s-Seminarju assenja lil kull wieħed minnhom. Jingħaqdu mal-bqija tal-komunità wara nofsinhar fejn jattendu għall-ħafna mill-attivitajiet li jsiru f’dawn il-ħinijiet. Tul din is-sena huma jagħmlu wkoll xi korsijiet ta’ introduzzjoni għall-filosofija u t-teoloġija.  Din is-sena tkun għalihom ukoll mument importanti ta’ riflessjoni u dixxerniment biex fi tmiemha jressqu t-talba biex jiġu aċċettati għall-ewwel sena tal-kors bħala seminaristi.

Merħba Marlon, Franklin u Matthew!

On Monday, 17^th October, the Seminary community welcomed three young men who will be starting their propaedeutic year.

Marlon Bajada and Franklin Micallef from the parish of Our Lady of Succour and St Gregory the Great in Kerċem, and Matthew Borg from the parish of Marija Bambina in Xagħra, will be starting their propaedeutic year at the Seminary.  They will follow a specific five-day programme.  They will spend the mornings at the place of work assigned to them by the Seminary.  They will spend the afternoons at the Seminary where they take part in the activities held for the seminarians.  They will also follow introductory courses in philosophy and theology.  This year will serve them to reflect on and discern their vocation.  At the end of the year, they will then ask to be accepted as first-year seminarians.

Welcome Marlon, Franklin and Matthew!

Din is-sena, il-komunità tas-Seminarju ta’ Għawdex qed torganizza ġurnata Adorazzjoni Ewkaristika kull l-ewwel Ħamis tax-xahar.  L-iskop hu t-talb għall-Vokazzjonijiet.  L-ewwel Adorazzjoni ta’ din ix-xorta saret nhar il-Ħamis 6 ta’ Ottubru 2016.

Il-komunità stiednet lin-nies biex jiġu fis-6.30am għall-Quddiesa li fi tmiemha saret l-espożizzjoni ta’ Ġesù Ewkaristija u wara għat-talb tat-Tifħir ta’ Sbiħ il-Jum.  Tul il-ġurnata Ġesù baqa’ espost għall-adorazzjoni fis-skiet. F’nofsinhar is-seminaristi flimkien man-nies preżenti talbu t-Talba ta’ Nofs il-Jum u fis-7.30pm is-seminaristi flimkien man-nies preżenti talbu t-talba tal-Għasar.  L-Adorazzjoni ntemmet fit-8.00pm permezz tal-Barka Sagramentali.

Il-jiem ta’ Adorazzjoni Ewkaristika li jmiss se jkunu f’ dawn id-dati: 3 ta’ Novembru, 1 ta’ Diċembru, 5 ta’ Jannar, 2 ta’ Marzu, 6 ta’ April, 4 ta’ Mejju u l-1 ta’ Ġunju u jsegwu l-istess pogramm.

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The Seminary community is resuming its Thursdays of Prayer for Vocations by holding a whole day of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, every first Thursday of the month.  The first whole day of Adoration was held on Thrusday, 6th October 2016.

The general public was invited to join the Seminary community at 6.30am for the Mass and then for the morning psalms of praise.  At the end of Mass, there was the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. Private Adoration continued throughout the day.  At noon, the seminarians and the congregation said the Midday Prayers and then Vespers were said at 7.30 pm.  The day of Adoration came to an end at 8.00 pm by the Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.

The next days of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament will be on: 3rd November, 1st December, 5th January, 2nd March, 6th April, 4th May and 1st June.  The same programme of activities will be followed.

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F’Konferenza Stampa li nżammet is-Sibt 24 ta’ Settembru fis-Seminarju tagħna, tħabbar il-programm ta’ attivitajiet imniedi għal dan l-anniversarju, li jiftaħ b’Pontifikal mill-Isqof ta’ Għawdex fil-Katidral tal-Assunta fl-4 ta’ Novembru li ġej.

Kien propju f’dan il-jum tal-1866 li l-binja, li qabel kienet sptar tal-Ordni ta’ San Ġwann, fetħet il-bibien tagħha għall-formazzjoni. Ma damx ma żdied ukoll is-Seminarju Minuri, skola sekondarja għas-subien li llum tilqa’ fiha fuq 360 student li, fi kliem is-Surmast Dun Noel Saliba, huma ċ-ċittadini Nsara ta’ għada.

Ir-Rettur il-ġdid tas-Seminarju Dun Richard Nazzareno Farrugia qal li din is-sena trid tkun ċelebrazzjoni tal-imgħoddi, il-preżent u l-ġejjieni, biex fuq kollox issir “okkażjoni ta’ riflessjoni fuq il-missjoni tas-Seminarju Minuri u Maġġuri u ta’ viżjoni biex iwieġeb għall-isfidi tas-soċjetà tal-lum kif għaraf iwieġeb għall-isfidi ta’ qabel”.

Il-programm ta’ attivitajiet jinkludi wkoll tifkira ta’ dawn il-mija u ħamsin sena permezz ta’ wirja u ktieb kommemorattiv, kif ukoll kampanja ta’ għarfien u promozzjoni vokazzjonali, b’open week f’Novembru u dramm is-sena d-dieħla.

L-Isqof ta’ Għawdex Mons. Mario Grech qal li s-Seminarju hu l-qalb tad-Djoċesi u preżenza imprezzabbli fil-ħajja spiritwali u pastorali tal-poplu ta’ Alla. B’riferenza għall-użu qadim tal-binja, hu fisser is-Seminarju bħala “sptar” li rawwam lis-seminaristi li għaddew minnu u laqqagħhom mat-“tabib il-kbir” li hu Ġesù, biex is-saċerdoti ta’ għada jsiru tassew “infermiera” tal-ġerħat umani u spiritwali tal-bniedem. Hu ħeġġeġ lill-poplu ta’ Alla biex ikompli jinvesti f’din id-dar ta’ formazzjoni ħalli tibqa’ tipproduċi saċerdoti tajba li jgħinu lill-bniedem jiltaqa’ ma’ Kristu.

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A press conference called on Saturday 24^th September at our Seminary launched the programme of activities to mark this anniversary.  A Pontifical Mass said at the Cathedral on 4^th November and presided by the Bishop of Gozo, will mark the beginning of the programme of activities.

On the November 4^th, 1866, the building which had served as a hospital of the Order of St John, opened its doors to welcome its first seminarians.  The founding of the Minor Seminary soon followed suit.  The Minor Seminary is a Secondary School for boys and hosts 360 students.  Fr Noel Saliba, who is Head of the Minor Seminary and who also addressed the press conference, referred to these boys as the Christian Citizens of the future.

Rector Fr Richard Nazzareno Farrugia said that this year should be a celebration of the past, the present and the future, and should be an opportunity for us all to reflect on the mission of the Major and Minor Seminary to face the challenges of nowadays in the same way it faced the challenges of the past.

The programme of activities include an exhibition, the publication of a commemorative book, a campaign to promote information and encourage vocations, an open week in November and a play.

Bishop Grech said that the Seminary is the kernel of the Diocese and a priceless presence in the spiritual and pastoral life of the poeple of God.  Referring to the fact that the building had been a hospital, he drew on the connotation of the word ‘hospital’ to refer to the Seminary as a place that rears the seminarians and leads them to Jesus, ‘the great doctor’, so that they become true ‘nurses’ that cure the spiritual and physical wounds of man.  He urged us, the people of God, to continue investing in this house of formation so that we will have more priests who dedicate their life to lead man to God.

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Il-komunità tas-Seminarju reġgħet lura għal sena oħra ta’ formazzjoni nhar il-Ġimgħa 23 ta’ Settembru.  Tul il-waqfa tas-sajf kien hemm diversi mumenti li fihom il-komunità ltaqgħet flimkien, fosthom in-nofstanhar ta’ riflessjoni li sar nhar id-19 ta’ Lulju f’ Dar Ġużeppa Debono, Għajnsielem.

Il-Ġimgħa 23 ta’ Settembru s-seminaristi daħlu s-seminarju fejn kellhom laqgħa mir-rettur il-ġdid Dun Richard ġie maħtur f’Ġunju li għadda u wara ġiet iċċelebrata l-Ewkaristija. Filgħaxija s-seminaristi ltaqgħu flimkien u tkellmu waqt sharing fuq id-diversi esperjenzi ta’ volontarjat li huma wettqu fis-sajf u wara rħewlha għall-Bajja ta’ Ħondoq ir-Rummien fejn hemm hekk ghamlu BBQ li jimmarka l-bidu ta’ sena oħra.  Ta’ min jgħid ukoll, li f’dan il-jum is-seminaristi ltaqgħu għall-ewwel darba mal-Viċi-Rettur, Dun Gabriel Gauci.

L-għada s-Sibt fin-nofstanhar ta’ filgħodu saret Konferenza Stampa fejn fiha ngħatat xi informazzjoni fuq l-attivitajiet li s-seminarju tagħna ser ikun qed jorganizza f’għeluq il-150 Sena minn mindu infetaħ dan is-seminarju. Il-Ħadd 25 filgħaxija l-komunità tat bidu għall-irtir tal-bidu tas-sena fir-Rabat Malta.  Din is-sena sar ukoll fid-Dar tas-Sorijiet tas-Saint Joseph.  Din id-darba kien Dun Mark Sultana li mexxa l-irtir li ntemm il-Ħamis 29 ta’ Settembru.

Filgħaxija mbagħad ngħata bidu għas-sena akkademika permezz tal-Quddiesa tal-Ispirtu s-Santu, immexxija minn Mons. Isqof Mario Grech. Permezz ta’ din il-Quddiesa l-komunità sellmet lil Fr Tony Sciberras MSSP.  Minħabba li dakinhar iċċelebrajna l-Festa tal-Arkanġli Mqaddsa, Mikiel, Gabrijel u Rafel, waqt l-omelija l-Isqof semma li aħna bħall-anġli rridu nkunu medjaturi bejn l-art u s-sema. Għaldaqstant l-Isqof ħeġġeġ lis-saċerdoti sabiex ikunu qrib l-Iskrittura u jagħrfu jittraduċuha għaż-żminijiet tal-lum sabiex ikunu l-vera medjaturi.  Għal din l-Ewkaristija kienu mistiedna l-professuri, il-familjari tas-seminaristi u l-membri tal-Għaqda Ħbieb tas-Seminarju. Fi tmiem il-Quddiesa saret bibita.

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Friday 23^rd September marked the beginning of another year of formation for the Seminary community.  During the summer holidays, the community succeeded in coming together on several occasions, for example on 19^th July when the community met for a half-day of reflection at Dar Ġużeppa Debono in Għajnsielem.

On Friday, the seminarians met Fr Richard, the new Rector, who had been made Rector in June, and then took part in the celebration of the Eucharist.  In the afternoon, the seminarians took part in sharing sessions during which they talked about their experience of voluntary work in various areas during the summer holidays.  Later on, they met at Ħondoq ir-Rummien Bay for a barbeque to mark the beginning of a new year at the Seminary.  On the same day, the seminarians met also Fr Gabriel Gauci, the new Vice-Rector.

The following morning, a press conference was called at the Seminary to present to the press the activities which the Seminary will hold to mark its 150^th anniversary. On Sunday 25^th September, the community crossed over to Malta to hold a 5 day retreat at St Joseph Home in Rabat.  The retreat was presided over by Fr Mark Sultana.

On Thursday evening, Bishop Mario Grech celebrated the Mass of the Holy Spirit to mark the beginning of the new academic year and greet farewell to Fr Tony Sciberras MSSP. The 29^th September happened to be the feast of the Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. During the homily, the bishop talked about the importance of us being mediators between Earth and Heaven. He urged the priests to be familiar with the Holy Scripture and to apply its teachings to modern times so that they will be really playing the role of mediators.  Professors, relatives of seminarians and members of the Aħwa Ħbieb tas-Seminarju participated in this Mass.  Refreshments followed.

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Nhar il-Ħamis 30 ta’ Ġunju 2016, l-Isqof ta’ Għawdex Mons. Mario Grech ħatar, b’effett immedjat, Rettur u Viċi Rettur ġdid għas-Seminarju ta’ Għawdex. Dun Richard Nazzareno Farrugia, mix-Xagħra, se jkun qed jieħu post Fr Tony Sciberras mssp bħala Rettur, filwaqt li Dun Gabriel Gauci se jservi bħala Viċi-Rettur u Prefett tal-Istudji.

Dun Richard għandu 31 sena u ġie ordnat saċerdot sitt snin ilu mill-Isqof ta’ Għawdex. Huwa kompla jistudja fl-Accademia Alfonsiana f’Ruma minn fejn kiseb il-Liċenzjat u d-Dottorat fit-Teoloġija Morali. Huwa studja wkoll il-Bioetika fis-sede Rumana tal-Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore. F’Ruma wettaq ħidma pastorali fil-Parroċċa ta’ Sant’Injazju ta’ Antjokja. Tliet snin ilu hu nħatar segretarju tal-Isqof minn Mons. Grech u ċerimonjier djoċesan. Dun Richard  serva wkoll bħala Prefett tal-Istudji fis-Seminarju ta’ Għawdex. Tul l-aħħar ħames xhur serva wkoll bħala Viċi Rettur tas-Seminarju.

Dun Gabriel Gauci, minn Ta’ Kerċem u li għandu 28 sena, se jkun jieħu post Dun Richard bħala Viċi Rettur tas-Seminarju. Dun Gabriel ilu tliet snin saċerdot u dawn qattagħhom Ruma fejn kien qed jistudja fl-Università Pontificia Gregoriana minn fejn kiseb Liċenzjat fil-Filosofija. Bħalissa għadu qed jikteb it-teżi tiegħu. Matul it-tliet snin f’Ruma huwa kien kollaboratur parrokkjali fil-Parroċċa tal-Protomartiri.

On Thursday 30th June 2016, Mgr Mario Grech, Bishop of Gozo, nominated with immediate effect a new rector and a new vice-rector for the Seminary. Fr Richard Nazzareno Farrugia from Xagħra will be replacing Fr Tony Sciberras MSSP as Rector, while Fr Gabriel Gauci will be Vice-Rector and Prefect of Studies.

Fr Richard is 31 years old and was ordained priest six years ago.  He read for a Licenciate and a Doctorate in Moral Theology at the Accademia Alfonsiana in Rome. He also studied Bioethics at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore and did pastoral work at the Parish of San Ignazio di Antiochia in Rome. For three years, he served as secretary to Bishop Mario Grech, was Master of Ceremonies for the Diocese and Prefect of Studies at the Gozo Seminary.  During the last five months he served as Vice-Rector of the Seminary.

Fr Gabriel Gauci from Kerċem will be replacing Fr Richard in his role as Vice-Rector and Prefect of Studies.  Fr Gabriel is 28 years old.  He was ordained priest three years ago.  He read for a Licenciate in Philosophy at the Università Pontificia Gregoriana.  He is still writing his thesis.  For these years he was a collaborator in the Parish of the Protomartiri in Rome.

Nhar il-Ġimgħa, 24 ta’ Ġunju 2016, Solennità ta’ San Ġwann Battista fil-Knisja Katidrali, Mons. Mario Grech, Isqof ta’ Għawdex amministra s-Sagrament tal-Ordni Sagri fil-grad tad-Djakonat lil Michael Grima mill-Parroċċa ta’ San Lawrenz u Carl Scerri mill-Parroċċa tal-Katidral, fil-preżenza tal-familjari u l-ħbieb flimkien ma’ numru sabiħ ta’ saċerdoti. Il-Quddiesa tal-Ordinazzjoni ġiet animata mill-Kor Djoċesan taż-Żgħażagħ.

Fl-omelija tiegħu, Mons. Isqof qasam maż-żewġ seminaristi li ġew ordnati djakni x-xewqa tiegħu li huma jaħdmu sabiex ikollna kultura tal-għotja.

L-Isqof Grech tkellem fuq ir-rakkont tat-twelid ta’ San Ġwann il-Battista li huwa minsuġ propju bil-ħjut tal-loġika tal-għotja. Il-Mulej wera ħniena kbira ma’ Eliżabetta u fi xjuħitha taha iben. Alla kien ġeneruż ma’ Żakkarija u reġa’ tah mhux biss id-don tal-kelma imma wkoll id-don tal-fiduċja fiH. Anki l-isem mogħti lit-tifel, “Ikun jismu Ġwanni”, ifisser li din it-tarbija hija don. Ġwanni kien tassew don ta’ Alla għall-poplu Lhudi għax kien l-aħħar profeta li Alla pprovdielhom biex jgħinhom jilqgħu lil Kristu, li huwa l-ikbar don ta’ Alla għalina.

L-Isqof kompla billi qal li Alla min-natura tiegħu huwa “għotja”. Alla huwa mħabba bla tarf u għandu d-dgħufija li din l-imħabba ma jafx iżommha għalih, għalhekk kontinwament iferra’ l-abbundanza tal-grazzja fuq l-umanità.

Fl-aħħar ħeġġeġ lil Michael u lil Carl sabiex ma jkunux xħaħ, imma jkunu ġenerużi fis-servizz li joffru lill-bnedmin, partikularment lill-foqra. Saħaq li huma m’għandhomx jagħmlu kalkoli u li m’għandhomx iħallu l-ministeru tagħhom ikun ikkundizzjonat mil-liġi tas-suq.

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