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Last week, the seminarians completed the course about the safeguarding of minors. Held in the Major Seminary classrooms between the 28^th of June and the 3^rd of July, this intensive series of lectures was addressed by the psychologist Rev. Joseph Farrugia. The lectures were conducted daily between 8.00am and 12.00pm.

Knowledge about this topic is of fundamental importance to every person, particularly to the seminarians who are undergoing their formation to priesthood. This is because whilst exercising ministry during their pastoral experiences, the seminarians encounter many minors. The course enabled the participants to know the right course of action when it comes to interacting with minors and to decipher warning signs of the abuse of minors. Most importantly, this course creates a safeguarding mentality amongst the people which pursue it.

On Friday 18^th June 2021, seminarian Gabriel Vella, from the parish of the Immaculate Conception and St Joseph in Qala, was ordained deacon by H.L. Mgr Anton Teuma, Bishop of Gozo. The ordination was held at 6.30pm at the Gozo Cathedral.

Seminarian Gabriel was invested with the stole and dalmatic by Rev. Charles Buttigieg, parish vicar of Qala Parish. The liturgy was animated by the Laudate Pueri choir under the direction of Can George J. Frendo.

Several priests attended the celebration. Present were also Gabriel’s friends and family, the families of the seminarians, and many parishioners of Qala Parish.

Photos: Diocese of Gozo / Anthony Grech

Last Thursday, 17^th June 2021, a prayer vigil in preparation for the diaconal ordination of seminarian Gabriel Vella was held at the Immaculate Conception and St Joseph Parish Church in Qala. Although this prayer vigil is usually held at the Seminary, this year, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the venue had to be changed. To enable more people to follow the celebration, the vigil was also transmitted live on the social media of the Diocese.

The prayers, led by the Rector of the Seminary Can Richard-Nazzareno Farrugia, commenced at 8.00pm. The youth group of Qala Parish animated the celebration with music and singing. The vigil was divided into two main parts. The first part focused on the Word. It included hymns of praise to God and the saints, the proclamation of the Gospel, readings from the magisterium of Pope Francis, and a reflection by the Rector. The second part was a eucharistic celebration. After the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, seminarian Gabriel, kneeling before the Lord present in the Eucharist, made a prayer about his vocation. The evening of prayer concluded with the Eucharistic Benediction. In continuation with the vigil silent adoration was held at the Seminary during the night, between 10.00pm and 7.00am of the following morning. The diaconal ordination of seminarian Gabriel Vella took place in the evening of the 18^th of June at the Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady in Victoria.

This week, another year of formation at the Seminary was concluded. On Monday 17^th and Tuesday 18^th 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, 13^th 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 30^th 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.

Photos: Diocese of Gozo / Shaun Sultana

On Thursday 29^th 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 1^st of May the community would not have been at the Seminary to celebrate the memorial of St Joseph worker, it was transferred to the 29^th of April. However, the liturgy celebrated was that of St Joseph, patron saint of the universal Church. This is because on the 19^th 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 150^th 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 26^th to the 28^th 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 29^th 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 30^th 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 18^th of June at the Cathedral of the Assumption in Victoria.

On Tuesday 16^th 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.