On Thursday 8th December our community joined the rest of the Catholic Church in the celebration of the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. This is a special feast for our community since the chapel of our Seminary is dedicated to the Immaculate Conception. In the morning we prayed the Invitatory and the Office of Readings. Afterwards we celebrated the Holy Mass of the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, in which Rector Can. Richard N. Farrugia, who led the Holy Mass, delivered a reflection about the day’s Solemnity. Lauds and the Veni Creator hymnwere sung after the Holy Mass. Then at noon, Mgr. Bishop Anthon Teuma led the Hora Media, for seminarians and a number of Lecturers, where he also delivered a reflection about the Immaculate Conception. Followed by the Eucharistic Benediction led by deacon Matthew Bajada. We concluded this moment by singing the antiphon “Beata Mater”. Afterwards a dinner for Lecturers was held at the Seminary Refectory.
Nine students attending the diocesan vocations group aged between sixteen and eighteen years attended a Live-In held at our seminary between Wednesday 30 November to Saturday 3 December. During these days, they could explore and experience life within the Seminary by attending with the seminarians during prayer, pastoral experience, and recreational moments.
Last Saturday, 26th November 2022, the Church commenced a new liturgical year with the beginning of Advent. The Seminary community prepared for the starting of this liturgical season with the proclamation of Advent, held at the Seminary Chapel.
The celebration, which began at 11.30am, was divided into four parts. During the first part, the Word of God was enthroned on the altar and after the initial greeting and Advent proclamation by the celebrant, the Rector Can. Richard N. Farrugia, a seminarian lit the first Advent candle. The second started with the reading of the first verse of Salm 24, then a polisalm was sung. Afterwards, a Lectio was made on Salm 24 by the Rector Can. Richard N. Farrugia. The third part consisted of a moment of reflection. The fourth and final part of the celebration consisted of the celebrant’s blessing on the community.
During this Advent, particular moments will be added to the ordinary program. Before mass, at 6.10 am, the community will be meeting to pray the Office of Readings in the chapel. Also, during mass, the celebrant will be making a short reflection after reading the Gospel. The Christmas Novena will start on Thursday 15th December. During this time of Advent, our community will be welcoming various vocational groups for a live-in and for activities related to this time of the year.
On Saturday, 12th November 2022, the Seminary hosted the traditional Saint Martin’s Dinner. This dinner is the principal fundraising activity in aid of the Seminary and used to be hosted annually before the Covid-19 pandemic. After an absence of two years, this dinner was held at the Seminary Hall. Our whole-hearted thanks goes to the members of the Community of the Franciscan Sisters of the acred Heart of Jesus, present at the Seminary. The nuns prepare the dinner with the help of many volunteers. We would also like to thank the various shops and establishments for the gifts and gift vouchers they offered as prizes for the raffle held during the said dinner. Finally, we would like to thank all those who attended the dinner. It was an enjoyable evening for our guests who are always ready to give a helping hand to the Seminary.
The 4th of November 2022 marks the 156th anniversary of the inauguration of our Seminary. During all these years this building has housed many young men who answered the call of the Father and accepted to follow Him. On this day we pray God to continue blessing our diocese with more holy vocations and to help all the priests who have left this Seminary to continue with their mission of love. We also pray for the many benefactors that throughout the years have sustained our Seminary.
Last week LGBTI+ Gozo visited our Seminary, where we welcomed Eman Borg together with Louisa Grech from Drachma Parents’ Group who gave a workshop together with a number of personal experiences. During this workshop, both activists talked about the importance of open communication and allowing our heart, the diversity of the human being.
During the last week, the Liturgical and Missionary Group organised various activities in view of the World Mission Day celebrated on Sunday 23rd October 2022. The theme of this week was “witness of the Word” which was inspired by the from the diocesan pastoral plan.
This Mission Week started on Monday 17th October 2022. On this day, the community prayed for Bishop Giovanni Cefai Mssp, a Gozitan missionary in Peru.
On Tuesday 18th October, the community prayed for Fr Anton Grech, a Gozitan missionary in Guatemala and seminarian Fabio Cini who is doing his intermediate year with Fr Anton. The seminarians went to the Minor Seminary during the assembly to speak with the Form 3 students how the effect the word of God makes a diffence in the life of a missionary. In the evening, Deacon Matthew Bajada led an Eucharistic adoration with a missionary theme.
On Wednesday 19th October, the Seminary community prayed for Fr Fr Raymond Portelli, a Gozitan missionary in Peru.
On Thursday 20th October, the Seminary community welcomed Fr Emanuel Cutajar to celebrate mass. Fr Emanuel was a missionary in Albania. During the homily, Fr Emanuel shared with the seminarians some of his experience in Albania. Afterwards the seminarians went to the Minor Seminary during the assembly to speak with the Forms 4 and 5 students how the effect the word of God makes a diffence in the life of a missionary. In the evening the community saw the film “of Gods and Man”.
On Friday 22nd October, the Seminary community prayed for Bishop Joe Bonello, a Gozitan missionary in Honduras. Afterwards the seminarians went to the Minor Seminary during the assembly to speak with the Forms 2 and 2 students how the effect the word of God makes a diffence in the life of a missionary. In the evening, the community had the opportunity to make a vide call with Bishop Joe Bonello in this call, Bishop Bonello shared his experience in Honduras, starting from how he ended in Honduras, together with the everyday experience. Each member of the community had the opportunity to ask him questions.
On Saturday 22rd October, the Seminary community prayed for Fr Victor Zammit, a Gozitan missionary in Peru.
Yesterday, 10th October 2021, Jamie Buttigieg, from the parish of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, in Nadur, and Jeremy Scicluna, from the parish of of the Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady in Victoria, started their Propaedeutic Year experience in our Seminary. We welcome them among us with joy and pray for them in the beginning of their journey.
The summer holidays are over and the Seminary opened its doors again to welcome the Seminary community for a new year of formation. Although summer is a time of relaxation, the community made sure to meet once in the middle of summer for a half-day retreat. This was led by the Spiritual Director Fr Toni Calleja S.J., and was held at Manresa Retreat House in Victoria.
On Monday 19th September, Rector Can Richard N. Farrugia led the celebration of the Liturgy of Hours with the participation of the seminarians. After the Liturgy of Hours the seminarians shared their personal summer experience. Afterwards the community started a silent retreat together with the community of Maltese seminarians which lasted till Saturday 24th September. The Bishop of Gozo, Msgr. Anthony Teuma led the retreat.
On Tuesday 27th September life at the Seminary came in tune with its day-to-day routine. The official academic year 2022-2023 started on Friday 7th October with a meeting for the academic staff and the celebration of the Mass. This was led by the Bishop of Gozo Msgr Anton Teuma. Formators, lecturers, sisters, relatives of the seminarians, and Aħwa Ħbieb tas-Seminarju participated in this celebration which was held in the Seminary chapel. At the end of the mass the Veni Creator was prayed as an invocation to the Holy Spirit in the beginning of this new formative year. Afterwards guests were welcomed for refreshments at the newly refurbished Seminary Refectory.
On Friday, 17th June, Seminarian Matthew Bajada, who hails from the parish of Għarb, was ordained deacon by Mgr. Bishop George Frendo OP at the Gozo Cathedral. The ordination was well attended by several priests, members of the Seminary community, members of the Għarb parochial community, Matthew’s family and friends, and other laypeople.
The day before, Thursday 16th June, a prayer vigil was organised by the Seminary community at the Għarb parish church as a spiritual preparation. The meditations during the vigil were made by the Rector Can. Richard Farrugia and were taken from the Biblical passage of Luke 1:39-56. During the last part of the vigil, the Blessed Sacrament was exposed, and the ordinand Matthew made a public prayer in front of our Lord. This was followed by the Eucharistic Benediction. Finally, the vigil was concluded with a short message from the Għarb parish priest, Mgr Trevor Sultana.
On Monday 13th of June, the Seminary Community welcomed Sr Shanti Perbo FCJ. Sr Shanti will start forming part of the Franciscan sisters’ community at the Seminary.
Sr Shanti hails from Pakistan and joined the Franciscan Sisters of the Heart of Jesus in 2005. She did her simple profession in 2009, and on the 3rd December of the same year, she arrived in Malta and formed part in the Francisan’s Adoration House. In 2015 she did her perpetual profession, and in 2018 she started to form part of the community in the Casa Madre, Gozo.
