This week, another year of formation at the Seminary was concluded. On Monday 17th and Tuesday 18th of June, after finishing the exams, the community gathered for the last meetings before beginning the summer holidays.
On Monday evening, the seminarians together with the spiritual director Fr Tony Calleja SJ, gathered at Manresa Retreat House in Victoria for the revision de vie; an exercise during which they reflected upon the experiences and fruits of formation of the whole year. On Tuesday, the community had several concluding meetings and in the evening an exercise of evaluation about the whole year. At 6.00pm, H.L. Mgr Anton Teuma, Bishop of Gozo, led a half an hour meeting for the parents of the seminarians. Afterwards he presided the holy sacrifice of mass, with the participation of the formators, sisters, and the seminarians and their families.
Last Thursday, 13th of May, at 11.30am, the newly ordained priest Fr Etienne Gilson of the Franciscan Conventuals celebrated a thanksgiving mass at the Seminary chapel. The memorial of Our Lady of Fatima was observed. Among the seven concelebrants, four were members of the Seminary formation team while the other three were the members of the Franciscan Conventual community of Victoria. The Rector, Can Richard Farrugia, delivered the homily. Fr Etienne hails from the town of Birkirkara in Malta. Some years ago, he was asked by the provincial father of his order to form part of the Franciscan Conventual community in Victoria Gozo. After having spent several years as a brother in the order, through a process of discernment, Fr Etienne discovered his call to priesthood. Since at the time he made this decision he was residing in Gozo, he began the necessary academic studies for the presbyteral ordination at the Diocesan Seminary. Thus, was established Fr Etienne’s connection with the Gozo Seminary.
Earlier today the community of our Seminary animated a Eucharistic Adoration with special prayers for vocations at the Cathedral of Gozo. Among the people present were also the parish adolescents that this year will be receiving the sacrament of Confirmation.
Friday 30th April 2021 was a special day for our community. On this day deacons Rev. Andrew Grima and Bro. Etienne Gilson OFM Conv. were ordained priests by the hands of H.L. Mgr Anthony Teuma, Bishop of Gozo. We started this day at 7.00am by praying the Divine Office and Lauds in our chapel. Afterwards we received the Eucharistic Blessing which brought to an end the night of Eucharistic Adoration. The presbyteral ordination took place in the parish church of St John the Baptist in Xewkija at 6.00pm. Rev. Andrew Grima hails from the Parish of St Lawrence Martyr in San Lawrenz, while Bro. Etienne Gilson, who is originally from Birkirkara, hails from the Franciscan Conventual Community of Victoria Gozo. Due to the present situation of the Covid-19 pandemic this celebration was not held as usual in the Cathedral of Gozo, but in this parish church since the latter is more spacious. This was the first presbyteral ordination led by H.L. Mgr Anthony Teuma. This celebration was streamed via radio, television, and internet. In his homily, the Bishop presented to the new priests, Jesus who is the Way, the Truth and the Life; a model which gives hope to the present generation. Also, the Bishop encouraged the two new priests to listen to what St Peter states in his First Letter, that is, to graze the flock with love and service, and not rule over it. Among the concelebrants was a numerous presence from the Franciscan Conventual Order to which Fr Etienne belongs. Although Fr Etienne is from Birkirkara, he has been part of the Conventual community in Victoria since 2015. It was on that year that he started his Theological studies at our Seminary. This celebration was also attended by a number of diocesan priests of Malta and Gozo, members of the Seminary community, as well as relatives and friends of Fr Etienne and Fr Andrew.
On Thursday 29th of April the Seminary community organised a prayer vigil at the Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady in Victoria. This moment of prayer was held as spiritual preparation for the Presbyteral Ordination of deacons Rev. Andrew Grima and Bro. Etienne Gilson OFM Conv.
The meditations during the vigil, made by the Rector Can Richard Farrugia, were based on 1 Kings 19, 1-15, which is the biblical passage accompanying the Seminary community throughout this year. During the last part of the vigil, the Blessed Sacrament was exposed, and the ordinands Andrew and Etienne made a public prayer in front of our Lord. This was followed by the Eucharistic Benediction. The vigil was concluded with a short message from the Bishop of Gozo, H.L. Mgr Anthony Teuma. Since due to the Covid-19 pandemic, only a limited number of people could attend the vigil, it was transmitted live on the social media of the Diocese and the Seminary.
During the past week, the Seminary community celebrated the solemnity of St Joseph, patron saint of the universal Church. Since on the 1st of May the community would not have been at the Seminary to celebrate the memorial of St Joseph worker, it was transferred to the 29th of April. However, the liturgy celebrated was that of St Joseph, patron saint of the universal Church. This is because on the 19th of March, since the country was in partial lockdown, the Seminary was closed, and the community was not able to celebrate this important solemnity. Thus, these adjustments were made.
This year, the solemnity was observed in a different and more significative way. This is because on Pope Francis’s wish, the Church is celebrating a year dedicated to St Joseph, on the occasion of the 150th anniversary from the proclamation of St Joseph as patron saint of the universal Church by Pope Pius IX. As spiritual preparation, the community celebrated a holy triduum from the 26th to the 28th of April. During these three day, the singing of the vespers started at 7.00pm. After the lectio brevis, Rev. Roberto Gauci delivered a 40-minute meditation inspired by the life of St Joseph. After the vespers, the antiphon Exsurgens Ioseph was sung on a musical arrangement by Mro Nazzareno Refalo. Each day of the triduum was concluded with a brief exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and the Eucharistic Benediction. On the 29th April, at 6.30am, the Rector Can Richard Farrugia presided high mass. The homily was made by the deacon Rev. Andrew Grima.
The Church holds the fourth Sunday of Eastertide as a special day of prayer for vocations. On this Sunday, the Church presents to us faithful the Gospel of the Good Shepherd to help us reflect on the gift of vocations. We should remember that vocations are not related solely to priesthood. We all have a vocation in life. And what is our vocation? Pope Francis says that a vocation is a treasure that God stores in the heart of human beings. It is a treasure being the road which the Lord is inviting us to take and which leads us to happiness. This happiness is He himself. Every vocation is unique and everybody has to look deep into his heart to discover this treasure donated to him by God.
In simple terms, the Gospel of the Good Shepherd reminds us of the true definition of a vocation. Naturally, if Christ is the Good Shepherd, we are called to be part of his flock. In the Gospel, Jesus states that they [the sheep] shall listen to my voice. Therefore, a vocation, the call of every Christian, demands from us above all a close attention to the Lord’s voice and will. We should reflect on our lives and ask ourselves whose voice we are heeding. Are we heeding God’s voice or other voices that we allow to influence our decisions? Is our life following God’s call or is it following a vocation determined by ourselves for ourselves?
Therefore, the foundation of every vocation is prayer. We pray to listen to God’s voice and to relate better with God, since if we do not learn to relate better with God, how can we discover his call for us? The answer of St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross sums it all: Vocation….is an answer which we get through prayer.
Today, seminarian Gabriel Vella and deacon Rev. Andrew Grima made their solemn profession of faith and their vows of celibacy and obedience, at Ta’ Pinu Sanctuary. This was done in view of their diaconal and presbyteral ordination respectively. The day started with a pilgrimage by the Seminary community to the Sanctuary. On the way the rosary was recited, by meditating the joyous and the glorious mysteries. Afterward, mass was said by the Rector Can. Richard Farrugia in the old chapel at Ta’ Pinu. After the proclamation of the Gospel, Gabriel and Andrew did their profession and vows.
The presbyteral ordination of Andrew Grima, who hails from the parish of San Lawrenz, will take place on the 30th of April at Xewkija Parish Church. On the same day, Brother Etienne Gilson of the Franciscan Conventuals will also be ordained to priesthood. Gabriel Vella, who hails from the parish of The Immaculate Conception of Our Lady and St Joseph, in Qala, will be ordained deacon on the 18th of June at the Cathedral of the Assumption in Victoria.
On Tuesday 16th February, the eve of Ash Wednesday, the Seminary community celebrated the Proclamation of Lent. This celebration, held at the Seminary Chapel was led by the Rector Can Richard N. Farrugia. Following the Proclamation of Lent at the beginning of the celebration, the artal and the ambo were dressed in their Lenten array. The Rector shared a reflection on the reading from the Gospel of the First Sunday of Lent (Mk 1, 12-15). Lenten hymns were sung during this celebration. Finally, the Rector announced some changes in the programme and also the activities related with this liturgical period, reminding us that Lent is a special time for exercise in prayer, fasting, and charity. Once again, the Seminary will be offering various opportunities to the seminarians to reap the spiritual benefits of Lent, both for themselves and for the community as a whole.
Between Friday 12th and Saturday 13th of February 2021, a formation weekend was held at our Seminary. The theme was: “The Presbyteral Identity as a Process of Continuous Integration”, inspired from the verse from St Matthew’s Gospel: “But who do you say that I am?” (Mt 16, 15).
This seminar, conducted by Fr Bernard Falzon MSSP and Fr Alex Zammit MSSP, was divided in six sessions. During the first session, the members of the Seminary community had the opportunity to introduce themselves, express their views on current trends and tendencies within the Church, and voice their opinions and feeling about present challenges within the Catholic Church. Throughout this first session, Fr Bernard shared an analysis of the ever-changing contemporary society and of some of its characteristics, namely: consumerism, narcissism, a lost sense of time and history, and a tension between passion and commitment. This was done using Magisterial documents and several other texts. In the second session, Fr Alex shared some reflections about art as the expression of what humanity feels and lives during specific periods. The third session of the seminar, led by Fr Bernard, was the first one on Saturday. During this session, every seminarian was given the opportunity to express his views on priesthood by referring to a photograph chosen personally by him. The fourth session, introduced by Fr Alex and led by Fr Bernard, focused on the identity of Jesus Christ as the Son of God and the importance of forming one’s personal identity as a Christian. During the fifth session, by making use of Gal 1, 13-17, the group reflected on the priestly identity that is lived through humanity. In the sixth and final session the group reflected on Biblical texts which portray Jesus as the Priest who different from common perception of priesthood. At the end of this session, the Seminary community had time for asking questions or for sharing some highlights of the seminar. This formation weekend helped the seminarians reflect about the priestly identity which is founded on humanity and the importance of living this priestly identity according to the needs the present society.
Earlier today the community of our Seminary celebrated the Holy Mass and animated a Eucharistic Adoration with special prayers for vocations at the parish church of Żebbuġ.
On Sunday 24th January, the Sunday of the Word of God, seminarian Matthew Bajada who is in his fifth year of formation, was conferred with the ministry of Lector by our Bishop H.L. Mgr Anthony Teuma. The conferral of this ministry took place during the 10.00am Mass celebrated in the Corpus Christi parish church of Għasri. Matthew Bajada, the new Lector, hails from the parish of Għarb which is dedicated to the Visitation of Our Lady. Various priests, including the formators of the Seminary, concelebrated. The celebration was also attended by relatives of the seminarian and people from the parish of Għasri, Għarb, and Qala where Matthew is doing his pastoral experience. Following the reading of the Gospel, the candidate was presented to the Bishop. After the homily the Bishop prayed upon the candidate and presented the Bible to him, encouraging him to plan his life on it. Through the ministry of Lector the seminarian gets more acquainted with the Word of God and, by letting God make him a worthy tool, he spreads the Word of God to mankind during liturgical celebrations and pastoral contexts.
