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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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On Wednesday 17th February, Mr Andrew Azzopardi led a meeting of formation for seminarians at the Seminary.  Mr Azzopardi is the head of the Kummissjoni tal-Ħarsien tat-Tfal u l-Adulti Vulnerabbli, a commission under the auspices of the Church in Malta and Gozo.  He talked about the new policy regarding the protection of children, which the Church Commission is working on at present.  He explained the various aspects related with the different types of abuse which vulnerable persons may go through.  He said that the Church should play a positive role that is; the Church should protect the vulnerable people while upholding her struggle against any form of abuse.

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Nhar il-Ġimgħa 12 u s-Sibt 13 ta’ Frar il-komunità tas-Seminarju nġabret f’Dar Stella Maris fiż-Żebbuġ għal seminar dwar public speaking.  Is-seminar tmexxa mis-Sur Victor Formosa.  Fl-ewwel parti tas-seminar ingħataw tips fuq kif wieħed jista’ jxandar aħjar il-Kelma ta’ Alla.  Fit-tieni sessjoni s-Sur Formosa offra għajnuniet prattiċi fuq kif wieħed jista’ jħejji ruħu tajjeb biex jitkellem fil-pubbliku, b’mod speċjali fejn tidħol l-omelija.

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On Friday 12th and Saturday 13th February, the Seminary community met at Dar Stella Maris in Żebbuġ for a seminar on public speaking.  The seminar was led by Mr Victor Formosa.  In the first part of the seminar, Mr Formosa explained the best ways in which the Word of God can be spread.  During the second part, Mr Formosa gave practical tips on how one can train himself to speak in public, especially when it comes to the delivery of homilies.

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Nhar il-Ħamis 11 ta’ Frar ġie organizzat jum ta’ talb ieħor għall-vokazzjonijiet.  Filgħodu bdejna bil-programm tas-soltu fis-Seminarju.  Filgħaxija mbagħad, din id-darba mess lill-Parroċċa tal-Qala sabiex tospitana għas-siegħa adorazzjoni animata.  L-ewwel parti ta’ din is-siegħa kienet immexxija mir-Rettur li għamel ħsieb marbut ma’ dan iż-żmien qaddis tar-Randan b’riferiment għal waħda mill-kitbiet ta’ Dun Mikiel Attard.  Fit-tieni parti xi seminaristi komplew l-adorazzjoni permezz ta’ xi ħsibijiet marbuta mar-Randan u anke mat-tema tal-ħniena.  Għalaqna l-Adorazzjoni permezz tal-Barka Sagramentali.  L-appuntament għal Ħamis ieħor ta’ talb għall-vokazzjonijiet hu għal nhar il-Ħamis 10 ta’ Marzu, filgħodu fil-kappella tas-Seminarju u fil-5.00pm fil-knisja tax-Xewkija.

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Thursday 11th February was another day of prayer for vocations.  The day started with the usual programme at the Seminary.  In the afternoon, the Qala Parish hosted us for an hour of adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.  The first part was led by Father Rector who talked about Lent.  He based his reflection on the works of Fr Mikiel Attard.  In the second part the seminarians proceeded with thoughts associated with Lent and Mercy.  The Sacramental Blessing concluded the Hour of Adoration.  The next day of prayer for vocations will be held on Thursday 10th March at the Xewkija Parish.

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