News

Last week, an American Cardinal of the Catholic Church honoured us with his presence at the Seminary.  On Monday, 14th January, His Eminence Cardinal William Joseph Levada paid a visit to our Seminary.  He was accompanied by Mgr Mario Grech, Bishop of Gozo, Mgr Ġużeppi Mercieca, Archbishop Emeritus of Malta and Mgr Charles J. Scicluna, Auxiliary Bishop of Malta.  They joined the community at dinner.

Cardinal William Joseph Levada is the Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith.  He was born in 1936, at Los Angelis, California, in The United States.  He served as Auxiliary Bishop in the diocese where he was born.  Then he served as Archbishop in the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon, Archbishop of San Francisco in California and Apostolic Administrator of Santa Rosa, California.  In 2005 he replaced Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the present Pope Benedict XVI, as Prefect of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith.  He occupied this post up to July 2012.

His Eminence, Cardinal Levada was in Malta to take part in a number of meetings.  During his stay in Malta, he crossed over to Gozo for a visit.  He thanked us for our welcome, wished us success in our studies and gave us his blessing.

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Jannar ifisser il-bidu ta’ sena ġdida.  Dan hu żmien fejn wieħed jiltaqa’ u jfisser ix-xewqat sbieħ tiegħu lil sieħbu.  Hekk seħħ is-Sibt 5 ta’ Jannar fis-Seminarju.  Is-saċerdoti, il-patrijiet u s-seminaristi Għawdxin kienu mistiedna għal laqgħa flimkien ma’ Mons. Isqof għall-qsim tal-awgurji.

Il-laqgħa bdiet b’talba ta’ radd il-ħajr lil Alla għal kull ma għamel mal-Knisja Għawdxija tul is-sea 2012.  Imbagħad, Mons. Rosario Borg (fl-assenza tal-Vigarju Ġenerali, Mons. Giovanni Bosco Gauci), f’isem is-saċerdoti kollha preżenti, radd ħajr lil Mons. Isqof tal-ħidma li wettaq f’Għawdex tul is-sena 2012 u awguralu għas-sena l-ġdida.

Mons. Isqof Mario Grech, min-naħa tiegħu, għamel il-messaġġ tal-okkażjoni.  Hu stqarr li l-Knisja fil-passat “għamlet l-istorja”!  Din għandha tkun il-missjoni tal-Knisja anke llum.  Hi, bħal Marija hi msejħa li toffri l-“inbid ġdid” lis-soċjetà: lil Ġesù Kristu.

Din kienet it-tema diskussa fis-Sinodu tal-Isqfijiet li sar f’Ottubru 2012, li għalih attenda Mons. Isqof Mario Grech: it-tema tal-Evanġelizzazzjoni l-Ġdida.  L-Isqof qal li f’din l-esperjenza ħareġ ħafna l-element tal-“kolleġġjalità” fi ħdan il-Knisja, element li għandu jkompli jingħata aktar ċentralità.  Hu stqarr li l-kolleġġjalità tinkludi fiha wkoll il-bżonn li jkun hemm aktar lajċi bis-sens li jiġu fdati responsabiltajiet pastorali, b’hekk ma jibqax ikollna Knisja klerikali.

“Is-Sinodu kien sinfonija Kristoloġika.”  It-Trinità Qaddisa, b’mod partikulari l-persuna ta’ Ġesù Kristu, inżammew fiċ-ċentru ta’ kull diskussjoni.  Il-missjoni tal-Knisja, fil-fatt, hi li twassal lil Ġesù Kristu lill-bnedmin.  Dan ma jistax iseħħ jekk ma nagħmlux bħall-Knisja tal-bidu, li qabel ma bdiet il-missjoni tagħha nġabret u stenniet fit-talb, għax kienet taf li Alla nnifsu biss jista’ joħloq il-Knisja tiegħu.  Għalhekk, “l-evanġelizzazzjoni ġdida titlob evanġelizzaturi spiritwalment imġedda”.

Qabel ma jwassal lil Kristu l-evanġelizzatur irid jieqaf biex jisma’ l-Kelma.  L-evanġelizzazzjoni l-ġdida, għalhekk, qabel kollox mhix kwistjoni ta’ applikazzjoni ta’ “metodi” ġodda għall-proklamazzjoni tal-Vanġelu, imma titlob li l-istess evanġelizzatur jikber fil-fidi tiegħu fi Kristu u jpoġġi l-kérygma Kristoloġika fil-qofol tal-evanġelizzazzjoni tiegħu.  Hi din il-fidi li trid twasslu biex ikun missjunarju: għax fidi mingħajr appostolat hi fidi mejta!

Mons. Isqof qal li l-evanġelizzazzjoni ġdida hi meħtieġa wkoll għaliex ix-xenarji soċjali u kulturali qegħdin dejjem jinbidlu u qed isejħulna għal xi ħaġa ġdida.  F’din il-kultura hemm spazji ġodda li jeħtieġu d-dawl ta’ Kristu, spazji li ma nistgħux li ma nitħeġġux biex indawluhom permezz tiegħU.  Fid-dawl tal-Konċilju Vatikan II, l-ispirtu Kristjan, Kattoliku u Appostoliku tad-dinja kollha, qed jistenna qabża ’l quddiem biex tkun approfondita d-duttrina u jkun hemm formazzjoni aktar ħajja tal-kuxjenza.  Mons. Isqof stqarr li dan jgħodd b’mod speċjali għas-saċerdoti.  Hekk biss is-saċerdoti jistgħu jibqgħu jżommu l-irwol ta’ “maestri di cultura” u jkompli jiżirgħu lil Kristu fil-kultura tal-lum.  Din l-evanġelizzazzjoni l-ġdida titlob ekkleżjoloġija ġdida: Knisja li tħaddan il-komunjoni u Knisja f’relazzjoni mad-dinja.  Dan iwassal għall-għajnuna reċiproka, għax meta l-Knisja tirrelata mas-soċjetà, hi tgħallem lill-bniedem ikun aktar uman u hi min-naħa tagħha tirċievi ħafna mid-dinja.

Mons. Isqof ikkonkluda billi stqarr li s-Sinodu ħareġ b’diversi suġġerimenti prattiċi biex din l-evanġelizzazzjoni l-ġdida tkun tista’ sseħħ, u li wieħed ikun jista’ japprofondixxihom aktar fiż-żmien li ġej.  Hu temm id-diskors tiegħu billi awgura lill-presbiterju djoċesan biex ikompli jiġġedded spiritwalment, ħalli b’hekk tkun tista’ ssir l-evanġelizzazzjoni l-ġdida li permezz tagħha jsir it-tqaddis ta’ din il-gżira.

Agħfas hawn biex tniżżel id-diskors sħiħ ta’ Mons. Isqof

L-Arċipriet il-Kan. Tarcisio Camilleri, delegat tal-kleru f’Għawdex, ħabbar xi attivitajiet li se jsiru fiż-żmien li ġej għas-saċerdoti, u stieden lil kulħadd għal refreshments tal-okkażjoni.

January marks the beginning of a new year.  This is a time when people meet and exchange greetings.  On the 5 January the Seminary hosted a gathering where members of the clergy and seminarians met Mgr Bishop Mario Grech and exchanged greetings.

The meeting started with a prayer of thanksgiving to God for the blessings bestowed upon the Church of Gozo along the year 2012.  Then, on behalf of those present, Mgr Rosario Borg, (who stood in for Mgr Giovanni Bosco Gauci, the General Vicar), thanked Mgr Bishop Grech for his pastoral work in the diocese during the year 2012 and wished him a happy new year.

Mgr Bishop Grech delivered a short talk for the occasion.  He said that in the past the Church “made history”.  Even in our times the Church has to continue this mission.  Like Mary, the Church is called to offer to society the “new wine”, that is Jesus Christ.

This was the theme discussed in the Bishops’ Synod held in October 2012 and which Mgr Grech attended.  The theme was the New Evangelization.  The Bishop said that during the Synod the element of “collegiality” within the Church was evident.  This element needs to be more centralised.  He said that collegiality includes also the need for more lay people to be entrusted with pastoral responsibilities.  In this way the Church will no longer be clerical.

“The Synod was a Christological symphony.”  The Holy Trinity and the figure of Jesus Christ in particular, was the centre of every discussion.  In fact, the mission of the Church is to preach Jesus Christ to mankind.  To do so, we have to follow the example of the early Church.  Before starting its mission, the early Church gathered and waited in prayer since it knew that it was only God himself who could create his Church.  For this reason, “the new evangelisation requires preachers who are spiritually renewed”.

Before preaching Christ, the preacher has to stop to listen to the Word.  For this reason, the new evangelisation is, above all, not a question of applying new “methods” for the proclamation of the Bible, but is a call for the need of the same preacher to strengthen his faith in Christ and place the Christological kérygma in the centre of his evangelisation.  It is this faith that will make him a missionary: since faith without apostleship is a dead faith!

Mgr Bishop Grech added that the new evangelisation is needed also because of the social and cultural scenario that is ever-changing and making new claims.  In this culture there exist new spaces that need the light of Christ.  We cannot be indifferent to the need of filling these spaces with this light.  According to the Vatican II Council, the Christian, Catholic and Apostolic spirit in the whole world is looking forward to a more profound doctrine and a more mature formation of the conscience.  Mgr Grech said that this applies particularly to priests.

It is only in this way that priests can retain the role of “maestri di cultura” and keep on sowing Christ in modern culture.  This new evangelisation demands a new ecclesiology: a Church that embraces communion and a Church in a relationship with the world.  This leads to reciprocal help, because when the Church interacts with society it teaches man to be more humane and at the same time the Church gains a lot from the world.

In concluding, Mgr Bishop Grech said that the Synod came up with various practical suggestions so that there would be this new evangelisation.  These suggestions can be delved into more deeply in the future.  He ended his talk by saying that he hoped that the diocesan presbytery will continue to renew itself spiritually.  In this way, the new evangelisation can take place and will contribute towards a spiritual enrichment of the island.

Click here to download Bishop Grech’s speech (in maltese)

Archpriest Can Tarcisio Camilleri, delegate of the Gozitan clergy, announced the activities for the clergy in the coming future.  Refreshments followed.

Nhar il-Ġimgħa 21 ta’ Diċembru filgħaxija s-seminaristi bdew il-waqfa tagħhom għall-Milied.  Tul il-ħmistax ta’ vaganzi huma setgħu jqattgħu aktar ħin mal-familja tagħhom, jistrieħu, imma anke jkunu aktar preżenti fil-parroċċi tal-pastorali u fil-parroċċi tal-oriġini tagħhom.

Mons. Isqof Mario Grech, dakinhar filgħaxija, ġie s-Seminarju jmexxi l-quddiesa ta’ radd il-ħajr fi tmiem l-ewwel term.  Għal din il-quddiesa kienu mistiedna l-ġenituri tas-seminaristi flimkien mal-Aħwa Ħbieb tas-Seminarju.  Mons. Isqof bena l-omelija tiegħu fuq l-ewwel qari tal-ġurnata, mill-Ktieb tal-Profeta Sofonija: “Il-Mulej hu f’nofsok; ma jkollokx iżjed ħsara minn xiex tibża’” (Sof 3,15).  Hu fakkar lilna lkoll preżenti li aħna, dawk li ninsabu qrib Alla, imsejħin inwasslu din l-aħbar lin-nies kollha ta’ madwarna.

Fi tmiem il-quddiesa sar il-ftuħ tal-wirja Incarnatione.  Fl-okkażjoni tas-Sena tal-Fidi l-Kummissjoni Djoċesana tal-Arti Sagra flimkien mas-Seminarju tal-Qalb ta’ Ġesù ħadu ħsieb itellgħu wirja ta’ arti sagra fuq il-misteru tal-Milied, fis-sala tas-Seminarju.  Hemm il-ħsieb ukoll li fi żmien l-Għid tiġi mħejjija wirja oħra, din id-darba fuq il-misteru tal-qawmien ta’ Kristu mill-imwiet.  Ir-Rettur, Fr Daniel Xerri, ta merħba lil dawk preżenti u spjega l-iskop għalfejn ittellgħet din il-wirja.  Fr Joseph Calleja, mill-Kummissjoni Djoċesana tal-Arti Sagra, ta kritika tax-xogħlijiet li jinsabu eżebiti.  Mons. Isqof, imbagħad, qabel ma nieda l-wirja, wera l-apprezzament tiegħu għall-inizjattiva li ttieħdet u ħeġġeġ biex nivvalutaw aktar l-arti sagra bħala espressjoni tal-fidi tagħna.

Ritratti

The evening of the 21st December marked the beginning of the Christmas holidays for the seminarians.  During the fifteen-day holiday, the seminarians could be with their family, and offer their services at their parish of origin and at other parishes where they are following pastoral duties.

That same evening, Mgr Bishop Mario Grech paid a visit to the Seminary where he led a Mass of Thanksgiving to mark the end of the first term.  Parents of seminarians and members of Aћwa Ħbieb tas-Seminarju attended this Mass.  Mgr Bishop focused his homily on the first reading of the day, taken from the Book of the Prophet Zephaniah: “The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst, you have no further misfortune to fear” (Zep 3,15).  He reminded the congregation that we, who are close to God, are asked to spread this news to all the people around us.

After Mass, the exhibition Incarnatione was declared open.  On the occasion of the Year of Faith, the Diocesan Commission of Sacred Art, together with the Seminary of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, put up an exhibition of sacred art regarding the mystery of The Incarnation.  This exhibition was put up in the main hall of the Seminary.  Another exhibition regarding the mystery of The Resurrection will be put up for Easter.  The Rev. Rector, Fr Daniel Xerri, welcomed the guests and explained the aim behind this exhibition.  Fr Joseph Calleja, of the Diocesan Commission for Sacred Art, gave a critical appreciation of the exhibited works.  Mgr. Bishop inaugurated the exhibition and praised this initiative.  He augured a better evaluation of sacred art as this is a form of expression of our faith.

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Il-Ħamis 13 ta’ Diċembru l-abbatini u l-membri tal-gruppi tal-vokazzjonijiet ġew mistiedna jiġu s-Seminarju għall-attività tal-Milied, li tiġi organizzata kull sena għalihom mis-seminaristi.  Din is-sena wkoll, grupp sabiħ ta’ tfal attendew għal din l-attività.

Fil-bidu saret laqgħa tal-okkażjoni fis-sala tas-Seminarju, immexxiha mis-Seminarista Joseph Attard.  Wara dawk preżenti ġew imqassma fi tliet gruppi: tal-primarja, tal-forms 1-2 u tal-forms 3 ’il fuq.  Is-seminaristi ħadu ħsieb jorganizzaw xi logħob għal kull grupp.

Fi tmiem l-attività Mons. Isqof żar lil kull grupp ta’ tfal u wrihom l-apprezzament tiegħu għas-servizz li b’mod assidwu huma jwettqu fil-knejjes parrokkjali u fil-kappelli li hawn imxerrda madwar Għawdex.  Awguralhom l-isbaħ xewqat għall-Milied u f’isem is-seminaristi ppreżentalhom ir-rigal tal-Milied.

Is-seminaristi ħejjew kalendarju biex jitqassam bħala rigal lil dawk preżenti.  It-tema ta’ dan il-kalendarju huma l-personaġġi bibliċi tat-Testment il-Qadim.  Għal kull xahar hemm tpinġija ta’ ġrajja mill-ħajja ta’ xi personaġġ bibliku.  Takkompanjaha hemm deskrizzjoni qasira tal-ħajja tal-istess personaġġ.

Ritratti

On Thursday 13^th December, the altar boys and the members of the Vocation Groups were invited to the Seminary to attend a Christmas activity, organised annually by the seminarians.  As usual, a large number of children took part in this activity.

The activity started with a talk in the Seminary hall.  The talk was delivered by Seminarian Joseph Attard.  Then, the children were divided into three groups: students of Primary schools, students of Forms 1 & 2, and students from Form 3 onwards.  The seminarians organised games for every group.  At the end of the activity Mgr Bishop Grech met the members of each group.  He showed them his appreciation for the services that they give regularly in the parochial churches and the chapels spread around Gozo.  He exchanged his greetings for Christmas and offered gifts on behalf of the seminarians.

The seminarians compiled a calendar to be offered to the children present for this activity.  Biblical characters from the Old Testament are depicted in this calendar.  Every month features a picture regarding an episode from the life of one of these biblical figures.  The picture is accompanied by a short description of the life of the same biblical figure.

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Daniel Sultana, Seminarista mill-parroċċa tat-Twelid ta’ Marija, ix-Xagħra, irċieva l-ministeru tal-akkolitat minn idejn l-Eċċellenza Tiegħu l-Arċisqof Tommaso Caputo, nhar il-Ħadd 9 ta’ Diċembru 2012, fil-Knisja Parrokkjali tax-Xagħra.  Mons. Tommaso Caputo ġie fostna Għawdex biex jagħmel Quddiesa ta’ Radd il-Ħajr ’l Alla fi tmiem il-missjoni diplomatika tiegħu f’Malta u fil-Libja bħala Nunzju Appostoliku tas-Santa Sede.  Hu beda din il-ħidma fl-2007.  Issa se jkun jaqdi l-ministeru tiegħu f’Napli, bħala Arċisqof tal-belt ta’ Pompei u Delegat Pontifiċju għas-Santwarju tal-Imqaddsa Verġni Marija tar-Rużarju ta’ Pompei.

Fil-prietka tiegħu Mons. Caputo radd ħajr ’l Alla tad-diversi mumenti li hu qasam mal-Knisja f’Għawdex.  Fost dawk li semma hemm il-mewt tas-saċerdot żagħżugħ, Fr Joshua Muscat (fl-2009) u l-mewt tal-Isqof Emeritu Mons. Nikol Ġ. Cauchi (fl-2010); il-mument ta’ ferħ meta l-Papa Benedittu XVI offra r-Rosa d’Oro lis-Santwarju Marjan tal-Madonna Ta’ Pinu (fl-okkażjoni tal-Viżta Appostolika fl-2010) u ż-żjara uffiċjali li Mons. Caputo għamel lis-Seminarju Maġġuri tal-Qalb ta’ Ġesù (fl-2012).

Fi tmiem il-prietka hu għamel aċċenn għall-ministeru li Daniel Sultana kellu jibda jwettaq hekk kif isir akkoltu.  Minn dakinhar ’l quddiem hu kellu jkun eqreb lejn l-artal billi jħejji dak meħtieġ għall-Ewkaristija u anke billi jqarben.  L-akkoltu jkun jinsab tarġa eqreb lejn il-presbiterat, fl-istess waqt għalhekk il-ministeru tal-akkolitat irid jgħin lis-seminarista fit-tħejjija tiegħu għall-ordinazzjoni li jkun se jirċievi.

Fi tmiem il-quddiesa Mons. Isqof Mario Grech offra tifkira lil Mons. Caputo, b’sens ta’ radd il-ħajr għal dak li wettaq mad-djoċesi ta’ Għawdex tul il-missjoni diplomatika tiegħu, u anke b’ringrazzjament għal dak li wettaq miegħu personalment fis-snin tal-bidu tal-ministeru episkopali tiegħu.

Ritratti

On Sunday 9^th December 2012, the Parish Church of Xagħra celebrated the bestowal of the Ministry of the Acolyte on Daniel Sultana, a Seminarian hailing from the Parish of the Birth of Mary, in Xagħra.  Daniel Sultana was instituted in the acolytate by His Excellency Archbishop Tommaso Caputo.  Mgr Caputo visited Gozo to celebrate a Mass of Thanksgiving to God on the occasion of the termination of his diplomatic mission as Apostolic Nuncio of the Holy See to Malta and Libya.  He started his mission in 2007.  Now he will be serving as Archbishop in the city of Pompei in Naples and as Pontifical Delegate to the Sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Rosary of Pompei.

In his homily, Mgr Caputo gave thanks to God for the various moments that he shared with the Church of Gozo.  Among these occasions, he mentioned the death of the young priest, Fr Joshua Muscat in 2009 and the death of the Bishop Emeritus Mgr Nicholas J. Cauchi in 2010.  He mentioned also the moments of joy when Pope Benedict XVI offered the Rosa d’Oro to the Marian Sanctuary of  Our Lady of Ta’ Pinu during the Apostolic Visit in 2010, and the official visit that Mgr Caputo himself paid to the Major Seminary of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in 2012.

Before ending the homily, Mgr Caputo talked about the ministry that Daniel Sultana was about to follow as an acolyte.  From now on, his duties will keep him closer to the altar as he will make the necessary preparations for the Holy Eucharist and administer the Holy Eucharist.  The acolyte will be one step closer to priesthood, and so the ministry of the acolytate has to help the seminarian in his preparation for the priestly ordination he will be receiving in the future.

When the Mass was over, Mgr Bishop Mario Grech offered a memento to Mgr Caputo, as a sign of gratitude for his services to the Diocese of Gozo during his diplomatic mission, and also for the help Mgr Caputo offered to him personally in the early years of his episcopate.

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Is-Sibt 8 ta’ Diċembru l-komunità tas-Seminarju ngħaqdet mal-Knisja fiċ-ċelebrazzjoni tas-Solennità tal-Kunċizzjoni.  Għall-komunità tagħna din hi festa speċjali għax il-Kappella tas-Seminarju hi ddedikata lil Ommna Marija tal-Kunċizzjoni.  Fl-okkażjoni ta’ din il-festa l-Grupp Liturġiku organizza diversi attivitajiet speċjali.

Il-Ġimgħa filgħaxija, is-seminaristi kellhom il-kant tal-Għasar fil-Katidral u wara saret l-adorazzjoni tal-ewwel Ġimgħa tax-xahar.  Din tmexxiet minn Fr Alex Refalo u tulha saret it-talba tal-Akathistos.  Din hi it-talba ta’ tifħir li l-Knisja tal-Ilvant tagħmel lil Marija Omm Alla.

Is-Sibt filgħodu kantajna t-Tifħir ta’ Sbiħ il-Jum.  Wara l-Lezzjoni Qasira d-Djaknu Gabriel Gauci għamel omelija tal-okkażjoni u tkellem fuq l-oriġini tad-domma tal-Kunċizzjoni.  Kompla l-ħsieb tiegħu billi spjega fil-qosor l-interpretazzjoni Kristoloġika u Ekkleżjoloġika li żewġ teoloġi kbar tas-Seklu Għoxrin (Karl Rahner u Hans Urs von Balthasar) taw lil din id-domma.

Is-seminaristi taw is-servizz tagħhom fil-Pontifikal il-Katidral u f’nofsinhar Mons. Isqof ingħaqad mal-komunità fis-Seminarju għat-Talba ta’ Nofs il-Jum.  Wara l-Lezzjoni Qasira hu għamel ħsieb tal-okkażjoni.  L-Isqof enfasizza fuq il-bżonn tad-djalogu bejna u bejn Alla.  Hu ndika l-fatt li l-Liturġija tal-Kelma tal-ġurnata ħarġet il-kuntrast li hemm bejn Adam: li kien nieqes minn djalogu m’Alla (tant li beża’ minnu); u bejn Marija: li ħajjitha, sa mit-tnissil immakulat tagħha, kienet djalogu kontinwu m’Alla.  Mons. Grech qal li jekk kull Nisrani hu mħeġġeġ li jiddjaloga m’Alla, dan jgħodd b’mod speċjali għalina s-seminaristi u s-saċerdoti.  Bħalma fl-istituzzjonijiet soċjali d-djalogu jsegwi ċerta struttura, id-djalogu tas-saċerdot m’Alla jrid ikun ukoll strutturat.  Hu spiċċa billi spejga liema hi l-istruttura ta’ dan id-djalogu: it-talb, l-istudju akkademiku u l-ubbidjenza għas-superjuri.  Dawn kollha jridu jwasslu lis-seminarista u lis-saċerdot biex jikkomunika m’Alla.

Il-festa ntemmet b’ikla tal-okkażjoni, li għaliha kienu mistiedna l-formators flimkien ma’ Mons. Isqof u s-seminaristi.

Ritratti

On Saturday, 8^th December, the community of the Seminary joined the rest of the Church in the celebration of the Solemnity of The Holy Conception.  This is a special feast for our community since the Chapel at the Seminary is dedicated to Our Lady, Immaculate Conception.  On this occasion the Liturgical Group organised various special activities.

On Friday evening, the seminarians participated in the Vespers at the Cathedral.  That same evening, there were moments of adoration of the Holy Eucharist on the occasion of the first Friday of the month.  Fr Alex Refalo led the service during which the prayer of the Akathistos was said.  The Akathistos is a prayer of praise which the Church of the East says to Mary, Mother of God.

On Saturday morning, we sang the Lauds.  Following the Short Reading, Deacon Gabriel Gauci made a homily for the occasion.  He talked about the origin of the dogma of the Holy Conception.  He gave a short explanation of the Christological and Ecclesiological interpretation of this dogma by two great theologians of the Twentieth Century, Karl Rahner and Hans Urs von Balthasar.  The seminarians participated in the Pontifical Mass at the Cathedral.

At mid-day, Mgr Bishop Grech joined the community of the Seminary for the Midday Prayer.  After the Short Reading, he shared with us some thoughts related to the occasion.  The Bishop emphasised the importance of creating a dialogue between God and us.  He pointed out the fact that the Liturgy of the Word for that day stressed the contrast between Adam, who lacked communication with God (so much so that he was afraid of Him), and Mary, whose life, from its immaculate conception, was one continuous dialogue with God.

Mgr Grech said that every Christian is urged to participate in a dialogue with God.  This is true especially of us seminarians and priests.  As dialogue in social institutions follows a certain structure, so does dialogue of the priest with God.  The Bishop explained the structure of this dialogue: prayer, academic studies and obedience to one’s superiors.  This structure leads the seminarian and the priest to communication with God.

The formators, the Bishop together with the seminarians participated in a dinner held for the occasion.

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Il-Ħadd 2 ta’ Diċembru l-Knisja tat bidu għas-sena liturġika tagħha permezz tal-ewwel Ħadd tal-Avvent.  Il-komunità tas-Seminarju ċċelebrat din l-okkażjoni s-Sibt 1 ta’ Diċembru f’nofsinhar, permezz tat-Tħabbira tal-Avvent.  Din hi ċelebrazzjoni li ssir ta’ kull sena u li tinkludi fiha t-talba ta’ nofs il-jum, qari ta’ lezzjoni mill-Iskrittura (bl-iskop li tħeġġeġ lill-komunità biex tħejji ruħha għall-miġja ta’ Kristu), u l-preżentazzjoni flimkien mat-tberik tal-ikona li se takkompanja lill-komunità tul din is-sena.  Wara li jsiru xi invokazzjonijiet ir-Rettur jindika xi tibdiliet fil-programm tal-komunità, li jkunu se jieħdu posthom tul dawn il-ġranet, biex ifakkruna li dan hu żmien speċjali.

Il-lezzjoni mxandra lilna kienet mill-Ittra lill-Efesin (5,8-20).  Ir-Rettur waqaf fuq il-vers:  “Qisu sewwa kif iġġibu ruħkom, mhux bħal nies bla dehen, iżda bħal nies għorrief, li jgħożżu ż-żmien”.  Hu wriena li l-bniedem ‘għaref’ hu dak li ‘jgħożż iż-żmien’:  fi kliem ieħor, il-bniedem li jagħraf jaħtaf kull okkażjoni u jagħmel minnha opportunità ta’ grazzja.

Eventwalment ġiet ippreżentata lilna u mbierka l-ikona, miktuba apposta għal din is-sena minn Loreta Grech, ispirata mis-silta:  “Jiena nemmen!  Għinni fil-fidi nieqsa tiegħi!”, meħuda minn Mk 9,24.  Il-kuntest sħiħ ta’ din is-silta jinsab f’Mk 9,14-29.  Hawn naraw in-nuqqas ta’ ħila tad-dixxipli għan-nuqqas ta’ fidi tagħhom, flimkien mal-għajnuna ta’ Ġesù lill-missier li jitlob il-fejqan ta’ ibnu maħkum minn spirtu ħażin (ara ukoll Mt 17,14-21 u Lq 9,37-42).

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