On Saturday, November 9th, the Seminary hosted its traditional fundraising dinner to honour Saint Martin, the bishop of Tours. The event, which began at 7:00 pm, welcomed around 170 guests along with numerous volunteers who helped with preparations. The menu featured a five-course meal, including Gozitan cheeslets with honey and figs, minestra, għaġin il-forn, pork loin with roasted vegetables, and the customary St. Martin’s cake. Guests were also offered coffee and limoncello.
During the dinner, members of the association “Aħwa-ħbieb tas-Seminarju” held a raffle with various prizes, such as vouchers and items donated by generous supporters. After the meal, Rector Fr. Joseph Bajada invited attendees to explore the Seminary and visit the seminarians’ quarters.
The Seminary extends its gratitude to all the guests for their attendance and the many volunteers organising the event. Special appreciation goes to the Franciscan Sisters at the Seminary for their dedicated hours preparing for the evening.
Today, Thursday 24 October 2024, marks an important anniversary in the history of our Seminary. The Seminary community is celebrating hundred years of the presence of the Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus at the Seminary.
The anniversary was celebrated with a mass presided by H.E. Mgr Anton Teuma, Bishop of Gozo, at 11.00am at the Seminary Chapel. Numerous priests previously involved in the Seminary formation concelebrated. Present also were the Mother Provincial of the congregation Sr Claudia Zammit, and many sisters from the several convents of the congregation in Gozo. Afterwards a reception for those present was held at the Seminary courtyard.
The Franciscan Sisters first came to the Seminary on the 24 October 1924 on the wish of their founder the Venerable Madre Margherita Debrincat. They were entrusted the mission of taking care of the kitchen and of bringing a motherly touch to the institution. They dedicated their tiny chapel and convent to Saint Michael Archangel. The sisters came after the departure of the Jesuit fathers during whose administration the kitchen was run by a local cook and assistant.
The Seminary convent today houses three Franciscan sisters: Mother superior Sr Giuseppina Farrugia, Sr Clementia Borg and Sr Shanti Perbo. While wholeheartedly congratulating the sisters on this anniversary, we thank them for their service and promise them our prayers and prayers for more vocations in their congregation.
Last week, the Liturgical and Missionary Group organised various activities in view of the World Mission Day, celebrated on Sunday, 20th October 2024. This week’s theme was inspired by the parable of the wedding banquet (cf. Mt 22:1-14), as commented by Pope Francis in this year’s World Mission Day message.
This Mission Week started on Monday, October 14th. On this day, the community prayed for Bishop Giovanni Cefai MSSP and Fr Raymond Portelli, who are both Gozitan missionaries in Peru. After dinner, the seminarians watched “Cabrini,” a film that depicts the life of Catholic missionary Francesca Cabrini.
On Tuesday, the Seminary community prayed for Bishops Joe Bonello OFM and George Bugeja, who are both Gozitan missionaries in Honduras and Libya, respectively. In the evening, the seminarians organised a Eucharistic adoration that included special prayers related to Mission Day and a reflection on the parable of the wedding banquet.
On Wednesday, the prayers were dedicated to Fr Anton Grech and Mgr Joseph Camilleri, both Gozitan missionaries, this time in Guatemala. On Thursday, the seminary community welcomed Mgr Jimmy Xerri, currently serving as the diocese’s delegate for Caritas and previously serving as a missionary in Brazil. Mgr Xerri celebrated mass and shared a reflection on his previous work in Brazil. On that day, the community prayed for Sr. Martha Joy and Sr. Lux Marie, two Gozitan nuns with the Congregation of the Missionaries of Charity. In the evening, a videocall with Br Carmel Duca MC was organised. Br Carmel is a Maltese consegrated layperson forming part of the Congregation of the Missionaries of Charity Brothers and is currently serving his mission in Los Angles. During the videocall, Br Carmel shared his experience with Missionaries of Charity Brothers and also answered several questions made by the seminarians.
On Friday, the prayers were dedicated to Fr Adeodato Schembri and his mission in Brazil. In the afternoon, the Seminarians visited the form 5 students of the Sacred Heart Minor Seminary. They shared with them a missionary-themed message, which included the sharing of missionary experiences in Guatemala, India and the Philippines done by some of the Seminarians in the past months.
In addition to the above-mentioned activities, the Liturgical and Missionary group prepared some missionary symbols, which were placed in the chapel.
Yesterday, Friday 11 October 2024, the two sixth year seminarians Anthony Joe Borg and Fabio Cini were admitted as candidates for the Sacred Orders.
The rite of admission took place during a solemn high mass celebrated by H.E. Mgr Anton Teuma, Bishop of Gozo, at the Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady in Victoria. This day also happened to be the 308 anniversary from the Dedication of the Cathedral. By this rite, the Bishop formally accepted the seminarians Anthony Joe and Fabio as candidates for the Sacred Orders. He prayed God to bestow upon them His blessing, aid them so that they may give themselves to His holy service and that of His Church, and to remain faithful to God’s calling so that that can be unified through love, to the heart of Christ the High Priest.
Let us accompany Anthony Joe and Fabio with our prayers as they get closer to their ordination as presbyters. At the same time we continue to pray for more vocations so that God blesses our Diocese with more works in his holy field.
Last Monday, 7 October 2024, Andrea Cauchi, the new propaedeutic student, was welcomed at our Seminary. Andrea who is 19 hails from the Parish of the Shipwreck of St Paul, in Munxar.
As a part of his formation Andrea is doing a part-time job in a hardware store, during the morning. Formation continues in the evening ,consisting in introductory academic courses, prayer and other experiences. He has been assigned for pastoral work during the weekend in the Cathedral Parish of the Assumption of Our Lady, in Victoria. Andrea is accompanied by the Rev. Can Anthony Bajada, parish priest of the Parish of St Lawrence, who also happens to be the incumbent director of the propedeutic year.
The Seminary community welcomes Andrea with great joy and promises to pray for him in the beginning of his journey of formation and discernment of his vocation.
On Monday, 1st October, a new year of formation was officially started at the Seminary. During the morning, the Seminarians received their first lectures. At 5.00 pm, the Prefect of Studies gave an introductory meeting to the Seminarians. Following this meeting, his H.L. Mgr Anton Teuma and the Prefect of Studies led a meeting for the academic staff of the Seminary. Afterwards, at 7.00 pm, the Bishop presided the Holy Sacrifice of Mass together with the members of the Seminary formation team, as well as several lecturers, the Seminarians and their relatives, the Seminary’s community of Franciscan Sisters, and the employees and volunteers. After Holy Communion, the Veni Creator hymn was sung as a prayer to the Holy Spirit to enlighten the minds of all those involved in the formation at the Seminary.
As is customary during the beginning of each year of formation, this week the seminarians kicked off a new year with a spiritual silent retreat. The retreat was held at the Archbishop’s Seminary at Tal-Virtù in Rabat Malta between the 23rd and the 28th of September, 2024. The meditations were led by Rev. James Saydon, director of the Seminary vocations centre in the Archdioceses of Malta. The seminarians were accompanied by the Rector Rev. Joseph Bajada and the spiritual director Rev. Anthony Calleja SJ.
Fr James’s reflections were centred on different passages from the Gospel. He explained them from a particular perspective, considering the apostles as the very first twelve seminarians, with Jesus being their formator. Fr James also shared some accounts of his vocational story. Every retreat is a moment of grace for the seminary community. It enables the seminarians to start the year united with God through prayer, meditation and contemplation.
On Saturday, at the end of the retreat the community of our seminary had a fraternal lunch with the Maltese seminarians.
A profound exploration of Gozo’s liturgical art heritage was held on Friday, 21st June 2024, through a seminar titled ‘L-Arti Nisranija f’Għawdex. Minn fejn tlaqna u fejn sejrin?’ (Christian Art in Gozo: Where We Started and Where We Are Going?). The seminar, which began in the morning, offered seminarians an immersive experience through visits to four significant cultural and religious sites on the island.
The seminar kicked off at the Museum of the Gozo Cathedral, where Mons. Dr. Joseph Bezzina provided an enlightening talk on the historical evolution and significance of the artifacts housed within the museum. His deep insights into the cathedral’s treasures set the tone for a day rich in learning and reflection.
The second visit took the seminarians to the Gozo Cathedral itself. Paul Muscat, director of the restoration company ReCoop, led this session. He detailed the meticulous restoration processes that have preserved the cathedral’s grandeur, offering participants a behind-the-scenes look at the techniques and challenges involved in maintaining such a historic structure.
Next, the group visited Eikon, a renowned liturgical art centre. Here, iconographer Fr Roberto Gauci guided the seminarians through the intricacies of iconography, highlighting the spiritual and artistic elements that define this sacred art form. His expertise provided a deeper appreciation for the devotional and aesthetic qualities of liturgical icons.
The final stop of the seminar was the chapel of Santa Luċija in Kerċem, Gozo, where contemporary artist Austin Camilleri delivered an engaging talk. He discussed modern interpretations and expressions of liturgical art, bridging the traditional with the contemporary. Camilleri’s perspective invited seminarians to contemplate the evolving nature of religious art in the modern era.
The seminar was meticulously organized and coordinated by Jason Farrugia, whose efforts ensured a seamless and enriching experience for all participants. The primary aim of the seminar was to deepen the seminarians’ knowledge and appreciation of liturgical art in Gozo, fostering a greater understanding of its past, present, and future.
This unique educational journey allowed the seminarians not only to gain intellectual insights but also to experience firsthand the profound connection between art and spirituality in Gozo’s religious heritage. The seminar was a resounding success, leaving participants with a renewed appreciation for the island’s rich artistic legacy and its continuing evolution.
Last week another year of formation at the Seminary came to an end. On Tuesday 18th June, the seminarians had their last exam. In the evening, H.E. Mons. Anton Teuma, Bishop of Gozo, celebrated Mass in the Seminary chapel. The mass was attended by the seminarians and their families, the Franciscan sisters residing at the Seminary convent, workers, volunteers and members of the ‘Aħwa-Ħbieb tas-Seminarju’. After the mass, a reception was held in the courtyard at the Seminary’s entrance.
The following day, the seminary community gathered for the final meetings of the year and held together an annual evaluation. Later in the evening, the novel priest Rev. Franklin Micallef presided Mass at the Seminary chapel, as a thanksgiving for the gift of priesthood. Afterwards, the community went to the beach in Marsalforn to spend some time together during a a barbeque.
Last Friday, the 24th May 2024, the deacon Franklin Micallef, hailing from the parish of Our Lady of Perpetual Help and St Gregory the Great in Ta’ Kerċem, was ordained priest. The ceremony presided by H.E. Mgr Anton Teuma, Bishop of Gozo, took place at the Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady, in Victoria. Present for the ordination was H.E. Cardinal Mario Grech and numerous members of the Gozitan clergy. The ordination was well attended by many members of the parochial community of Ta’ Kerċem, as well as many of Fr Franklin’s family and friends, and other laypeople.
On the day before the ordination, a prayer vigil was organised at the Seminary at 8.00pm. The vigil was presided by the Vice-Rector the Rev. Fr Gabriel Gauci. Several psalms were sung during the celebration. The meditation was centred on two readings from the Sacred Scripture, 1 Pt 5:1-11 and 1 Cor 12:1-9. There was also a reading from the Regula Pastoralis of St Gregory the Great. This was followed by a meditation from Fr Gabriel.
During the last part of the vigil, the Blessed Sacrament was exposed. After a few minutes of silent adoration, the ordinand Franklin made a public prayer in front of our Lord, in which he praised God for being with him throughout his life and for showing him his vocation through various experiences and realties. The vigil concluded with the Eucharistic Benediction. After the vigil, a night of adoration held at the Seminary chapel commenced around 9.30pm. The adoration concluded on the following morning at 7.00am, with the singing of the Lauds and the Eucharistic benediction.
Last Saturday, 18th May, the deacon Franklin Micallef hailing from the parish of Our Lady of Perpetual Help and the St Gregory the Great in Ta’ Kerċem, made his solemn vows of celibacy and obedience at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Ta’ Pinu, in Għarb. This ceremony took place in view of his forthcoming presbyteral ordination which will take place at the Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady in Victoria on the 24th of May.
Early in the morning, at 6.30am, the Seminary Community gathered together to pray the rosary while walking to Ta’ Pinu. Afterwards, the community, led by the Rector the Rev. Fr Joseph Bajada, sang the Morning Prayer. Immediately after the lectio brevis of the lauds, Rev. Franklin made his vows.
On Saturday 11th May, our Seminary organised a Pasta Night in the Seminary’s main hall for the second consecutive year. The event was well attended.
The menu consisted of bruschetta, three pasta dishes – lasagne, fusilli melanzana and penne al salmone – and a cherry cheesecake cup. Various volunteers prepared and cooked all the food in the Seminary’s kitchen.
Those who attended the Pasta Night had the opportunity to participate in a raffle and win one of the various prizes available, all donated by various generous benefactors of our Seminary. Also, several flowers and cakes were for sale, which made a perfect gift for Mother’s Day, celebrated the day after.
