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Tuesday, 4th November, was the 148th anniversary of the founding of the Sacred Heart Seminary, two years after the setting up of the Diocese of Gozo.  Along the years, the Seminary has  been the fount of formation for many priests, some of whom became missionaries in other countries while others served in Gozitan communities.

On Tuesday morning, Mgr Bishop Mario Grech joined the Seminary community in a Mass of Thanksgiving,  During his homily, based on the Reading of the day, he urged the seminarians to accept the invitation of the Lord to dinner (Lk 14,15-34).  Bishop Grech said that it is difficult to accept this invitation since, very often, one has to renounce to securities that one may have in life.  However, the true joy exists in living the priestly vocation the way Jesus Christ designs it, and in the way the Church needs it.

The 4th November is the feast of St Charles Barromeo, Bishop of Milan and Patron Saint of seminarians.  Bishop Grech ended his homily by urging the seminarians to accept the invitation that St Charles Barromeo made to his contemporary seminarians and priests: seek daily to spend some time in meditation and prayer.  The bishop thanked the priests and formators who work hard to sow these values in the heart of the seminarians.

On this day, special prayers were said for the benefactors of the Seminary, both living and departed, priests who were superiors of the Seminary, nuns who served at the Seminary and all priests who received their priestly formation at the Seminary.

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It-Tlieta 4 ta’ Novembru s-Seminarju tal-Qalb ta’ Ġesù għalaq 148 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 it-Tlieta filgħodu ngħaqad mal-komunità tas-Seminarju għall-quddiesa ta’ radd il-ħajr. Waqt l-omelija qasira fuq il-Vanġelu tal-ġurnata hu ħeġġeġ lis-seminaristi biex jilqgħu s-sejħa li s-sid jagħmel għall-pranzu (ara Lq 14,15-24). Hu stqarr li mhux faċli li wieħed jgħid iva għal din is-sejħa għax ħafna drabi wieħed ikollu jiċċaħħad minn sigurtajiet li jista’ jkollu f’ħajtu. Madankollu, il-ferħ veru jinsab f’li wieħed jgħix is-saċerdozju kif jixtiequ Ġesù Kristu, kif verament teħtieġu l-Knisja.

Nhar l-4 ta’ Novembru tiġi ċċelebrata wkoll il-festa ta’ San Karlu Borromeo, Isqof ta’ Milan u patrun tas-seminaristi. Mons. Isqof għalhekk, temm ir-riflessjoni tiegħu billi ħeġġeġ lis-seminaristi sabiex jilqgħu l-istedina li dan il-qaddis jagħmel lis-seminaristi u lis-saċerdoti ta’ żmienu: dik li ta’ kuljum ifittxu l-ħin għall-meditazzjoni u t-talb. Mons. Grech radd il-ħajr lill-qassisin, il-formators, li qed jaħdmu biex jiżirgħu dawn il-valuri fil-qalb tas-seminaristi.

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.

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At the beginning of this year of formation, Rector Fr Daniel Xerri announced that Sr Norah Momanyi, who had accompanied Sr Guzeppina for the last three years at the Seminary, is leaving our community to offer her services in another convent in Malta.  Sr Norah is being replaced by Sr Maria Micallef.  Our community welcomed Sr Maria.

Sr  Maria was born on the 17th February 1932 at Rabat, Malta.  She joined the Congregation of Franciscan Nuns of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on the 7th January 1957.  She spent most of her religious life in the missions.  She spent 55 years working with the children of Brazil.

On Wednesday 22nd October, Sr Norah joined the Seminary community for the midday lunch.  We thanked her for her sevices at the Seminary.

Farewell Sr Norah and welcome Sr Maria!

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Fil-bidu ta’ din is-sena r-Rettur Dun Daniel Xerri għarrafna li Sr Norah Momanyi, li kienet qed taqdi fis-Seminarju, flimkien ma’ Sr Ġużeppina għal dawn l-aħħar tliet snin, se tħalli l-komunità tagħna biex tmur taqdi f’kunvent ieħor ġewwa Malta. Flok Sr Norah ingħaqdet magħna Sr Maria Micallef.  Fil-bidu ta’ din is-sena, bħala komunità tajna merħba lil Sr Maria.

Sr Maria twieldet nhar is-17 ta’ Frar, 1932 ġewwa r-Rabat Malta. Fis-7 ta’ Jannar 1957 ingħaqdet mal-Kongregazzjoni tas-sorijiet Franġiskani tal-Qalb ta’ Ġesù. Hija għaddiet ħafna mill-ħajja reliġjuża tagħha fil-missjoni. Infatti hi għaddiet 55 sena fil-Brażil f’ħidma mat-tfal.

Nhar l-Erbgħa 22 ta’ Ottubru, Sr Norah ingħaqdet mal-komunità tas-Seminarju għall-ikel ta’ nofsinhar.  B’dan il-mod il-komunità setgħet issellmilha u troddilha ħajr għas-servizz tagħha fi ħdan is-Seminarju.

Grazzi Sr Norah u merħba Sr Maria!

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On Sunday 19th October, the Church celebrated Missions Day.  On this day, each one of us is invited to reflect on how to follow the call of being a missionary in the environment where he lives.  We are also called upon to focus on the Church beyond our shores, especially in Third World Countries.

On this occasion, the Missionary Group within the Seminary community, takes the initiative to hold a week of activities.  In this way, the seminarians also can accept the call to be missionaries.

The theme chosen for this year was: “I am a Missionary”.  Everyday from Tuesday 14th to Saturday 18th October prayers were offered for the missions in very continent.  We came to know that besides the laity and many nuns who serve as missionaries in many countries, there are more than sixty priests and monks who are also serving in the missions.

A day worth remembering was Thursday 16th October when the Missions Group visited the Minor Seminary and spread the missionary message among the students of the school.

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Nhar il-Ħadd 19 ta’ Ottubru l-Knisja ċċelebrat Jum il-Missjoni.  Dan hu jum fejn kull wieħed u waħda minna hu mistieden jirrifletti u jagħraf kif jista’ jaqdi s-sejħa tiegħu biex ikun missjunarju fl-ambjent li hu jgħix fih.  Hu mument ukoll fejn nitfgħu ħarsitna fuq il-Knisja li tinsab ’il barra mill-pajjiż ċkejken tagħna, speċjalment fil-pajjiżi tat-tielet dinja.

F’din l-okkażjoni l-Grupp Missjunarju fi ħdan il-komunità tas-Seminarju jieħu ħsieb iħejji ġimgħa ta’ attivitajiet.  Hekk anki s-seminaristi jkunu jistgħu jilqgħu s-sejħa li jkunu missjunarji!  Għal din is-sena, it-tema magħżula kienet ‘Jien Missjunarju’.  F’kull ġurnata bejn it-Tlieta 14 u s-Sibt 18 ta’ Ottubru sar talb partikulari għall-missjoni f’kull kontinent.  Stajna nagħrfu li barra l-ħafna sorijiet u lajċi missjunarji li ħarġu minn Għawdex tagħna, hemm ukoll kwantità kbira ta’ saċerdoti u patrijiet (aktar minn 60) li sal-lum għadhom jaqdu fil-Knisja ’l bogħod minn pajjiżna.

Mument mill-isbaħ kien il-Ħamis 16 ta’ Ottubru, dakinhar il-Grupp Missjunarju żar l-iskola tas-Seminarju Minuri u wassal il-messaġġ missjunarju lit-tfal kollha tal-iskola!

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Nhar it-Tnejn 13 ta’ Ottubru ngħaqdu mal-komunità tas-Seminarju ż-żewġ żgħażagħ li se jibdew l-esperjenza tas-Sena Propedewtika. 

Matthew Bajada mill-parroċċa tal-Viżitazzjoni, l-Għarb u Gabriel Vella mill-parroċċa ta’ San Ġużepp u l-Immakulata Kunċizzjoni, il-Qala se jkunu qed jgħixu l-esperjenza tal-Propedewtika fis-Seminarju. Huma għandhom programm speċifiku għalihom imqassam tul il-ġimgħa bejn it-Tnejn u l-Ġimgħa.  Fin-nofstanhar ta’ filgħodu huma jmorru fil-post tax-xogħol, li s-Seminarju assenja lil kull wieħed minnhom.  Jingħaqdu mal-bqija tal-komunità wara nofsinhar fejn jattendu għall-ħafna mill-attivitajiet li jsiru f’dawn il-ħinijiet.  Tul din is-sena huma jagħmlu wkoll xi korsijiet ta’ introduzzjoni għall-filosofija u t-teoloġija.  Din is-sena tkun għalihom ukoll mument importanti ta’ riflessjoni u dixxerniment biex fi tmiemha jressqu t-talba biex jiġu aċċettati għall-ewwel sena tal-kors bħala seminaristi.

Merħba Matthew u Gabriel!

On Wednesday 13th October, two youths joined the Seminary community to start their Propaedeutic year.

Matthew Bajada hails from the Parish of The Visitation of Our Lady to St Elizabeth , Għarb, and Gabriel Vella hails from the Parish of St Joseph and the Immaculate Conception, Qala.  They are following a specific programme spread over the week, from Monday to Friday.  In the mornings they go the places of work allotted to them by the Seminary.  In the afternoon they join the community in the many activities held then.  Throughout the year they follow introductory courses in philosophy and theology.  This year will also be a period of reflection and discernment for them.  At the end of the year, they will ask to be accepted to start their first year as Seminarians.

Welcome Matthew and Gabriel!

The community of the Gozo Seminary is organising once more a day of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament on every first Thursday of the month, with the aim of promoting prayer for Vocations.  The first day of Adoration for this year was held on Thursday, 2nd October, 2014.

The community of the Seminary invited the faithful to join it at 6.30am for Morning Prayers, followed by the celebration of Holy Mass and the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.  The Adoration continued throughout the day.  At noon, the congregation joined the seminarians at Mid-day Prayers.  At 7.00pm the seminarians led an hour of prayer for the cause of beatification of the Servant of the Lord Fr Mikiel Attard.  The Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament came to an end at 10.00pm with the Evening Prayer and the Benediction with the Blessed Sacrament.

Another day of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament will be held on Thursday 6th November.  The same programme will be followed.

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Anki din is-sena, il-komunità tas-Seminarju ta’ Għawdex qed torganizza ġurnata Adorazzjoni Ewkaristika kull l-ewwel Ħamis tax-xahar.  L-iskop hu t-talb għall-Vokazzjonijiet.  L-ewwel Adorazzjoni ta’ din ix-xorta saret nhar il-Ħamis 2 ta’ Ottubru 2014.

Il-komunità stiednet lin-nies biex jiġu fis-6.30am għat-talb tat-Tifħir ta’ Sbiħ il-Jum u wara jibqgħu għall-Quddiesa li fi tmiemha saret l-espożizzjoni ta’ Ġesù Ewkaristija.  Tul il-ġurnata Ġesù baqa’ espost għall-adorazzjoni fis-skiet.  F’nofsinhar is-seminaristi flimkien man-nies preżenti talbu t-Talba ta’ Nofs il-Jum u fis-7.00pm is-seminaristi animaw siegħa b’talb partikulari għall-kawża tal-beatifikazzjoni tal-Qaddej ta’ Alla Dun Mikiel Attard.  L-Adorazzjoni ntemmet fl-10.00pm permezz tat-Talba ta’ Għeluq il-Jum u l-Barka Sagramentali.

Il-jum Adorazzjoni Ewkaristika li jmiss se jsir nhar il-Ħamis 6 ta’ Novembru u se jsegwi l-istess pogramm.

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In these past few days, Mgr Bishop Mario Grech announced that he had entrusted Fr Michael Curmi with new ministry.

Fr Michael Curmi, Vice-Rector of the Seminary, has been appointed also parochial collaborator at St Margaret’s Parish of Sannat.

The community of the Seminary congratulates this formator and promises him its prayers and support.

Tul l-aħħar ġranet tħabbar li Mons. Isqof Grech fada ministeru ġdid lil Dun Michael Curmi. 

Dun Michael Curmi, il-Viċi Rettur tas-Seminarju, inħatar ukoll kollaboratur parrokkjali fil-Parroċċa ta’ Santa Margerita, Ta’ Sannat. 

Il-komunità tas-Seminarju tifraħ lil dan il-formators tagħha filwaqt li twiegħdu it-talb u s-sostenn tagħha!