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Sunday, November 26th, saw the beginning of Vocations Week at Sannat Parish.  The week ended on Friday, December 1st. The activity was hosted by the Seminary Community and its main aim was to create more awareness of the need for priestly vocations and, at the same time, offer prayers to God for more vocations, including from the Parish of Sannat.

The week started with a Mass celebrated by the Vice Rector together with the formators and the priests of the parish.  The Seminary community celebrated Mass on other days of the week.  During the week, the seminarians paid a visit to the Primary School, organised moments of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, met the children who attend Cathecism centres and the MUSEUM and hosted groups of adolescents and young people in the Parrochial Centre.

At the end of the week, the seminarians had informal meetings with the young people and the priests of the parish.  However, the most important activity of the week consisted of home visits, held between Monday and Thursday.  Families of adolescents and young people opened their doors to the seminarians.  At the end of the experience, the seminarians and the Seminary community thanked God, Archpriest Fr Michael Curmi and the Sannat parish for them, the seminarians, the opportunity to be closer to the People of God.

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Il-manifestazzjoni djoċesana ta’ Kristu Re din is-sena saret il-Ħadd 26 ta’ Novembru fir-Rotunda tax-Xewkija. Fl-omelija Mons. Mario Grech qal li jissuspetta li fost in-nies hemm min jaf il-morali, imma ma jaf la lil Alla u lanqas lil Ġesù Kristu – hemm min jidentifika l-morali ma’ Alla. L-Isqof Grech temm jgħid li se jitlob lill-Ispirtu s-Santu biex jagħti lill-poplu d-dawl biex jifhem aħjar kif jista’jxandar l-ferħ tal-Vanġelu lid-dinja ta’ dan iż-żmien.

The diocesan manifestation of Christ the King was held this year on the 26th November at the Rotunda in Xewkija.  In his homily, Bishop Grech said that amongst the congregation there might be people who are well versed in morals but who know neither God nor Jesus Christ.  There are people who identify morals with God. The Bishop said that he will pray the Holy Spirit to illuminate the faithful to understand better the way the Joy of the Gospel should be spread around the world.

Nhar is-Sibt 11 ta’ Novembru l-Aħwa Ħbieb tas-Seminarju flimkien mas-Seminarju u voluntiera oħra organizzaw l-Ikla ta’ San Martin.  L-iskop ta’ din l-ikla hu dak ta’ fund raising. Din l-ikla għandha storja twila ħafna u dejjem ġiet marbuta mal-festa ta’ San Martin ta’ Tours li taħbat fil-11 ta’ Novembru.  Din is-sena wkoll kien hemm numru sabiħ ta’ nies li attendew u kellhom ix-xorti li tul l-ikla jiġu servuti mis-seminaristi.  Hi tradizzjoni antika li s-seminaristi, waqt din l-ikla jagħmluha ta’ waiters.

On Saturday 11th November, the Aħwa Ħbieb tas-Seminarju and volunteers organised the fund raising activity known as St Martin’s Dinner.  This dinner has a long tradition and has always been associated with the feast of St Martin of Tours, celebrated on the 11^th November.  The guests were served by the seminarians who have kept the tradition of serving as waiters throughout the evening.

Tradizzjoni li daħlet sew fil-kalendaju tas-Seminarju hija l-lungo passeggio, li din is-sena ġiet organizzata nhar il-Ħamis, 9 ta’ Novembru. Is-seminaristi flimkien mal-formators telqu bil-mixi miċ-Ċirkewwa għaddew għal Marfa u mxew mal-kosta biex waslu fil-bajja tal-Għadira fejn imbagħad irritornaw lura lejn iċ-Ċirkewwa mit-triq prinċipali biex jaqbdu l-vapur.

Minbarra li din kienet l-ewwel darba li lungo passegio sar Malta l-mixja kienet ftit impenjattiva però fl-istess waqt kien mument fejn is-seminaristi setgħu jammiraw is-sbuħija tan-natura li għandna fil-gżejjer tagħna. Nistgħu ngħidu li t-temp kien favorevoli għax il-Ħamis ħareġ jum xemxi li għen sabiex il-mixja tkun waħda sabiħa.

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A traditional activity that is included in the calendar of the Seminary is the lungo passeggio, which this year was held on Thursday, 9th November. The seminarians were accompanied by their formators during this long walk, which started from Ċirkewwa, proceeded to Marfa and on along the coast to Għadira Bay. They took the main road to return to Ċirkewwa from where they boarded the ferry.  It was the first time that this activity was held in Malta.  The track was rather rough but it was worth following since the hikers could enjoy the natural beauty of the area.  The weather was ideal for such a walk.

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Nhar l-Erbgħa 8 ta’ Novembru, Dr Marlene Cauchi mexxiet laqgħa ta’ informazzjoni dwar metodi ta’ riċerka bl-internet. L-għarfien dwar dawn il-metodi kien interessanti u utli għas-seminaristi kemm għall-iskola u anke għall-pastorali tagħhom.

On Wednesday 8th November, Dr Marlene Cauchi led a meeting regarding methods of research on internet.  The seminarians found this information interesting and useful both for their studies and also for their pastoral work.

Is-Sibt 4 ta’ Novembru s-Seminarju tal-Qalb ta’ Ġesù għalaq 151 sena. Sentejn biss wara t-twaqqif tad-djoċesi ta’ Għawdex, saret il-fundazzjoni ta’ dan il-post tal-formazzjoni tas-saċerdoti. Tul dawn is-snin kollha, kienu ħafna s-saċerdoti li ġew iffurmati u ħarġu minn dan is-Seminarju. Ħafna minn dawn il-qassisin qdew barra minn xtutna bħala missjunarji u oħrajn qdew lill-komunitajiet tagħna f’Għawdex.

Mons. Isqof Mario Grech, nhar is-Sibt filgħodu ngħaqad mal-komunità tas-Seminarju għat-talb tal-Uffiċċju u tal-Lawdi. Huwa għamel ħseib qasir fuq il-Vanġelu tal-ġurnata (Lq 23: 1-12) fejn ħeġġeġ lis-seminaristi biex bħalma jgħid Ġesù fil-parabbola meta mmorru f’xi festa ta’ tieġ ma nfittxux jew “nieħdu” l-post aħna, imma nħallu lil min ikun stedinna biex isibilna postna. Hu stqarr li ma nagħmlux ħażin jekk nirrinunzjaw għal ċerti privileġġi “mondani” li lill-Knisja tawhomlha fi żminijiet assolutament differenti minn tal-lum – fi żminijiet fejn l-istess Knisja ma kellhiex l-għarfien tagħha nfisha kif għandha llum! L-Isqof kompla jgħid li aħna rridu navviċinaw lil dawk li ma javviċinawniex allura inkunu iktar qrib tal-foqra – kemm dawk li huma foqra materjalment u kemm dawk li huma foqra spiritwalment.

F’dan il-jum sar talb speċjali għall-benefatturi ħajjin u mejtin tas-Seminarju, għas-saċerdoti li servew bħal superjuri, għas-sorijiet li qdew fis-Seminarju u anki għas-saċerdoti ħajjin u mejtin li ħarġu mis-Seminarju tagħna.

On Saturday 4th November, the Seminary of the Sacred Heart of Jesus celebrated its 151st anniversary.  The founding of the Seminary came two years after the founding of the Diocese of Gozo.  Throughout the years, many priests received their formation in the Seminary. A number of these priests became missionaries in other countries while others served the community of Gozo.

On Saturday morning, Bishop Mario Grech joined the Seminary community for the Liturgy of the Hours.  The Bishop based his short homily on the Reading of the day (Lk 23:1-12).  He urged the seminarians to follow Jesus’ words in the parable.  When we are invited to a marriage reception, we should not “choose” a seat but let the host offer us one.  He said that it would be better if we were to give up certain “worldly” privileges which had been bestowed upon the Church in times which were radically different from modern times.  Those were times when, unlike nowadays, the Church lacked an identity of its own.  The Bishop urged us to be close to those who alienate themselves from us.  In this way, we will be closer to the poor – to those who are materially poor and also to those who are spiritually poor.

On this day, special prayers were said for the benefactors of the Seminary, the priests and nuns who served at the Seminary and also the priests, whether alive or deceased, who received their formation at the Seminary.

Fil-weekend tat-28 u d-29 ta’ Ottubru l-komunità tas-Seminarju inġabret f’ Dar Stella Maris, iż-Żebbuġ għal Human Formation Weekend.  Dan tmexxa minn Dr Nicholas Briffa, psikologu u sesswologu.  It-tema kienet dwar is-sesswalità u l-aspetti kollha li jduru magħha. Dr Nicholas qassam dan il-weekend fi tlett sessions fejn waqt li hu tkellem duq din it-tema saru ukoll mumenti ta’ sharing fuq is-suġġett diskuss. Minbarra dawn il-mumenti ferm sbieħ li żgur kienu ta’ għajnuna għas-seminaristi, kien hemm ukoll mumenti ta’ talb flimkien. Is-Sibt filgħaxija s-seminaristi kellhom ħin liberu flimkien.

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