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Nhar il-Ħadd 19 ta’ Ottubru l-Knisja ċċelebrat Jum il-Missjoni.  Dan hu jum fejn kull wieħed u waħda minna hu 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 mill-pajjiż ċkejken tagħna, 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.  Hekk anki s-seminaristi jkunu jistgħu jilqgħu s-sejħa li jkunu missjunarji!  Għal din is-sena, it-tema magħżula kienet ‘Jien Missjunarju’.  F’kull ġurnata bejn it-Tlieta 14 u s-Sibt 18 ta’ Ottubru sar talb partikulari għall-missjoni f’kull kontinent.  Stajna nagħrfu li barra l-ħafna sorijiet u lajċi missjunarji li ħarġu minn Għawdex tagħna, hemm ukoll kwantità kbira ta’ saċerdoti u patrijiet (aktar minn 60) li sal-lum għadhom jaqdu fil-Knisja ’l bogħod minn pajjiżna.

Mument mill-isbaħ kien il-Ħamis 16 ta’ Ottubru, dakinhar il-Grupp Missjunarju żar l-iskola tas-Seminarju Minuri u wassal il-messaġġ missjunarju lit-tfal kollha tal-iskola!

Ritratti

On Sunday 19th October, the Church celebrated Missions Day.  On this day, each one of us is invited to reflect on how to follow the call of being a missionary in the environment where he lives.  We are also called upon to focus on the Church beyond our shores, especially in Third World Countries.

On this occasion, the Missionary Group within the Seminary community, takes the initiative to hold a week of activities.  In this way, the seminarians also can accept the call to be missionaries.

The theme chosen for this year was: “I am a Missionary”.  Everyday from Tuesday 14th to Saturday 18th October prayers were offered for the missions in very continent.  We came to know that besides the laity and many nuns who serve as missionaries in many countries, there are more than sixty priests and monks who are also serving in the missions.

A day worth remembering was Thursday 16th October when the Missions Group visited the Minor Seminary and spread the missionary message among the students of the school.

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Nhar it-Tnejn 13 ta’ Ottubru ngħaqdu mal-komunità tas-Seminarju ż-żewġ żgħażagħ li se jibdew l-esperjenza tas-Sena Propedewtika. 

Matthew Bajada mill-parroċċa tal-Viżitazzjoni, l-Għarb u Gabriel Vella mill-parroċċa ta’ San Ġużepp u l-Immakulata Kunċizzjoni, il-Qala 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 Matthew u Gabriel!

On Wednesday 13th October, two youths joined the Seminary community to start their Propaedeutic year.

Matthew Bajada hails from the Parish of The Visitation of Our Lady to St Elizabeth , Għarb, and Gabriel Vella hails from the Parish of St Joseph and the Immaculate Conception, Qala.  They are following a specific programme spread over the week, from Monday to Friday.  In the mornings they go the places of work allotted to them by the Seminary.  In the afternoon they join the community in the many activities held then.  Throughout the year they follow introductory courses in philosophy and theology.  This year will also be a period of reflection and discernment for them.  At the end of the year, they will ask to be accepted to start their first year as Seminarians.

Welcome Matthew and Gabriel!

Anki 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 2 ta’ Ottubru 2014.

Il-komunità stiednet lin-nies biex jiġu fis-6.30am għat-talb tat-Tifħir ta’ Sbiħ il-Jum u wara jibqgħu għall-Quddiesa li fi tmiemha saret l-espożizzjoni ta’ Ġesù Ewkaristija.  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-7.00pm is-seminaristi animaw siegħa b’talb partikulari għall-kawża tal-beatifikazzjoni tal-Qaddej ta’ Alla Dun Mikiel Attard.  L-Adorazzjoni ntemmet fl-10.00pm permezz tat-Talba ta’ Għeluq il-Jum u l-Barka Sagramentali.

Il-jum Adorazzjoni Ewkaristika li jmiss se jsir nhar il-Ħamis 6 ta’ Novembru u se jsegwi l-istess pogramm.

Ritratti

The community of the Gozo Seminary is organising once more a day of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament on every first Thursday of the month, with the aim of promoting prayer for Vocations.  The first day of Adoration for this year was held on Thursday, 2nd October, 2014.

The community of the Seminary invited the faithful to join it at 6.30am for Morning Prayers, followed by the celebration of Holy Mass and the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.  The Adoration continued throughout the day.  At noon, the congregation joined the seminarians at Mid-day Prayers.  At 7.00pm the seminarians led an hour of prayer for the cause of beatification of the Servant of the Lord Fr Mikiel Attard.  The Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament came to an end at 10.00pm with the Evening Prayer and the Benediction with the Blessed Sacrament.

Another day of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament will be held on Thursday 6th November.  The same programme will be followed.

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Tul l-aħħar ġranet tħabbar li Mons. Isqof Grech fada ministeru ġdid lil Dun Michael Curmi. 

Dun Michael Curmi, il-Viċi Rettur tas-Seminarju, inħatar ukoll kollaboratur parrokkjali fil-Parroċċa ta’ Santa Margerita, Ta’ Sannat. 

Il-komunità tas-Seminarju tifraħ lil dan il-formators tagħha filwaqt li twiegħdu it-talb u s-sostenn tagħha!

In these past few days, Mgr Bishop Mario Grech announced that he had entrusted Fr Michael Curmi with new ministry.

Fr Michael Curmi, Vice-Rector of the Seminary, has been appointed also parochial collaborator at St Margaret’s Parish of Sannat.

The community of the Seminary congratulates this formator and promises him its prayers and support.

Fil-bidu tas-sena l-ġdida ngħaqad magħna Dun Tony Sciberras.  Eventwalment, Dun Tony f’Jannar li ġej se jsir ir-Rettur il-ġdid tas-Seminarju Maġġuri tal-Qalb ta’ Ġesù.  F’dan iż-żmien qabel jieħu f’idejh it-tmexxija tas-Seminarju, Dun Tony qed jgħix fil-komunità u jipparteċipa fl-attivitajiet kollha li jsiru fis-Seminarju tagħna.

Dun Tony Sciberras mssp għandu 62 sena.  Fi tmiem il-kors tat-teoloġija li hu għamel fil-Kulleġġ San Tumas,f’San Duminku r-Rabat, Malta, ordna saċerdot fid-9 ta’ Lulju 1978.  Wara kompla l-istudji tiegħu ġewwa l-Università Gregorjana f’Ruma u fl-1982 kiseb liċenzja fit-Teoloġija tal-Ispiritwalità.  Fl-1989 kiseb ukoll id-diploma tal-Postulaturi mill-Kongregazzjoni tal-Kawżi tal-Qaddisin.  Fl-2005 ħa d-dottorat minn Ruma fit-Teoloġija tal-Ħajja Kkonsagrata.

Hu kellu diversi rwoli fi ħdan is-Soċjetà Missjunarja ta’ San Pawl.  Dun Tony għal xi żmien kien il-prefett tal-prenovizzi, surmast tan-novizzi, moderatur tal-istudenti mssp, assistent tas-superjur ġenerali, delegat tas-superjur ġenerali għal Malta, ekonomu provinċjali, superjur ta’ Sant’Agata fir-Rabat, u postulatur tal-kawża ta’ Mons. Ġużeppi De Piro.

Dun Tony Sciberras kien ko-fundatur u membru ta’ Centre for Religious Institutes (CIR) u koordinatur tal-korsjiet u lecturer fi CIR u INSERM.  Hu visiting lecturer tat-Teoloġija u tat-Teoloġija Spiritwali tal-Ħajja Kkonsagrata fl-Università ta’ Malta.  Jagħti wkoll dan il-kors tal-Ħajja Kkonsagrata fis-Seminarju Maġġuri tal-Qalb ta’ Ġesù.  Dun Tony hu d-direttur tal-Istitut tal-Ħajja Kkonsagrata (IHK).

Illum huwa wkoll il-postulatur tal-kawża tal-beatifikazzjoni ta’ Dun Mikiel Attard, viċi postulatur tal-kawżi ta’ Mons. Ġużeppi De Piro u ta’ Ineż u Henry Consolani.  Kien ukoll il-postulatur tal-kawża ta’ Maria Theresa Nuzzo.

Merħba Dun Tony Sciberras!

Fr. Tony Sciberras joined our community at the beginning of the new year of formation.  In January he will be appointed Rector of the Major Seminary of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  Fr. Tony is residing at the Seminary and is taking part in all the activities held at the Seminary.

Fr. Tony Sciberras MSSP aged 62, was ordained on the 9th of July 1978, after completing a theology course at St. Thomas College, St. Dominic, Rabat, Malta. He continued his studies at the Gregorian University in Rome, where in 1982 he obtained a license in Spiritual Theology.  In 1989 he obtained a Diploma Fr.om the Congregation of the Causes of Saints.  In 2005 he obtained a Doctorate in Theology of Consecrated Life Fr.om Rome. Within the Missionary Society of St. Paul, Fr. Sciberras was Prefect of Prenovices, Head of Novices, Moderator of students MSSP, Assistant General Superior, the Superior General Delegate for Malta, Provincial Bursar, Superior of Agatha’s in Rabat, and the Vice-Postulator of the Beatification Cause of Mons. Joseph De Piro.

He was also co-founder and member of the Centre for Religious Institutes (CIR) and the course coordinator and lecturer for CIR and INSERM. He is a visiting lecturer of Theology and Spiritual Theology of Consecrated Life at the University of Malta, and he gives the same course at the Major Seminary of the Heart of Jesus, Gozo.  He is also director of the Consecrated Life Institute (IHK).

He is Postulator of the Beatification Cause of Fr. Michael Attard and Deputy Postulatur of the Beatification Causes of Mgr Joseph De Piro and Henry and Inez Casolani.  Fr. Sciberras was also Postulatur of the Beatification Cause of Maria Theresa Nuzzo

Welcome Fr. Tony!

Il-komunità tas-Seminarju reġgħet lura għal sena oħra ta’ formazzjoni t-Tnejn 22 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 il-31 ta’ Lulju fil-kappella tal-Monasteru tal-Klarissi Dar Nazaret, ir-Rabat.  Mexxiet ir-riflessjoni Sr. Rose Ellis.  Fl-aħħar ġimgħa tal-vaganzi s-seminaristi taw daqqa t’id fit-tindif u fit-tħejjija tas-Seminarju għal sena oħra ta’ formazzjoni.

It-Tnejn 22 ta’ Settembru, wara li ġiet iċċelebrata l-Ewkaristija, is-seminaristi ltaqgħu flimkien u tkellmu waqt sharing fuq id-diversi esperjenzi ta’ volontarjat li huma wettqu fis-sajf.  Filgħaxija niżlu Marsalforn għal barbeque.  F’din il-ġurnata ngħaqad mal-komunita Dun Tony Sciberras mssp, ir-Rettur il-maħtur għas-Seminarju.  Dun Tony se jibda l-ministeru tiegħu fl-1 ta’ Jannar 2015, sadanittat, f’dawn it-tliet xhur, hu se jkun jgħix fis-Seminarju.  F’dan iż-żmien Dun Daniel Xerri se jibqa’ r-Rettur tas-Seminarju. 

Bejn l-għada t-Tlieta 23 u s-Sibt 27 ta’ Settembru l-komunità kienet ġewwa r-Rabat Malta, għand is-Sorijiet tas-Saint Joseph, għall-irtir tal-bidu tas-sena.  Din id-darba kien Dun Joe Mifsud, Viċi Rettur tas-Seminarju ta’ Malta, li mexxa l-irtir.

Il-ħajja fis-Seminarju qabdet ir-rittmu normali nhar l-Erbgħa 1 ta’ Ottubru.  It-Tlieta 30 ta’ Settembru ngħata bidu għas-sena akkademika permezz tal-Quddiesa lill-Ispirtu s-Santu, immexxija minn Mons. Isqof Mario Grech. 

L-Isqof waqt l-omelija tkellem fuq il-Vanġelu tal-ġurnata.  Ġesù dar u mar b’determinazzjoni sħiħa lejn Ġerusalemm.  Mons. Grech ħeġġeġ lis-saċerdoti preżenti u lis-seminaristi sabiex bħal Ġesù jkollhom viżjoni lejn fejn huma mexjin.  Din il-viżjoni għandha tkun it-twaqqif tas-Saltna ta’ Alla.  Huma bħal Ġesù għandhom jimxu lejn Ġerusalemm b’rieda sħiħa.  Fit-triq għal Ġerusalemm, bħal Ġesù, għandhom jidħlu fis-Sammarija: il-periferija tas-soċjetà u tal-Knisja tagħna.  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.  Dan kien il-waqt fejn Dun Tony Sciberras mssp iltaqa’ għall-ewwel darba kemm mal-lecturers u kif ukoll mal-persuni kollha preżenti.

Ritratti

During the summer holidays members of the community took part in various activites, one of which was a half-day retreat in the Chapel of Dar Nazaret, which houses the community of the Poor Clare Sisters.  The retreat was led by Sr Rose Ellis.  During the last week of the summer holidays, the seminarians gave a helping hand with the cleaning up of the Seminary and with the preparations for a new year of formation.

On Monday, 22nd September, following the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, the seminarians met to share their experience of voluntary work during the summer holidays.  The day ended with a barbeque at Marsalforn. The seminarians were joined by Fr. Tony Sciberras, new Rector of the Seminary, who will start his new ministry on the 1st January and who will be residing at the Seminary for the coming three months.  Fr. Daniel Xerri will still serve as Rector for these three months.

From Tuesday 23rd till Saturday 27th September, the community was on retreat the nuns of Saint Joseph in Rabat Malta.  The retreat was led by Fr. Joe Mifsud, Vice Rector of the Seminary of Malta.

Life at the Seminary took its normal course on Wednesday 1st October.  On Tuesday 30th September,  Mgr Bishop Mario Grech celebrated the Mass of the Holy Spirit to mark the beginning of the academic year.  In his homily, the Bishop explained the Reading of that day.  Our Lord turned and walked with determination towards Jerusalem.

Mgr Grech urged the priests and seminarians to walk steadfastly towards their destination, as Jesus did.  Their destination should be the Kingdom of God.  Like Jesus, they should walk with determination towards Jerusalem.  On the way to Jerusalem, they should stop at Samaria, as Jesus did: at the suburbs of society and of our Church.  Professors, relatives of the seminarians and members of the GħaqdaĦbieb tas-Seminarju were present for the celebration of the Eucharist.

At the end of the Mass, the congregation was invited to meet Fr. Tony Sciberras.  Drinks were served.

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