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Nhar is-Sibt 16 ta’ Jannar is-saċerdoti Għawdxin inġabru fis-Seminarju għall-awgurju tal-bidu tas-sena.  Mons. Isqof jieħu din l-okkażjoni biex jawgura s-sena t-tajba lis-saċerdoti kif ukoll iwassal il-messaġġ tiegħu fil-bidu tas-sena l-ġdida.  F’riflessjoni ta’ madwar siegħa dwar is-saċerdozju bħala “ministeru tal-miżerikordja”, l-Isqof saħaq fuq iċ-ċentralità tas-sagrament tar-Rikonċiljazzjoni.  L-ewwel huma s-saċerdoti li jridu jemmnu fil-qawwa tal-Qrar u jfittxuh, biex jistgħu jiġbdu lill-penitenti lejn Alla, li ma jegħja qatt jaħfer.  Id-diskors għalaq b’sett ta’ tmien suġġerimenti prattiċi li jistgħu jgħinu li fil-Ġublew tal-Ħniena tikber l-intensità tal-Qrar.  Hu talab biex darba fil-ġimgħa l-knejjes jibqgħu miftuħa sa tard biex jipprovdu servizz ta’ Qrar, u biex f’kull parroċċa jkun hemm konfessuri disponibbli u post dinjituż “fejn tiġi mħarsa s-sagralità u l-kunfidenzjalità” mitluba minn dan is-sagrament.  Is-seminaristi attendew ukoll għal din l-attività.

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On Saturday, 16th January, the Gozitan priests met at the Seminary to exchange greetings.  On this occasion, Bishop Grech exchanges greetings with the priests and delivers his message for the new year.  In his address, which lasted about an hour and which focused on priesthood as the “ministry of mercy”, the bishop stressed the importance of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  It is the priests themselves who have to believe in the power of this sacrament and cherish it, so that they then can attract penitents to God, who never tires of forgiving.  The address concluded with a set of eight practical suggestions that can help intensify the importance of the Sacrament of Reconciliation during the Jubilee of Mercy.  He suggested that once a week the churches remain open till late so that the faithful can have the opportunity to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  He recommended that priests be present in every parish to administer the sacrament and that a decent place where confidentiality and holiness, characteristics of this sacrament, can be safeguarded.  The seminarians attended this activity.

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Nhar il-Ħamis 14 ta’ Jannar ġie organizzat ir-raba’ Ħamis b’talb għal iktar vokazzjonijiet.  Filgħodu bdejna bil-programm tas-soltu fis-Seminarju.  Fl-4.00pm ġiet fi tmiemha l-adorazzjoni u wara l-komunità żaret il-parroċċa tal-Munxar.  Hemm is-seminaristi flimkien mar-Rettur mexxew siegħa adorazzjoni għat-tfal u l-adolexxenti tal-parroċċa.  Fl-ewwel parti tal-adorazzjoni r-Rettur tkellem ftit fuq il-Vanġelu tal-ġurnata b’riferiment għal waħda mill-prietki ta’ Dun Mikiel Attard.  Fit-tieni parti xi seminaristi għamlu ħsieb għat-tfal fuq l-episodju mill-Vanġelu meta Ġesù stieden lil Pietru jistad fil-fond.  Fi tmiem dan l-episodju Pietru ġie msejjaħ biex ikun sajjied tal-bnedmin.

L-appuntament li jmiss se jkun nhar il-Ħamis 11 ta’ Frar fis-6.30pm, fil-Parroċċa tal-Qala.

The fourth Thursday of Prayer for Vocations was held at Munxar, on Thursday 14th January.  We followed the usual programme for the morning at the Seminary.  The Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament came to end at 4.00pm and then the community went to the Munxar parish church.  The seminarians joined the Rector in an hour of adoration for children and adolescents of the parish.   In the first part, the Rector talked about the Gospel of the day, while referring to one of the sermons of Dun Mikiel Attard.  In the second part some seminarians spoke to the congregation about the episode in which Jesus invited Peter to fish in deep waters and then Peter was called to be fisherman of men.

The next Thursday of Prayer will be on 11th February at 6.30pm at Qala Parish.

Nhar l-Erbgħa 23 ta’ Diċembru 2015 l-Isqof Mario Grech ħatar lil Dun Richard N. Farrugia bħala Viċi Rettur tas-Seminarju Maġġuri ta’ Għawdex.  Fl-istess waqt Dun Richard se jkompli bil-ħidma tiegħu bħala Prefett tal-Istudji fis-Seminarju.  Dan tħabbar wara li f’April li għadda Dun Michael Curmi ġie maħtur Arċipriet tal-Parroċċa Ta’ Sannat.  Dun Richard se jkun responsabbli tal-formazzjoni umana tas-seminaristi, jakkumpanja lis-seminaristi fl-andament tal-ħajja ta’ kuljum fis-Seminarju u fl-assenza tar-Rettur jassumi r-responsabbilitajiet tiegħu.  Dan ser ikun jagħmlu billi jgħix fil-kamerata flimkien mas-seminaristi.  Minn qalbna nifirħulu u nawgurawlu iktar snin ta’ ħidma fil-komunita’ tagħna

On Wednesday 23rd December 2015, Bishop Grech nominated Fr Richard N. Farrugia as Vice Rector of the Gozo Major Seminary.  He will still be Prefect of Studies at the Seminary.  He is replacing Fr Michael Curmi who last April started his new role as Archpriest of Sannat Parish.  Fr Richard will be in charge of the human formation of the seminarians, will accompany the seminarians in their day-to-day schedule at the seminary and will replace the Rector whenever the latter is absent.  Fr Richard will be sharing lodgings with the seminarians.  We congratulate him on his nomination and wish him long years of work in our community.

Ix-xahar ta’ Diċembru hu xahar partikulari.  F’dan iż-żmien ħarset kulħadd taqa’ fuq il-maxtura u fuq l-għar ta’ Betlehem.  Dan huwa xahar speċjali għall-komunità tas-Seminarju wkoll.  F’dan iż-żmien il-programm tal-ġurnata jiġi mmodifikat.  Jisbieħ ukoll il-bini tas-seminarju u anki jiġu organizzati attivitajiet li ma jsirux fil-bqija tas-sena.

Tul żmien l-Avvent jiżdiedu l-mumenti ta’ talb komunitarji.  Fost l-oħrajn, ta’ kuljum fis-6.15am isir it-talb tal-Uffiċċju tal-Qari.  Fil-Quddiesa ta’ kuljum isir ħsieb fuq il-Kelma ta’ Alla.  Eventwalment, din is-sena, mill-14 ta’ Diċembru bdiet ukoll in-Novena tal-Milied bi ħsibijiet imħejjijin mis-seminaristi.  Mument partikulari għal din is-sena kien il-Ħamis 10 ta’ Diċembru.  Dakinhar is-seminaristi żaru lil xi saċerdoti anzjani fi djarhom.

Fl-aħħar jiem ta’ qabel il-Milied, is-seminaristi flimkien mal-formators, żejnu s-Seminarju permezz tat-tiżjin tal-Milied.  F’dawn il-ġranet ġew organizzati diversi attivitajiet, ta’ min isemmi l-attività għall-abbatini u għall-gruppi tal-vokazzjonijiet, l-ikla għal-lecturers, il-quddiesa fl-għar u fl-aħħar l-attività flimkien mal-familjari tas-seminaristi.

Din is-sena s-seminaristi ħarġu għall-vaganzi tal-Milied nhar il-Ġimgħa 18 ta’ Diċembru.  Dakinhar saru l-aħħar lectures għas-sena 2015.  Huma se jirritornaw lura nhar it-Tlieta 5 ta’ Jannar 2016.

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December is a particular month during which our attention is drawn towards a cave in Bethlehem and a small manger.  It is a particular month for the Seminary community too.  During this month, our timetable is modified, the premises are decorated and special activities are held.

During Advent, community prayer time increases. Every day, we recite the Office of the Reading at 6.15am.  The daily Mass includes a homily on the Word of God.  As from this year, the Christmas Novena, prepared by the seminarians, started on the 14th December.  This year too, on Thursday, 10th December, the seminarians paid a visit to some priests who, because of their age and health, are house-bound.

In the last days prior to Christmas Day, the seminarians and formators decorated the premises.  Various activities were held. These included a gathering for altar boys and members of Vocation Groups, dinner for the lecturers, a traditional Mass celebrated in a cave and the finally, an activity, with the relatives of the seminarians.

This year, the seminarians started their holidays on Friday, 18th December, the day when the last lectures for 2015 were held.  They will return to the Seminary on Tuesday, 5th January 2016.

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Is-Sibt 12 ta’ Diċembru filgħodu, bosta abbatini nġabru fis-Seminarju għall-attività tal-Milied.  Din is-sena l-attendenza għal din l-attività kienet sabiħa ħafna.

Il-laqgħa, b’differenza mis-soltu, saret fil-bitħa tas-Seminarju.  Carl Scerri mexxa l-laqgħa u tkellem fuq ir-rigali li nirċievu f’dan iż-żmien tal-Milied.  Hu qal li l-ikbar rigal mhu ħadd ħlief Ġesù tarbija.  Waqt il-laqgħa is-seminarista Joseph Hili libes ta Father Christmas u ddendel mal-faċċata tas-Seminarju u miegħu ġab kaxxa li fiha kien hemm xbieha ta’ Ġesù tarbija.  Dan il-mument ferraħ mhux ftit lit-tfal!  Fl-istess ħin huma kellhom l-opportunità li jieħdu t-tagħlima li l-ikbar rigal tal-Milied huwa Ġesù li ġie biex isalvana u għax iħobbna.  Din l-attività saret bil-għajnuna tal-ERRC Gozo.  Waqt l-attività sar xi filming minn CVC Video Communications biex hekk ’il quddiem se jinġabu xi shots fil-programm Għawdex Illum.  Minn hawn nixtiequ nirringrazzjaw lil dawn il-persuni għall-għajnuna tagħhom.

Wara s-seminaristi qassmu lit-tfal fi tliet gruppi, organizzawlhom logħob adattat għall-okkażjoni u anki pprovdewlhom xi snacks.  Mons. Isqof Mario Grech żar lill-gruppi u tkellem mat-tfal.  Fl-aħħar tal-attività s-seminaristi qassmu r-rigal tal-Milied imħejji minnhom għal din l-okkażjoni.

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On Saturday morning, 12th December, a large number of altar boys from all over Gozo were hosted at the Seminary for a Christmas activity.

This year, the activity was held in the front yard of the Seminary.  Carl Scerri conducted the activity.  He talked about the presents that we receive during the Christmas season.  He said that the greatest gift that we receive is Baby Jesus.  Seminarian Joseph Hili dressed up as Father Christmas and, much to the delight of the children, he abseiled down the Seminary facade.  He carried with him a box which contained the image of Baby Jesus.  This reinforced the message given earlier by Carl Scerri – that the greatest gift is Jesus who was born to save us and to love us.  A big thank you goes to the ERRC Gozo who made this activity possible and to CVC Video Communications who shot some scenes of the activity to be aired on Għawdex Illum.

The children were then divided into three groups and were engaged in different games.  The children were also served some light snacks.  Bishop Mario Grech addressed the children present for the activity and later, the seminarians distributed Christmas gifts which they themselves had prepared.

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Nhar il-Ħamis 10 ta’ Diċembru ġie organizzat it-tielet Ħamis minn disa’ Ħamisijiet b’talb għal iktar vokazzjonijiet.  Filgħodu bdejna bil-Quddiesa fil-Kappella tas-Seminarju u wara saret l-esposizzjoni li tat bidu għall-Adorazzjoni li ġiet fi tmiemha fl-4.00pm.  Filgħaxija, kif kien ipprogrammat, ġiet organizzata siegħa Adorazzjoni fil-Bażilka ta’ San Ġorġ fir-Rabat.  Għaliha kienu mistiedna b’mod speċjali l-parroċċani.  Fl-ewwel parti tal-Adorazzjoni, ir-Rettur qasam ma’ dawk preżenti ħsieb ta’ Dun Mikiel Attard fuq l-Avvent, bi promozzjoni għall-kawża tal-beatifikazzjoni tal-qaddej ta’ Alla Dun Mikiel Attard.  It-tieni parti tal-Adorazzjoni tmexxiet mis-seminaristi.  Tulha sar ħsieb marbut ma’ dan iż-żmien tal-Avvent li qed ngħixu u mas-Sena tal-Ħniena li għadna kemm tajna bidu għaliha.  Qabel il-Barka Sagramentali saru xi talbiet quddiem Ġesù Ewkaristija.  L-Adorazzjoni li jmiss se ssir il-Ħamis 14 ta’ Jannar 2016 filgħodu fis-Seminarju u fl-4.30pm fil-Munxar.

The third of the nine Thursdays of Prayer for Vocations fell on the 10th December.  The morning Mass was said in the Seminary Chapel and then the Blessed Sacrament was exposed there for Adoration until 4.00pm.  Later in the afternoon there was an hour of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament at St George’s Basilica in Victoria.  The parishioners had been invited to participate in this special Hour of Adoration.  During the first part of this Hour of Adoration, the Rector of the Seminary shared with the congregation the meditations of Fr Mikiel Attard for Advent.  This presentation was a service aimed at promoting the cause of beatification of Fr Mikiel Attard.  The second part was conducted by the seminarians.  They shared meditations related with Advent and with the Year of Mercy which has just begun.  Before the blessing with the Blessed Sacrament, prayers were said.  The next Adoration is due to be held on Thursday, 14th January 2016.  It will start in the morning at the Seminary Chapel and will proceed at 4.30pm at Munxar.