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It is a custom for our seminary to celebrate the feast of St Joseph, carer of Jesus and husband of Mary.  On the eve of the feast and on the feast day, the seminarians served at the Cathedral during the celebrations led by the Bishop.

As part of the celebrations, our lecturers met the Bishop at the Seminary on 16^th March and later joined the community for lunch.

The 19^th March 2013 is a special day since it witnessed the beginning of the Papal ministry of Pope Francis.  During the days of the conclave our community joined the Church at prayer for the election of a new Pope.  We followed the events on television and internet, especially on Wednesday evening, 13^th March, when we followed the media to welcome the new Pope.

Għat-tieni sena konsekuttiva s-seminaristi ħadu ħsieb jorganizzaw sports day għall-abbatini u għall-istudenti tal-vokazzjonijiet tad-djoċesi.  Din saret fil-festa ta’ San Ġużepp, it-Tlieta 19 ta’ Marzu.

Għadd ta’ tfal u adoloxxenti nġabru fis-Seminarju fid-9.00am.  L-attività bdiet permezz ta’ mument ta’ talb immexxi minn Fr Joseph Curmi.  Wara li l-parteċipanti ġew imqassma f’erba’ gruppi, ingħata bidu għal-logħob.  F’12.00pm saret waqfa qasira u sar it-tqassim ta’ snack.  Il-logħob spiċċa fis-2.00pm permezz tal-logħba tant mistennija: it-tug-of-war.

Fi tmiem din il-ġurnata sabiħa tqassmet tifkira lil kull min attenda, magħmula mis-seminaristi stess.  L-abbatini kellhom l-opportunità li jiltaqgħu mas-seminaristi f’ambjent differenti minn dak li soltu jiltaqgħu magħhom.  Kellhom ukoll il-possibbiltà li jiltaqgħu mal-abbatini ta’ parroċċi oħrajn u magħhom jaħdmu f’team-work għal għan wieħed.

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For the second consecutive year the seminarians organised a sports day for altar boys and for members of the Groups for the Promotion of Vocations.  This activity was held on Tuesday 19^th March, feast of St Joseph.

A number of children and youths met at 9.00am at the Seminary.  The activity started with a short prayer meeting led by Fr Joseph Curmi.  The participants were then grouped into four teams and then took part in the various games organised for them.  At noon the participants stopped for a snack.  The activity ended at 2.00pm with a tug-of-war.

All the participants received a memento, prepared by the seminarians.  During this activity the altar boys met the seminarians in a different environment from the one in which they usually meet. They also had the opportunity of teaming up with altar boys from other parishes.

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Matul is-sena jiġu organizzati attivitajiet differenti għall-membri tal-gruppi tal-vokazzjonijiet u għall-abbatini.  Żmien ir-Randan kien mument opportun biex jiġu organizzati attivitajiet djoċesani għall-istudenti tal-vokazzjonijiet.  Nhar it-Tlieta 5 ta’ Marzu lqajna fostna numru sabiħ ta’ studenti tal-form 5 li għexu mas-seminaristi ftit mumenti mill-programm tas-seminarju: mument ta’ talb, l-ikel ta’ filgħaxija, u ħin ta’ mistrieħ.

Bejn il-Ħadd 3 u l-Ġimgħa 8 ta’ Marzu saret ġimgħa ta’ talb għall-vokazzjonijiet fil-parroċċa tal-Qala.  Il-mumenti prinċipali matul din il-ġimgħa kienu l-Adorazzjoni tal-Ħamis li tmexxiet minn żewġ seminaristi, u l-laqgħa mat-tfal tad-duttrina u l-quddiesa ċċelebrata fil-knisja parrokkjali l-Ġimgħa.

Ta’ kull ġimgħa, fil-parroċċi tagħna, diversi studenti jiltaqgħu għal-laqgħa tal-vokazzjonijiet.  Nhar is-Sibt 16 ta’ Marzu, dawn l-istudenti, li huma bejn il-form 1 u 4, iltaqgħu lkoll flimkien fis-seminarju għal laqgħa waħda li tmexxiet mis-seminaristi.  Fi tmiem il-laqgħa l-istudenti kellhom logħba futbol flimkien.

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Throughout the year, various activities are organised for members of Groups for the Promotion of Vocations and for altar boys.  During Lent, such activities were held in the diocese for members of these groups.  On Tuesday, 5^th March, the Seminary hosted a number of Form 5 students who joined us during prayer time and leisure activities and at supper.

Between Sunday and Friday, 3^rd – 8^th March, prayers for vocations were held at the parish of Qala.  The climax of the week was reached on two occasions: the first was on Thursday when two seminarians led the Adoration of the Holy Eucharist, and the second on Friday, when children who attend religious centres met at the parish church where Mass was celebrated.

Every week, our parishes host meetings for students who form part of Groups for the Promotion of Vocations.  These students are in forms 1 to 4 of Secondary Schools.  On Saturday 16^th March, the students joined the seminarians for a meeting at the Seminary.  At the end of the meeting the students played football.

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Nhar il-Ħadd 24 ta’ Frar 2013 ġiet immarkata tappa oħra fil-mixja vokazzjonali tas-seminarista Joseph Attard, mill-parroċċa ta’ Marija Mtellgħa s-Sema fiż-Żebbuġ u tas-seminarista Mario Curmi, mill-parroċċa tat-Twelid ta’ Marija fix-Xagħra.  Mons. Isqof Mario Grech tahom il-ministeru tal-lettorat fil-knisja parrokkjali ta’ San Girgor u tal-Madonna tas-Sokkors, f’Ta’ Kerċem.

Fit-tieni Ħadd tar-Randan il-Knisja tpoġġi għar-riflessjoni tagħna l-evanġelju tat-Trasfigurazzjoni.  Fil-prietka tiegħu, Mons. Isqof, tkellem mill-‘ġmiel’ li saħħar lit-tliet appostli li akkompanjaw lill-Mulej fuq il-muntanja Tabor.  “Mgħallem kemm hu sew li aħna hawn!”  Il-kliem ta’ Pietru jesprimi s-sentiment ta’ ammirazzjoni li qanqal Ġesù f’qalb l-appostlu fil-mument tat-trasfigurazzjoni tiegħu.  Dan hu l-istess sentiment li jinbet fil-qalb ta’ kull persuna li tħoss is-sejħa biex tingħata b’mod sħiħ lil Ġesù fil-ħajja reliġjuża jew saċerdotali.

Hu l-ġmiel ta’ Ġesù li qanqal lil Joseph u Mario, u lil ħafna persuni oħra bħalhom, biex jibdew it-triq tad-dixxerniment li twassal għall-ħajja saċerdotali.  Ġesù jidher l-isbaħ fuq is-salib.  Għalkemm il-wiċċ tiegħu hu sfigurat u ma jiġbidx l-għajnejn, Ġesù fuq is-salib hu l-akbar xhieda tal-imħabba ta’ Alla għalina.  Mons. Isqof spiċċa billi ħeġġeġ lil Joseph u Mario sabiex ikomplu jikkontemplaw din l-imħabba ta’ Ġesù għalihom permezz tas-smigħ tal-Kelma ta’ Alla u hekk huma wkoll ikunu jistgħu jeżerċitaw il-ministeru tax-xandir tal-istess Kelma.  Hu permezz tas-smigħ ta’ din il-Kelma li wieħed jista’ jsir jaf il-verità: li Alla verament iħobbu!

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Sunday, 24^th February 2013 marked another milestone in the vocational walk towards priesthood on the part of Joseph Attard, from the Parish of The Assumption at Żebbuġ and of Mario Curmi from the Parish of Maria Bambina at Xagħra.  Mgr Bishop Mario Grech bestowed upon them the Ministry of the Lectorate in the parrochial church of St Gregory and Our Lady of Succour at Kerċem.   

On the second Sunday of Lent the Church offers us the opportunity to reflect upon the episode of the Transfiguration.  In his homily, the Bishop talked about the ‘beauty’ that enhanced the three apostles who accompanied The Lord to Mount Tabor.  “Lord, how good that we are here!” Peter’s words express the sentiment of admiration that Jesus instilled in the heart of the apostle in the moment of his transfiguration.  This is the same sentiment that is instilled in the heart of every person who feels the vocation to give himself exclusively to Jesus in a religious or priestly life.

It is the beauty of Jesus that inspired Joseph and Mario, and many other young men, to start on the path of discernment that leads to their priestly ordination.  The beauty of Jesus is most evident on the cross.  Although His face is deformed and is repulsive, Jesus on the cross is the greatest evidence of God’s love to us.  Mgr Grech ended the homily by encouraging Joseph and Mario to keep on contemplating this love of Jesus through the reading of the Holy Scripture so that they too will be able to exercise their ministry as Lectors of the same Holy Scripture.  It is only through the reading of the Word that we can know the truth: that God really loves us!

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Nhar it-Tnejn 11 ta’ Frar immarka l-bidu tat-tieni semestru.  Wara l-waqfa tal-eżamijiet, it-Tnejn filgħodu, is-seminaristi rritornaw għal-lectures.  It-Tnejn filgħaxija Fr John Anthony Berry SThD ingħaqad mal-komunità sabiex imexxi seminar.  Fih hu ta informazzjoni bażika dwar il-Konċilju Vatikan II.

Fr John stqarr kif il-Papa Ġwanni XXIII ġie ispirat minn diversi teoloġi u movimenti li fil-bidu tas-seklu għoxrin kienu qed jisħqu fuq il-bżonn li ssir riforma fi ħdan il-Knisja.  Dan wasslu biex ħabbar il-Konċilju Vatikan II u biex ħamsin sena ilu, fil-11 ta’ Ottubru 1962, nedih.  Fr Berry ippreżenta d-diversi viżjonijiet tal-Konċilju, filwaqt li tana diversi linji gwida prattiċi li permezz tagħhom aħna nistgħu naqraw id-dokumenti tal-Konċilju, b’mod speċjali l-erba’ kostituzzjonijiet.

Filgħaxija l-komunità ngħaqdet mal-Isqof u mal-Knisja Għawdxija ġewwa Ta’ Pinu.  Hemm saret quddiesa għall-bżonnijiet tal-Qdusija Tiegħu l-Papa Benedittu XVI, fil-jum li fih hu ħabbar l-intenzjoni tiegħu li nhar il-Ħamis 28 ta’ Frar jieqaf jeżerċita l-ministeru Petrin tiegħu, bħala Isqof ta’ Ruma.

Monday, February 11^th, marked the beginning of the second semester.  Following the end of examination week, it was lecture time again for the seminarians.  On Monday afternoon, Fr John Anthony Berry SThD joined the community to lead a seminar in which he gave basic information about Vatican Council II.

Fr John explained how Pope John XXIII had been inspired to call the Vatican Council II by various theologians and movements that, in the dawn of the twentieth century, were calling for reform by the Church.  In fact, Vatican Council II was launched fifty years ago, on October 11^th, 1962.  Fr Berry presented the various visions of the Council.  He gave us a number of practical guidelines with which we can read the documents of the Council, especially the four constitutions.

In the evening, the community joined the Bishop and the members of the Church in a congregation at Ta’ Pinu.  A Mass was said for the needs of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI, on the day in which he declared that on Thursday, February 28^th, he would be renouncing his Papal Ministry as Bishop of Rome.

Fl-okkażjoni tal-Ġimgħa ta’ Talb għall-għaqda fost il-knejjes Insara, nhar il-Ħamis 24 ta’ Jannar filgħaxija ġiet mistiedna l-komunità Anglikana li ta’ kull nhar ta’ Erbgħa tiltaqa’ fil-kappella tas-Seminarju għas-servizz tagħha.  Għal din il-laqgħa ġie mistieden ukoll il-Kanċillier tal-Katidral Anglikan ta’ San Pawl, fil-Belt Valletta, ir-Rev. Kan. Simon Godfrey.

Il-Kanċillier iltaqa’ mal-komunità tas-Seminarju u mexxa konferenza li fiha tkellem fuq il-Knisja Anglikana, u ta deskrizzjoni tal-kawżi li wasslu għax-xiżma mill-Knisja Kattolika Rumana.  Fl-istess waqt hu qal li għalkemm l-Anglikani, fis-seklu sittax, tbiegħdu minn Ruma u nqatgħu minnha, huma ma nqatgħux mill-fidi u mill-ispiritwalità tagħha.  Ir-Rev. Godfrey stqarr li l-Knisja Anglikana hija Kattolika fl-ispirtu tagħha.  Kien hemm żmien fejn dan l-ispirtu ċċajpar minħabba l-protestantiżmu, li eventwalment daħal fl-Ingilterra.  Bħala risposta għal dan, tul l-istorja tal-Anglikaniżmu kienu diversi l-movumenti li fakkru fl-oriġini Kattoliċi tal-istess Knisja Anglikana u anke wrew ix-xewqa li xi darba terġa’ ssir l-għaqda.  L-akbar fost dawn huwa l-Oxford Movement, li minnu l-Kardinal John Henry Newman kien jagħmel parti.

Fi tmiem il-konferenza r-Rev. Simon Godfrey awgura u għamel kuraġġ lis-seminaristi f’din il-mixja vokazzjonali tagħhom.  Hu wegħdhom it-talb tiegħu u stqarr li l-komunità Anglikana dejjem żammet lill-komunità tas-Seminarju fit-talb tagħha.  Skont ir-Rev. Godfrey l-akbar sfida tal-Knisja tal-futur, kemm dik Kattolika u anke dik Anglikana, se jkun l-indifferentiżmu u l-ostilità tal-‘Kristjani’ lejn il-Knisja.  Din hi sfida kbira li teħtieġ saċerdoti konvinti, saċerdoti li b’żelu qaddis iridu jerġgħu jkebbsu n-nar tal-fidi fil-qalb bierda tan-nies.

Fi tmiem il-konferenza kulħadd inġabar fil-kappella għas-servizz ekumeniku mmexxi mir-Rettur tas-Seminarju, Fr Daniel Xerri u il-Kanċillier ir-Rev. Kan. Simon Godfrey.  Għal dan il-mument ingħaqdu magħna wkoll il-membri tal-komunità Anglikana.  Wara, għaddejna għas-sala fejn kien hemm ftit refreshments tal-okkażjoni.

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On Thursday evening, 24 January, the Seminary invited the Anglican Community for an ecumenical meeting, part of the Week of Prayer for unity among Christian Churches.  The Anglican Community meets every Wednesday at the Seminary Chapel.  Rev. Can. Simon Godfrey, Chancellor of the Anglican Cathedral of St Paul, in Valletta, was also invited for the meeting.

The Chancellor addressed the community of the Seminary in a conference about the Anglican Church and about what led to the schism between the Anglican Church and the Roman Catholic Church.  He said that although the Anglicans broke relations with the Church of Rome in the sixteenth century, they still continued to share its faith and its spirituality.  Rev. Godfrey said that the Anglican Church is Catholic in spirit.  There was a time when this spirit was blurred because of Protestantism that eventually prevailed in England.  To counteract, many movements throughout the history of Anglicanism kept alive the Catholic origins of the Anglican Church and encouraged reunification.  The most famous movement was the Oxford Movement.  Cardinal John Henry Newman formed part of this movement.

Rev. Simon Godfrey encouraged the seminarians to keep steadfast in their vocation.  He said that he himself and the Anglican Community remember the Seminary and the seminarians in their prayers.  According to Rev. Godfrey, the greatest challenge facing both the Catholic and the Anglican Churches of the future will be the indifference and hostility of ‘Christians’ towards the Church.  This is a great challenge that needs priests who are convinced of their faith and mission, and who through their holy zest want to rekindle the fire of faith in indifferent hearts.

At the end of the conference, the congregation met in the chapel for the ecumenical service led by the Reverend Rector of the Seminary, Fr Daniel Xerri, and the Reverend Chancellor, Can. Simon Godfrey.  Members of the Anglican community joined us for the service.  Later on, we all met in the hall for refreshments.

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Tul il-ġimgħa li għaddiet, prelat tal-Knisja Kattolika onora s-Seminarju tagħna permezz taż-żjara tiegħu.  It-Tnejn 14 ta’ Jannar l-Eminenza Tiegħu l-Kardinal William Joseph Levada ngħaqad mal-komunità tagħna għall-ikel ta’ nofsinhar.  Flimkien miegħu ġew ukoll l-Isqof t’Għawdex Mons. Mario Grech, l-Arċisqof Emeritu ta’ Malta, Mons. Ġużeppi Mercieca, u Mons. Charles J. Scicluna, l-Isqof Awżiljarju ta’ Malta.

Il-Kardinal William Joseph Levada hu l-Prefett Emeritu tal-Kongregazzjoni tad-Duttrina tal-Fidi.  Hu twieled f’Los Angelis, California, fl-Istati Uniti, fl-1936.  Qeda l-ministeru tiegħu bħala Isqof Awżiljarju tad-Djoċesi tal-oriġini tiegħu.  Wara għamel xi żmien Arċisqof ġewwa l-Arċidjoċesi ta’ Portland in Oregon; Arċisqof f’San Francisco, California; u wara Amministratur Appostoliku ġewwa Santa Rosa, California.  Fis-sena 2005 ħa post il-Kardinal Joseph Ratzinger (illum il-Papa Benedittu XVI) bħala Prefett tal-Kongregazzjoni tad-Duttrina tal-Fidi.  Hu ħalla minn din il-kariga f’Lulju 2012.

L-Eminenza tiegħu l-Kardinal William kien f’Malta għal xi laqgħat.  Tul il-waqfa tiegħu f’Malta hu għamel żjara f’Għawdex.  Fi tmiem l-ikla, hu rringrazzjana tal-akkoljenza li tajnih, awguralna l-isbaħ xewqat għall-futur u tana l-barka tiegħu.

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