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From Monday 7th to Friday 11th November, our Seminary opened its doors to students from Church and State Secondary Schools.  During these visits, the seminarians showed the students every nook and cranny of the building and explained how they spend their day at the Seminary.  The majority of the students had never visited the Seminary building.  As a memento of these visits, the students were presented with a keychain on which the following phrase from the Bible is written: You are the light of the world! This phrase conveys the message that Jesus calls every person to be a beacon of light wherever there is darkness.  During the same week, the seminarians did “cathechesis through art” at the Post-Secondary School, during the lessons of the arts section of Systems of Knowledge.

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Nhar l-4 ta’ Novembru sebħet ġurnata ferm importanti għalina u għas-Seminarju tagħna – il-150 anniversarju mill-ftuħ tas-Seminarju tagħna. Il-ġurnata tista’ tgħid kienet maqsuma fi tlitt mumenti mportanti. L-ewwel mument kien il-Pontifikal immexxi mill-Isqof Mario Grech fil-Katidral sabiex jitfakkar dan il-jum tant għażiż u bħala ringrazzjament lil Alla ta’ dawn is-snin kollha. Preżenti għal din il-quddiesa kien hemm, uħud mill-ogħla awtoritajiet tal-pajjiż flimkien mal-istudenti kollha tal-iskola tas-Seminarju Minuri. Waqt l-omelija l-Isqof saħaq fuq l-importanza li aħna nagħrfu li għal Alla kollox hu possibli. Wara, fis-Seminarju tagħna inżamm pranzu għall-qassisin kollha fejn lejn it-tmiem l-Isqof ikkomunika lil dawk preżenti xi nomini ġodda fi ħdan id-djoċesi tagħna. Filgħaxija saret adorazzjoni speċjali fil-kamerata jiġifieri fil-post fejn jgħixu s-seminaristi li għaliha kienu mistednin speċjali l-istudenti l-kbar tal-gruppi tal-vokazzjonijet, l-ġenituri tagħna u anke l-benefatturi tas-Seminarju tagħna.

Ritratti

November 4th was a red letter day for us and for our Seminary – it marked the 150th anniversary of the founding of our Seminary.  The day was marked by three important moments.  The first was the Pontifical Mass led by Bishop Mario Grech at the Gozo Cathedral to commemorate this day so dear to us and to give thanks to God for the Seminary’s 150 years.  Members of the higher authorities of the Nation together with all the students of the Minor Seminary Secondary School were present for the Mass.   During his homily, Bishop Grech stressed the importance of us knowing that nothing is impossible for God.

Later, all the priests were invited to luncheon at the Seminary.  At the end of the luncheon,
the Bishop announced to all present the new nominations for the diocese.

In the evening the Blessed Sacrament was exposed for adoration at the kamerata, the place where the seminarians live.  The older student members of the Vocations Groups, parents and benefactors of the seminary were invited for this adoration.

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November 4th was a red letter day for us and for our Seminary – it marked the 150th anniversary of the founding of our Seminary.  The day was marked by three important moments.  The first was the Pontifical Mass led by Bishop Mario Grech at the Gozo Cathedral to commemorate this day so dear to us and to give thanks to God for the Seminary’s 150 years.  Members of the higher authorities of the Nation together with all the students of the Minor Seminary Secondary School were present for the Mass.   During his homily, Bishop Grech stressed the importance of us knowing that nothing is impossible for God.

Later, all the priests were invited to luncheon at the Seminary.  At the end of the luncheon, the Bishop announced to all present the new nominations for the diocese.

In the evening the Blessed Sacrament was exposed for adoration at the kamerata, the place where the seminarians live.  The older student members of the Vocations Groups, parents and  benefactors of the seminary were invited for this adoration.

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Nhar l-Erbgħa 2 ta’ Novembru, il-Knisja Kattolika ċċelebrat it-Tifkira Solenni tal-Fidili Mejtin Kollha. F’din l-okkażjoni, il-komunita’ tas-Seminarju ċċelebrat Quddiesa fil-Kappella taċ-Ċimiterju tal-Parroċċa tax-Xewkija. Waqt il-Quddiesa, il-viċi-rettur qasam riflessjoni fuq din il-festa fejn enfasizza l-importanza li n-nisrani jagħraf l-iskop li għalih qed jgħix u jifhem li fuq din l-art huwa biss pellegrin għax id-destinazzjoni aħħarija tiegħu hi s-sema. Wara il-Quddiesa żorna l-oqbra li jinsabu f’dan iċ-ċimiterju filwaqt li tlabna flimkien.

On Wednesday, 2nd November, the Catholic Church celebrated All Souls Day.  On this occasion, the community of the Seminary celebrated Holy Mass at the Chapel of the Cemetery of the Parish of Xewkija.  During Mass, the vice-rector shared his reflections on this feast.  He emphasised the reason why it is important that every Christian realizes why he is living and understands that he is just a pilgrim on earth, his final destination being Heaven.  When the Mass was over, we visited the graves of this cemetery and prayed for the souls of the persons buried there.

Nhar il-Ħadd 23 t’Ottubru l-Knisja ċċelebrat Jum il-Missjoni.  Dan hu jum fejn kulħadd huwa mistieden jirrifletti u jagħraf kif jista’ jaqdi s-sejħa tiegħu biex ikun missjunarju fl-ambjent li hu jgħix fih. Hu mument ukoll fejn nitfgħu ħarsitna fuq il-Knisja li tinsab ’il barra minn pajjiżna, speċjalment fil-pajjiżi tat-tielet dinja.

F’din l-okkażjoni l-Grupp Missjunarju fi ħdan il-komunità tas-Seminarju jieħu ħsieb iħejji ġimgħa ta’ attivitajiet. B’hekk anki s-seminaristi jkunu jistgħu jilqgħu s-sejħa li jkunu missjunarji!  Għal din is-sena, it-tema magħżula kienet ‘Il-Missjoni tibda mid-dar’, ispirata mill-qaddisa ta’ żminijietna, Madre Tereża. Għalhekk bejn il-Ħadd 16 u s-Sibt 22 t’ Ottubru tħejja programm b’ diversi attivitajiet.

Il-Ħadd 16, filgħodu bħala komunità morna l-Isptar Ġenerali t’ Għawdex fejn hemm hekk tajna d-demm. Il-Ħamis 20 filgħodu saret l-Ikla tal-Ġnus għall-istudenti tal-Form 4 tal-iskola tas-Seminarju Minuri. Permezz ta’ din l-ikla l-istudenti setgħu jagħrfu iktar il-faqar li hawn madwarna u li aktarx ħadd minna mhu konxju tiegħu. Filgħaxija kellna magħna lil Fr Martin Cilia MSSP li tana talk dwar l-evanġelizzazzjoni l-ġdida f’ Malta. Imbagħad is-Sibt 22 waqt il-quddiesa ta’ filgħodu Mons. Ġużeppi Farrugia wasslilna riflessjoni dwar l-evanġelizzazzjoni l-ġdida fil-maġisteru ta’ Ġwanni Pawlu II.

Tul il-ġimgħa sar ukoll talb għall-missjunarju li jinsabu ‘l bogħod minn xtutna.

Ritratti

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.

Ritratti

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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