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Between Sunday 27th October and Friday 1st November, the community of the Seminary organised a week of prayer for vocations at the parish of Fontana, dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.   Prayers of the community at Mass for that week, focused mainly on vocations.

During the week, the seminarians met the children who attend the religion classes and shared with them their reflections on the call of God for each and every one of us.

On Thursday, the community of the Seminarians joined the superiors at the afternoon Mass said in the parish church.  Seminarian Mario Mercieca talked about his call for priesthood.  Then followed the Adoration of the Holy Eucharist which lasted half an hour.

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B’rabta mal-Jum Missjunarju li ġie ċċelebrat fid-dinja Kattolika nhar il-Ħadd, 20 t’Ottubru, il-Grupp Missjunarju fi ħdan is-Seminarju Maġġuri ħa ħsieb li jorganizza ġimgħa ta’ talb u attivitajiet bil-għan li jqajjem iktar kuxjenza dwar il-missjoni. It-tema għal din is-sena kienet: “Morru għamlu dixxipli mill gnus kollha” (Mt 28,19) meħuda mil-ħsieb tal-Papa Franġisku għal dan il-jum.

Matul din il-ġimgħa kemm fil-Quddiesa kif ukoll waqt it-talb komunitarju saret enfasi għall-missjunarji speċjalment dawk Għawdxin li jinsabu jagħmlu diversi ħidmiet missjunarji, kif ukoll għall-popli li jgħixu fl-artijiet tal-missjoni speċjalment dawk li qed ibatu frott sitwazzjonijiet ta’ inġustizzji u gwerrer ċivili.

Il-grupp ħa ħsieb ukoll li għal waħda mill-Quddies jistieden lil Patri Godfrey Zarb OFM Cap, Gwardjan tal-Fraternita tal-Kapuċċini f’Għawdex, fejn qasam mal-komunita’ ħsieb dwar l-esperjenza missjunarja li huwa wettaq fin-Niġerja.

B’rabta ma’ din il-ġimgħa missjunarja, il-grupp ħa ħsieb ukoll li jorganizza attivita’ fost l-istudenti tal-iskola tas-Seminarju Minuri. Waqt din il-laqgħa, il-grupp wera wkoll filmat qasir mibgħut mis-Seminarist Michael Grima li fl-esperjenza tas-Sena Intermedjarja qed iwettaq ħidma fil-Gwatemala flimkien mas-Saċerdot Għawdxi Dun Anton Grech fejn tkellem ukoll dwar il-ħidma missjunarja li hu qed iwettaq f’dan il-pajjiż.

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In connection with the Missions Day that was celebrated in the Catholic world on Sunday 20^th October, the Missions Group at the Major Seminary led a week of prayer and activities, with the aim of increasing awareness about the missions.  The theme for this year was: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations” (Mt 28,19),  taken from the words of  Pope Francis for this day.

During the week, both at Mass and at moments of communal prayer, special emphasis was laid on the work of the missionaries, especially Gozitan  missionaries.  Prayers were also said for the peoples who live in the missionary countries, especially those who are suffering as a result of injustice and civil war.

The Missions Group invited Fr Godfrey Zarb OFM Cap, Prior of the Capuchine Order in Gozo, for the celebration of  Mass.  He shared with the community his experiences as a missionary in Nigeria.

In connection with the Missions Week, the Group organised an activity for students attending the Minor Seminary.  During this activity, the students were shown a video of Seminarian Michael Grima, who during the Intermediate Year of studies, has joined Fr Anton Grech in Gwatemala. Michael talked about his missionary work in this country.

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Wara li fit-30 ta’ Settembru kienu l-lecturers li sellmu lil Mons Salv Grima, fil-15 t’Ottubru kien imiss lill-komunita’ tas-Seminarju li tirringrazzja u ssellem lil Dun Salv fi tmiem il-ħidma tiegħu bħala Prifett tal-Istudji fis-Seminarju Maġġuri. Dun Salv iċċelebra il-Quddiesa flimkien mas-superjuri tas-Seminarju u s-seminaristi fejn radd ħajr lil Alla għall-ħidma li wettaq fis-seminarju, u wara  kien mistieden għaċ-ċena. B’apprezzament fi tmiem l-ikla huwa ġie mogħti nkwadru bix-xbieha tal-istatwa tal-Immakulata Kunċizzjoni meqjuma fil-Kappella tas-Seminarju bħala tifkira.

Ta’ min jgħid li tul il-ħidma tiegħu fis-Seminarju, kienu bosta is-seminaristi li fittxew l-għajnuna u l-gwida ta’ Dun Salv, ħafna minnhom illum qed iwettqu ħidma pastorali diversa bħala Presbiteri fid-Djoċesi Għawdxija u lil hinn minnha.

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Following the farewell to Mgr Salv Grima by the lecturers on the 30^th September, it was the turn of the community of the Seminary to show gratitude to Mgr Grima on his retirement as Prefect of Studies in the Major Seminary.  Mgr Grima was accompanied by the superiors of the Seminary and the Seminarians in the celebration of a Thanksgiving Mass to God.  After Mass, Mgr Grima joined the community at dinner.  As a sign of appreciation, Mgr Grima was presented with a picture of the statue of the Immaculate Conception which is venerated at the Seminary Chapel.

While he was acting as Prefect of Studies at the Seminary, many seminarians sought his help and guidance.  A number of these seminarians are now engaged in pastoral work as priests in the Diocese of Gozo and beyond our shores.

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Bħala parti mill-formazzjoni tas-seminaristi, minn din is-sena is-seminarju ħa l-inizjattiva li jibda’ jorganizza laqgħat b’orjentament pastorali. Dawn il-laqgħat ser iservu biex is-seminaristi jsiru jafu aħjar bid-diversi grupp, għaqdiet u ħidmiet pastorali li għandna fid-Djoċesi tagħna waqt li jiffamiljarizzaw aktar ruħhom ma’ dawn l-għaqdiet u l-ħidma li qed iwettqu.

L-ewwel laqgħa bdiet nhar l-Erbgħa, 9 t’Ottubru fejn il-kelliem kien Dun Giovanni Curmi, Segretarju Pastorali Djoċesan. Waqt din il-laqgħa, Dun Giovanni qasam magħna l-ħidma li d-djoċesi qed twettaq b’rabta mal-viżta pastorali li l-isqof ser ikun qed iwettaq fid-Djoċesi ta’ Għawdex kif ukoll l-iskop u r-riżultati li bħala Knisja tixtieq li joħorġu minn din il-vista.

Huwa tkellem ukoll magħna dwar il-pjan pastorali li d-djoċesi ser tkun qed tniedi għas-sentejn li ġejjin bl-iskop li tgħin lill-insara imma wkoll lill-komunita’ Għawdxija tkompli tagħraf il-preżenza u l-imħabba ta’ Alla.

As part of the seminarians’ formation, the seminary has this year taken the initiative to organize meetings with a pastoral orientation.  Through these meetings, the seminarians will familiarize themselves with the various groups and organizations and with the pastoral work carried on in the Diocese.

The first meeting was held on Wednesday, 9^th October.  The speaker was Fr Giovanni Curmi, Pastoral Secretary for the Diocese.  During this meeting, Fr Curmi talked about the preparations for the coming pastoral visit which the Bishop will be paying to the various parishes of the Diocese of Gozo.  He talked also about the aim of the visit and the results that the Church is expecting to reap from this visit.

He explained the pastoral plan that the Diocese will be following in the coming two years.  The aim of this pastoral plan is to help Christians and the Gozitan community as a whole to continue to feel the presence of God and His love for us.

Nhar it-Tlieta, 7 t’Ottubru, il-komunita’ tas-Seminarju kienet mistiedna mill-Komunita tal-Patrijiet Franġiskani Konventwali fir-Rabat, sabiex tieħu sehem fil-Quddiesa fl-okkażjoni tal-festa ta’ San Ġużepp ta’ Copertino. Wara t-talba tar-Rużarju li kienet animata mis-seminaristi, ir-Rettur flimkien mas-Superjuri tas-Seminarju ċċelebra l-Quddiesa fejn qasam ukoll riflessjoni fuq il-ħajja ta’ San Ġuzepp ta’ Copertino u kif dan il-qaddis jista’ jservi ta’ mudell għas-seminaristi fil-formazzjoni tagħhom kif ukoll għal dawk li qed jiddixxernu l-vokazzjoni tagħhom.

Fi tmiem il-quddiesa, il-Gwardjan, Patri Joe Scerri OFM Conv. ippreżenta lir-rettur relikwija ta’ San Ġużepp ta’ Kopertino sabiex tinżamm fis-seminarju kif ukoll inkwadru bix-xbieha tal-Qaddis li hemm meqjuma fil-Knisja tagħhom. Wara imbagħad ppreżenta lis-seminaristi ktieb dwar il-ħajja tal-Qaddis.

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On Tuesday, 7^th October, the community of the Seminary was invited by the Community of Franciscan Monks of Victoria to take part in the Mass celebrated on the feast of St Joseph of Copertino.  First, the congregation said the Rosary which was animated by the Seminarians, and then the superiors of the Seminary joined the Rector for the celebration of Mass.  During the homily, the Rector shared with the congregation his reflections on the life of St Joseph of Copertino.  He showed how this saint can be a model to the seminarians during their years of formation and a model also to those who are still in the phase of discerning their vocation.

At the end of the Mass, Prior Fr Joe Xerri, OFM Conv., presented to the Rector a relic of St Joseph of Copertino to be kept in the chapel of the Seminary.  He presented also a framed picture with the image of the Saint which is venerated in their church.   The seminarians were presented  a book about the life of the Saint.

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Nhar il-Ħamis, 3 t’Ottubru fis-Seminarju ingħata bidu għall-disa’ Ħamisijiet ta’ talb għall-

vokazzjonijiet. Din hi laqgħa ta’ darba f’xahar fejn kull ewwel Ħamis tax-xahar fil-Kappella tas-Seminarju tiġi organizzata ġurnata ta’ Adorazzjoni Ewkaristika sabiex flimkien nitolbu għall-vokazzjonijiet. Din il-ġurnata tkun ukoll immarkata b’mumenti fejn il-pubbliku jkun jista’ jingħaqad mas-seminaristi għaċ-ċelebrazzjoni tal-Quddiesa, kif ukoll għaċ-ċelebrazzjoni tal-mumenti differenti tal-Liturġija tas-Siegħat. Matul dawn il-ġranet il-pubbliku ħu msejjaħ biex jiftakar aktar fil-ħtieġa ta’ vokazzjonijiet saċerdotali u reliġjuzi waqt li jitlob il-Sid il-ħsad sabiex ikompli jibgħat aktar ħaddiema fl-għalqa tiegħu.

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Thursday, 3rd October, marked the start of the 9 Thursdays of prayer for vocations at the Seminary.  On every first Thursday of the month, the Chapel of the Seminary hosts a day of Adoration of the Holy Eucharist.  Prayers for vocations are said, and members of the public are invited to join the seminarians for the celebration of the Mass and for the different moments of  prayers of the Liturgy of the Hours.  On these Thursdays, the members of the public are encouraged to pray for more priestly and religious vocations and also to beg the Harvest Master to send more labourers to gather his harvest.

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Il-komunità tas-Seminarju reġgħet inġabret flimkien, għal sena ta’ formazzjoni ġdida, nhar it-Tnejn 23 ta’ Settembru 2013.  Tul il-waqfa tas-sajf kien hemm diversi mumenti li fihom il-komunità ltaqgħet flimkien.  Ta’ min isemmi l-ordinazzjoni djakonali tas-Seminarista Daniel Sultana, mill-Parroċċa ta’ Marija Bambina fix-Xagħra, fil-Katidral ta’ Għawdex nhar is-Sibt 22 ta’ Ġunju. Is-Seminaristi taw ukoll is-servizz tagħhom fil-festi ta’ San Ġorġ u Santa Marija.  F’nofs is-sajf, nhar il-Ġimgħa 2 t’Awwissu, is-seminaristi inġabru għal nofs ta’ nhar ta’ riflessjoni mmexxi minn Dun Jopseph Bajada f’Dar Manresa, ir-Rabat.  Kien hemm ukoll mumenti fejn is-seminaristi taw daqqa t’id fix-xogħol li kien għaddej fis-Seminarju.

Dakinhar li s-seminaristi daħlu lura mis-sajf, wara li ġiet iċċelebrata l-Ewkaristija, huma qasmu flimkien id-diversi esperjenzi li għexu tul is-sajf u filgħaxija niżlu Ħondoq għal barbeque. Bejn l-għada t-Tlieta 24 u s-Sibt 28 ta’ Settembru l-komunità nġbret ġewwa r-Rabat Malta, f’Dar St. Joseph, għall-irtir tal-bidu tas-sena.  Din id-darba kien Mons. Pawlu Cardona li mexxa l-irtir.

Il-ħajja fis-Seminarju qabdet ir-rittmu normali nhar it-Tnejn 30 ta’ Settembru.  Dakinhar ingħata bidu għas-sena akkademika permezz tal-Quddiesa lill-Ispirtu s-Santu, immexxiha minn Mons. Isqof Mario Grech.  Għal din l-Ewkaristija kienu mistiedna l-professuri, l-familjari tas-seminaristi, kif ukoll l-għaqda ħbieb tas-Seminarju.

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