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On Thursday, 8th December, the Catholic Church celebrated the feast of the Immaculate Conception.  This feast has a special bond with our seminary since the Seminary Chapel has the Immaculate Conception as its main altar piece.  On Wednesday afternoon, the seminarians rendered service during Vespers at the Cathedral.  Thursday morning started with the reading from the Liturgy of  the Hours and the Lauds  in the chapel.  At 8.00 a.m. the seminarians rendered service at the Cathedral during the Pontifical Mass.  The prayer of Akathistos, which is a prayer of praise that the Eastern Christians recite to Mary, Mother of God, was said at 3.00 p.m.

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Nhar is-Sibt 26 ta’ Novembru 2016 (l-Ewwel Ħadd tal-Avvent) Mons. Isqof Mario Grech istitwixxa lis-Seminarista Joseph Hili (mill-parroċċa tax-Xagħra) bħala akkolitu.  Il-komunità tas-Seminarju flimkien mal-familjari tas-seminarista u xi nies oħrajn, inġabru għall-Quddiesa fir-Rotunda tax-Xewkija.

Mons. Isqof, waqt l-omelija, ħeġġeġ lil Joseph sabiex irawwem fih il-qawwa profetika. “Għax fejn kollox huwa dlam, il-profeta jilmaħ id-dwal; fejn kollox jidher nieżel, jara l-possibilità ta’ restawrazzjoni; meta d-desert ikompli jespandi huwa jinnota dik iż-żerriegħa tat-tajjeb qed tnibbet; fejn hemm il-ġlied u l-firda, huwa jemmen li jista jkun hemm is-sliem u l-għaqda. Għax il-profeta jara bl-għajnejn ta’ Alla”.

Wara l-omelija sar ir-rit tal-għoti tal-ministeru tal-akkolitat.  Joseph ġie mogħti l-patena bil-ħobż u l-kalċi bl-inbid.  Mil-lum ’il quddiem huwa jista’ jgħin fit-tqarbin, iwassal t-tqarbin lill-morda fi djarhom u jesponi l-Ewkaristija għall-Adorazzjoni.

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Ritratti: Captured Memories

On Saturday 26th November, the First Sunday of Advent, Bishop Mario Grech bestowed the Ministry of the Acolyte to Seminarian Joseph Hili, who hails from Xaghra parish.  The Seminary community and relatives and friends of the seminarian attended this ceremony, held at Xewkija.  During the homily, Mgr Grech urged Joseph to instil in himself the strength of the prophet who sees light where there is darkness; restores what seems to be utterly destroyed; marks the seed of life in an expanding desert; spreads peace and unity wherever there is war and division, since the prophet sees through the eyes of God.

The rite of the bestowal of the Ministry of the Acolyte followed the homily. Joseph was given the patena with bread and the chalice with wine.  As an acolyte Joseph can now distribute the Eucharist to the faithful in church and to the sick at their homes, and he can expose the Blessed Sacrament for Adoration.

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Photos by Captured Memories

Mument sabiħ fis-Seminarju kien fis-Sibt 26 ta’ Novembru.  Dakinhar saret it-tħabbira tal-Avvent Imqaddes u saret ukoll il-preżentazzjoni tal-ikona għal din is-sena ta’ formazzjoni. Waqt din iċ-ċelebrazzjoni, ir-Rettur, Dun Richard N. Farrugia qasam mal-komunità spjegazzjoni tas-silta mill-Ktieb tal-Apokalissi ta’ San Ġwann Appostlu (Apk 22:12-13.16-21). Ma naqasx ukoll il-kant Maranathà u innijiet oħra marbuta ma’ dan iż-żmien tal-Avvent.  Wara, ir-Rettur indika xi tibdiliet fil-programm tal-komunità, li kellhom jieħdu posthom tul l-Avvent, biex ifakkruna li dan hu żmien speċjali. L-ikona, miktuba apposta għal din is-sena minn Loreta Grech, ġiet ispirata mill-frażi: “Ħaffef, oħroġ fil-mogħdijiet u fl-għelieqi ħalli dari timtela”, meħuda mill-parabbola tal-ikla tat-tieġ (Lq 14, 16-24).

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Saturday, 26th November, the Seminary held a celebration which heralded Advent and during which the icon for this year of formation was presented.  During the celebration, the rector, Fr Richard N. Farrugia, presented reflections on the excerpt from the Book of Revelations of Saint John the Apostle (Rev 22:12-13.16-21). The singing of Maranathà and other hymns related with Advent accompanied the celebration.  The Rector outlined some changes in the programme of events so that the programme reflects this special time of the year.   The icon, written by Loreta Grech, was inspired by the extract: Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. (Lk 14:16-34)

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Il-manifestazzjoni djoċesana ta’ Kristu Re din is-sena saret il-Ħadd 20 ta’ Novembru fir-Rotunda tax-Xewkija minħabba li t-temp ma ppermettiex li din issir kif kien ippjanat quddiem is-Santwarju tal-Madonna tal-Grazzja fil-Belt Victoria. Din saret ukoll fl-istess ġurnata li Papa Franġisku temm il-Ġublew Straordinarju tal-Ħniena. Waqt iċ-ċelebrazzjoni li saret madwar ix-xbieha ta’ Krsitu msallab, ġew irrkkontati diversi esperjenzi ta’ volontarjat li saru fis-sajf minn diversi gruppi. Fl-aħħar ta’ din iċ-ċelebrazzjoni Mons. Isqof fil-messaġġ tiegħu qal li Ġesù fuq is-salib huwa konferma ta’ x’kapaċi tagħmel soċjetà li ma tafx x’inhi l-ħniena. Hu saħaq li aħna għandna nkunu bnedmin li nagħrfu l-ħniena f’Ġesù fuq is-salib.

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The diocesan manifestation on the occasion of the feast of Christ the King was held on Sunday 20th November. The celebration was held at the Xewkija Rotunda. The original plan to hold the celebration in the area in front of the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Graces in Victoria had to be cancelled due to adverse weather conditions. It coincided with the day on which Pope Francis ended  the extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy.  During the ceremony, which focused on the image of the Crucifix, various groups talked about their voluntary work experience during the summer. In his address, which rounded up the celebration, Bishop Grech said that the crucifixion of Christ is a confirmation of what a merciless society can do.  He emphasised that we all should identify mercy with the Crucified Christ.

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Nhar is-Sibt 19 ta’ Novembru l-Aħwa Ħbieb tas-Seminarju flimkien mas-Seminarju u voluntiera oħra organizzaw l-Ikla ta’ San Martin b’fundraising għas-Seminarju.  Din l-ikla għandha storja twila ħafna f’rabta mal-festa ta’ San Martin ta’ Tours li taħbat fil-11 ta’ Novembru.  Hi tradizzjoni antika li s-seminaristi, waqt din l-ikla ikunu l-waiters. Din is-sena wkoll, kien hemm numru sabiħ ta’ nies li attendew.  Fi tmiem l-ikla Mons. Isqof u Dun Richard N. Farrugia raddew ħajr lil kulħadd għall-preżenza tagħhom.

On Saturday 19th November, the Aħwa Ħbieb tas-Seminarju together with some volunteers prepared a fund raising activity, St Martin’s Dinner. This activity has a long tradition and has always been related to the feast of St Martin of Tours which is celebrated on the 11th November. Many people attended this dinner which was served by the semarians, as dictated by tradition.  Mgr Bishop Grech and Fr Richard N. Farrugia rounded up the evening with words of gratitude to all the guests.

Bejn il-Ħadd, 6 u s-Sibt 12 ta’ Novembru, il-parroċċa ta’ San Lawrenz organizzat ġimgħa ta’ talb għall-vokazzjonijiet. Matul din il-ġimgħa waqt il-quddies saret enfasi fit-talb tal-komunita’ għall-vokazzjonijiet. Il-Ħamis 10 imbagħad, il-komunita’ kollha tas-Seminarju flimkien mas-superjuri mexxew il-quddiesa ta’ filgħaxija u l-adorazzjoni fil-knisja parrokkjali fejn is-seminarista Gabriel Vella qasam l-esperjenza tal-vokazzjoni tiegħu.

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From Sunday 6th to Saturday 12th November, the St Laurence Parish organized a week of prayer for vocations.  The prayers of the community  at Mass, said during the week, centred on vocations.  On Thursday 10th, the Seminary community led the evening Mass and the Adoration in the parish church. On this occasion Seminarian Gabriel Vella talked about his vocational experience.

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Bejn it-Tnejn 7 u l-Ġimgħa 11 ta’ Novembru is-Seminarju tagħna fetaħ il-bibien tiegħu għall-istudenti tal-iskejjel sekondarji kemm dawk tal-Knisja u kemm dawk tal-istat. Waqt iż-żjajjar, is-seminaristi kienu jfiehmu lill-istudenti x’isir f’ dan il-post u jdawruhom dawra ma’ kull rokna tas-Seminarju, mill-Kċina sal-kmamar tas-seminaristi. Kienu mumenti sbieħ għax il-maġġoranza tal-istudenti qatt ma kienu raw dawn l-irkejjen fis-seminarju. Bħala tifkira ta’ dawn iż-żjajjar is-seminaristi ħejjew xi keychains bi frażi mill-vanġelu fuqhom li tgħid hekk: You are the light of the world! Dan sar sabiex jitwassal messaġġ, li s-sejħa ta’ Ġesu’ lil kull persuna hija sabiex ilkoll inkunu dawl fejn hemm id-dlam. Matul din il-ġimgħa ukoll xi seminaristi għamlu katekeżi permezz tal-arti fis-6th Form. Dawn il-katekeżi saru waqt il-lezzjonijiet tas-Systems of Knowledge fis-sezzjoni tal-arti.

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