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Thursday 10th March was the 30th anniversary of the dedication of the Seminary chapel.  This Thursday was also the sixth Thursday of prayer for Vocations.  The day started with Mass said by our Rector who, in his homily, said that we are all temples of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Eucharist was then exposed for adoration.  The Adoration at the Seminary Chapel came to an end by the Sacramental Blessing at 4pm.  The Seminary community joined the congregation at Xewkija Parish Church for another hour of Adoration of the Blessed Eucharist at 5.45pm.  In the first part, Fr Tony Sciberras MSSP shared his thoughts about the fifth Sunday of Lent.  He based his thoughts on the works of Dun Mikiel Attard.  In the second part, the seminarians talked about themes related with Lent and Mercy.  The adoration ended with the Sacramental Blessing.

The next hour of prayer for Prayer for Vocations will be held on Thursday 14th April, at 7.30pm, at San Lawrenz parish church.

Il-komunità tas-Seminarju miġbura waqt l-irtir tagħha tingħaqad fit-talb b’suffraġju għar-ruħ tal-Arċisqof Emeritus Mons. Ġużeppi Mercieca, iben id-Djoċesi ta’ Għawdex.

Mons. Ġużeppi Mercieca twieled fil-Belt Victoria, fil-11 ta’ Novembru 1928. Studja fis-Seminarju ta’ Għawdex, u ġie ordnat saċerdot fit-8 ta’ Marzu 1952. Kien għalliem fit-Teoloġija u l-Liġi Kanonika fis-Seminarju ta’ Għawdex, fejn mill-1958 sal-1969 kien ukoll Rettur. Mons. Mercieca ġie ordnat Isqof fid-29 ta’ Settembru 1974 u nnominat Arċisqof ta’ Malta fid-29 ta’ Novembru 1976. Huwa rtira minn Arċisqof fit-2 ta’ Diċembru 2006.

Il-Mulej jagħtih il-mistrieħ ta’ dejjem ħalli jidħol jiċċelebra l-liturġija tas-Sema.

The community of the Major Seminary, Gozo, present at their Lent retreat, offer their prayers for the repose of the soul of Emeritus Archbishop Mgr Joseph Mercieca, distinguished son of the Diocese of Gozo.

Mgr Joseph Mercieca was born in Victoria, Gozo on the 11th November 1928. He received his education at the Gozo Seminary, and was ordained priest on the 8th March 1952. He taught Theology and Canon Law at the Gozo Seminary, and also served as Rector of the Seminary from 1958 to 1969. Mgr Mercieca was ordained Bishop on the 29th September 1974 and nominated Archbishop of Malta on the 29th November 1976. He retired on the 2nd December, 2006.

God grant him eternal rest and admit him to the celebration of the liturgy in Heaven.

Nhar l-Erbgħa 2 ta’ Marzu, Ms Susan Farrugia mexxiet laqgħa ta’ informazzjoni dwar il-mażunerija.  Din il-laqgħa kienet miftuħa wkoll għas-saċerdoti u anke għal-lajċi.  Waqt il-laqgħa Ms Farrugia ppreżentat l-istorja tal-mażunerija u tat xi informazzjoni bażika dwar din ir-realtà oskura li tinsab preżenti fis-soċjetà tagħna.

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On Wednesday 2nd March, Ms Susan Farrugia delivered an informative talk about freemasonry.  Priests and the laity were invited for this talk.  Ms Farrugia outlined the history of freemasonry and gave basic information about this obscure reality that is present in our society.

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Il-ħajja tkun sabiħa meta kull wieħed minna jaqsam id-doni u l-esperjenzi tiegħu mal-oħrajn.  Dan jgħodd b’mod speċjali għad-don tal-vokazzjoni. Is-Seminarju u s-seminaristi minn żmien għal żmien jorganizzaw attivitajiet vokazzjonali li permezz tagħhom joħolqu ambjent fejn ikun jista’ jsir dan it-tip ta’ sharing.

Nhar it-Tlieta 29 ta’ Frar filgħaxija s-seminaristi stiednu lill-istudenti tal-Forms 4 u 5 biex jinġabru fis-Seminarju.  Wara li huma ngħaqdu mal-komunità ġie organizzat mument ċkejken ta’ talb f’ambjent differenti mis-soltu.  Is-silta tal-Vanġelu li mexxiet l-attività kienet is-sejħa tal-ewwel dixxipli (Lq 5,1-11).  Is-seminarista Daniel Mercieca qasam xi ħsibijiet fuq din is-silta u wara s-seminarista Andrew Grima qasam l-esperjenza vokazzjonali tiegħu.  Wara li sar mument ta’ Adorazzjoni Ewkaristika, dawk kollha preżenti marru jieklu flimkien.  Kulħadd ħareġ kuntent bl-ikel li ħejjiet il-kċina tas-Seminarju!  Fi tmiem l-ikla, l-istudenti flimkien mas-seminaristi lagħbu flimkien il-logħba Werewolves.  Dan kien mument ta’ mistrieħ għall-istudenti, li bħalissa għadhom kif temmew l-eżamijiet tagħhom!

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Life can be wonderful if we all share our gift of vocation and our experiences, especially when it comes to the sharing of the vocation for priesthood.  From time to time, the Seminary and the seminarians organize activities in which the right environment for sharing is created.

On Tuesday evening, 29th February, the seminarians invited Form 4 and Form 5 students to meet at the Seminary.  The students joined the community at prayer in a rather unusual environment.  The passage from the Gospel that guided this activity was the call of the first disciples (Lk 5,1-11).  Seminarian Daniel Mercieca shared his thoughts about this passage and afterwards, Seminarian Andrew Grima talked about his vocational experience.  The Adoration of the Holy Eucharist followed.  Then the students joined the community at dinner.  It was an excellent dinner prepared for us by Seminary kitchen staff.  After dinner, the students and seminarians played the game Werewolves.  The students, who had just sat for their half yearly exams, surely deserved this evening of relaxation.

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Is-seminarista Joseph Hili, mix-Xagħra, u li jinsab fil-ħames sena ta’ formazzjoni, irċieva l-ministeru tal-Lettorat nhar il-Ħadd 21 ta’ Frar 2016.

Mons. Isqof Mario Grech istitwixxa lil Joseph f’dan il-ministeru waqt Quddiesa fil-knisja arċipretali tal-Qala.  Diversi qassisin ikkonċelebraw waqt il-Quddiesa, fosthom il-formators tas-Seminarju.  Kienu diversi dawk li attendew għal din iċ-ċelebrazzjoni.

Wara l-Vanġelu Joseph ġie ppreżentat lil Mons. Isqof bħala kandidat għal dan il-ministeru.  Fl-omelija l-Isqof tkellem dwar id-“dalma kollettiva” li spiss taħkem lis-soċjetà tagħna u mhux b’inqas lill-Knisja.  L-Isqof ħeġġeġ lil-Lettur il-ġdid, li issa għandu l-ministeru propju li jxandar il-Kelma fil-Liturġija, biex iħalli lil Alla jagħmel minnu għodda siewja ħalli jsemma’ kelmtu lill-bnedmin.  Joseph, flimkien mas-saċerdoti u mal-lajċi, hu msejjaħ sabiex ikun dawl speċjalment għal dawk il-persuni l-aktar esklużi.  Wara l-prietka Mons. Isqof Mario Grech talab fuq il-kandidat u offrielu l-Bibbja, filwaqt li sejjaħlu sabiex ifassal ħajtu fuqha.

On Sunday 21st February 2016, Mgr Bishop Mario Grech conferred the Ministry of Lector to Seminarian Joseph Hili of Xagħra, who is in his fifth year of formation.  The ceremony was held at Qala Parish Church.  Various priests, including the Seminary formators, concelebrated Mass during which the ministry was administered.  During the second part of Mass, Joseph was presented to the Bishop as the candidate to this ministry.  In his homily, the Bishop talked about the “collective darkness” that often envelopes the Church and our society.  The Bishop urged the new Lector, whose role now is to spread the Word in the Liturgy, to let God make of him a worthy tool so that he can deliver His Word to mankind.  Together with the priests and the laity, Joseph is called upon to be a special light to the most excluded people.  After the homily, Bishop Grech prayed upon the candidate.  He offered him the Bible and encouraged him to plan his life on it.

Nhar il-Ħamis 18 ta’ Frar 2016, is-seminarista Michael Grima u Carl Scerri ippreżentaw it-talba tagħhom lil Mons. Isqof biex jaċċettahom għall-ordinazzjoni djakonali.  Id-djaknu Massimo Buttigieg ippreżenta t-talba għall-ordinazzjoni presbiterali.  Dan sar waqt il-Quddiesa filgħodu fil-kappella tas-Seminarju stess, fil-preżenza tal-formators, is-seminaristi u anke s-sorijiet.

Waqt il-prietka l-Isqof qal li “aħna s-saċerdoti ma nagħmlux il-vot tal-faqar, imma lanqas għandna ninqdew bis-saċerdozju biex nagħmlu l-flus.”  L-Isqof sostna li l-attitudni ta’ “tallaba” għandha tgħin lis-saċerdoti jqisu bil-għaqal ir-relazzjoni tagħhom mal-ġid tad-dinja.  Qal li meta l-assigurazzjoni tas-saċerdoti tkun il-ġid materjali u mhux Alla u l-Providenza tiegħu, huma jibdew jippreokkupaw ruħhom kemm se jagħmlu qligħ bir-riskju li jqisu s-saċerdozju tagħhom bħala impjieg jew karriera.  Hu insista li wieħed ma jistax jidħol għas-saċerdozju u fl-istess ħin jippretendi li jfassal ħajja komda mingħajr mumenti diffiċli.

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

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On Thursday 18th February 2016, during Mass celebrated at the Seminary chapel, seminarians Michael Grima and Carl Scerri presented their request to the Bishop to be ordained deacons.  Deacon Massimo Buttigieg presented his request to be ordained priest.  The formators, the seminarians and the nuns were present for the Mass.

During the homily, the Bishop said: “we, priests, do not take the vote of poverty but nevertheless we should not use the priesthood to become rich”.  The Bishop said that the attitude of ‘beggars’ should help the priests to assess wisely their relation with riches.  He said that when a priest relies mainly on worldly goods and not on God and on God’s Providence, the priest tends to focus on how much money he can earn and he ends up treating his priesthood as a career or a job.  He insisted that a person cannot join the priesthood and think at the same time of leading a comfortable life and of never having to go through difficult moments.

Massimo, Michael and Carl presented their request during the Offertory.

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Nhar l-Erbgħa 17 ta’ Frar saret laqgħa ta’ formazzjoni għas-seminaristi mis-Sur Andrew Azzopardi, fis-Seminarju. Is-Sur Azzopardi huwa l-kap tal-Kummissjoni tal-Ħarsien tat-Tfal u l-Adulti Vulnerabbli, tal-Knisja f’Malta u f’Għawdex. Hu kellimna fuq il-policy il-ġdida dwar il-ħarsien tat-tfal li preżentament qed taħdem fuqha din il-kummissjoni tal-Knisja.  Tul il-laqgħa hu tkellem fuq diversi aspetti marbuta mat-tipi differenti ta’ abbużili jistgħu jiġru fuq il-persuni vulnerabbli.  Hu tenna li l-irwol tal-Knisja għandu jkun wieħed pożittiv, jiġifieri li tħares lil dawn il-persuni vulnerabbli, filwaqt li tkompli tiġġieled kontra kull xorta ta’ abbuż.

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