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From 15th March to 23rd March, the hall of the Major Seminary hosted an exhibition linked with Holy Week.  This exhibition was inaugurated officially on the 15th March by Dr. Anton Refalo, Minister of Gozo.  It was blessed by Bishop Mgr Mario Grech.  The exhibition included statues linked with the Passion of Christ, old photographs and a miniature procession of the Holy Passion.  The exhibition was set up by the Għaqda Dilettanti tal-Ġimgħa l-Kbira.

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Bejn il-15 u t-23 ta’ Marzu, fis-sala tas-Seminarju Maġġuri, ġiet imtella’ esebizzjoni marbuta mal-Ġimgħa Mqaddsa. Din l-esebizzjoni ġiet miftuħa uffiċċjalment nhar il-15 ta’ Marzu mill-Ministru għal Għawdex Anton Refalo u mbierka mill-E.T. Mons Isqof Mario Grech. Kienet tinkludi fiha statwi marbuta mal-passjoni, ritratti antiki, kif ukoll purcissjoni f’minjatura tal-Ġimgħa l-Kbira. Din ġiet organizzata mill-Għaqda Dilettanti tal-Ġimgħ l-Kbira.

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From Sunday 9th March to Friday 14th March,  the community of the Seminary held a week of prayer for vocations Parish of St John the Baptist at Xewkija.  During the week, emphasis was laid at mass on communitarian prayer for vocations.

On Friday evening, the community of the Seminary joined the superiors at mass in the parochial church.  Seminarian Andrew Grima shared his vocational experience with the congregation.

Then the seminarians met the adolescents who attend the MUSEUM.  Together they reflected on God’s call to each and every one of us.

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Bejn il-Ħadd, 9  u l-Ġimgħa 14 ta’ Marzu , il-komunita’ tas-Seminarju organizzat ġimgħa ta’ talb għall-vokazzjonijiet fil-parroċċa tax-Xewkija, iddedikata lil San Ġwann il-Battista. Matul din il-ġimgħa waqt il-quddies saret enfasi fit-talb tal-komunita’ għall-vokazzjonijiet.

Il-Ġimgħa il-komunita’ kollha tas-Seminarju flimkien mas-superjuri mexxew il-quddies ta’ filgħaxija fil-knisja parrokjali fejn is-seminarista Andrew Grima qasam l-esperjenza tal-vokazzjoni tiegħu.

Imbagħad, s-seminaristi ltaqgħu mal-adoloxxenti li jattendu l-Mużew fejn qasmu magħhom riflessjonijiet fuq is-sejħa li Alla għandu għal kull wieħed minna.

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Iż-żmien tar-Randan hu żmien li fih il-Knisja tistedinna sabiex waqt li nħejju ruħna għall-ikbar festa tal-Knisja – l-Għid il-Kbir, nieqfu xi ftit mill-ġirja tal-ħajja u nirriflettu fuq l-andament tal-ħajja tagħna. Il-Knisja f’dan iż-żmien toffrilna tliet pilastri sabiex permezz tagħhom inkunu nistgħu ngħixu ż-żmien tar-Randan: it-talb u s-smiegħ tal-Kelma ta’ Alla; il-karita’ u s-sawm.

Anke fis-Seminarju, dan iż-żmien ikun wieħed partikulari, li jgħin lis-seminarista’ jidħol fih innifsu iktar mis-soltu sabiex jiltaqa miegħu nnifsu fid-dawl tar-relazzjoni tiegħu ma’ Kristu. Infatti it-Tlieta, 4 ta’ Marzu, propju lejlet Ras ir-Randan, fis-Seminarju saret l-introduzzjoni tar-Randan fejn fiha saret spjega tal-valuri li l-Knisja tippreżenta għar-Randan, kif ukoll ġie propost il-programm li s-seminaristi mistiedna jgħixu matul dan iż-żmien.

Karatteristiċi ta’ dan il-programm hu s-sawm, mhux biss mill-ikel, imma anke billi s-seminaristi jkollhom mumenti fis-skiet il-bogħod mill-istorbju tad-dinja. Hemm ukoll enfasi fuq it-talb; kemm dak personali, imma wkoll dak komunitarju. Ma tonqosx ukoll il-karita’ li tinkludi fiha l-ġbir mis-seminaristi fil-parroċċi għas-Seminarju kif ukoll fl-għajnuna u l-ġbir ta’ fondi għal xi għan partikulari li din is-sena qed issir b’risq Angela House tas-sorijiet Ursolini.

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Lent is a time during which the Church invites us to prepare ourselves for Easter, the greatest feast of the Church, and, at the same time, to stop awhile to reflect on the way we are leading our lives.  During Lent, the Church offers us three pillars on which we can base our way of life during Lent.  These three pillars are: prayer and reading of the Holy Scriptures, charity and fasting.

This time of year is a particular time for the Seminary.  During Lent, the seminarian is encouraged to address his inner self and reflect on his relationship with Christ. On Tuesday, 4th March,  the eve of Ash Wednesday, the community participated in an activity which served as an introduction to Lent at the Seminary.  There was an explanation of the values that the Church present for Lent, followed by the sharing of the progamme that the seminarians are invited to follow during this time of year.

Characteristics of the programme include: fasting, moments of retreat from the hustle and bustle of daily life, personal and communal prayer, and deeds of charity.  The seminarians will be visting the parish churches during Lenten sermons to receive donations from the congregation.  They will also participate in the collection of funds in aid of Angela House, which is run by the Ursoline nuns.

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On Thursday, 20^th February, the Seminary hosted an activity for members of Vocations Groups for Form 5 students and older.  The activity started with prayers and moments of Adoration in the Chapel. Then the students were invited to join the seminarians at lunch.  The activity came to an end in the gym where the students and the seminarians played football and socialised.

On Saturday, 22^nd February, the Seminary organised an activity for Form 2 – 5 students who form part of Vocations Groups or are Altar Boys.

The activity started with a meeting led by the seminarians who talked about the love of God and forgiveness.  The seminarians talked to these students about the way God loves man and how, in his relationship with others, man should follow God’s example and be ready to forgive and love others.

The activity proceeded with moments of Adoration at the chapel of the Major Seminary.  Then lunch and moments of recreation followed.

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Nhar il-Ħamis, 20 ta’ Frar ġiet organizzata attività għall-membri tal-gruppi tal-vokazzjonijiet minn form 5 il-fuq. L-attività bdiet b’mumenti ta’ talb u adorazzjoni flimkien mas-seminaristi fil-Kappella. Wara kienu mistiedna biex jingħaqdu mas-seminaristi għall-ikel. L-attività intemmet b’logħob futbol fil-gym tas-Seminarju, fejn l-istudenti u s-seminaristi kellhom ukoll iċ-ċans li jitkellmu u jsiru jafu aħjar lil xulxin.

Intant nhar is-Sibt, 22 ta’ Frar, fis-Seminarju ġiet organizzata attivita’ għall-istudenti minn Forms 2 sa 5 li huma membri fil-gruppi tal-Abbatini u tal-Vokazzjonijiet.

L-attivita’ bdiet b’laqgħa mmexxija mis-seminaristi bit-tema tkun ‘Il-maħfra u l-imħabba ta’ Alla’. F’din il-laqgħa s-seminaristi ppruvaw juru lil dawn l-istudenti l-mod ta’ kif Alla jħobb lill-bniedem u kif il-bniedem hu msejjaħ biex fir-relazzjoni tiegħu mal-oħrajn ikun lest li jaħfer u jħobb lill-oħrajn fuq l-eżempju ta’ Kristu.

L-attivita’ imbagħad kompliet b’mument qasir ta’ Adorazzjoni quddiem Ġesu’ Sagramentat li saret fil-kappella ta’ fuq tas-Seminarju Maġġuri. Il-laqgħa ntemmet bi ftit ħin ta’ rikreazzjoni fejn l-istudenti kellhom iċ-ċans li jsiru jafu aħjar lil xulxin kif ukoll li jiltaqgħu mas-seminaristi waqt li jieklu xi ħaġa u jilgħabu xi logħba futbol fil-bitħa tas-Seminarju.

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Wara li għadda ż-żmien intensiv tal-eżamijet, bejn il-Ġimgħa 14 u l-Ħadd 16 ta’ Frar, is-seminaristi għaddew xi jiem ta’ mistrieħ f’Malta. Dawn il-jiem minbarra li jgħinu sabiex is-seminaristi jistrieħu wara jiem ta’ studju u eżamijiet, jservu wkoll sabiex s-seminaristi jkomplu jikbru fil-fraternita’ ta’ bejniethom.

Matul dawn il-jiem ma jonqsux ukoll xi żjajjar ta’ nteress. Din is-sena l-komunita’ żaret fost l-oħrajn il-Power Station f’Delimara, fejn kellhom iċ-ċans li jiġu mdawwra mal-impjant u jsiru jafu xi ftit aktar dwar il-ħidma li sseħħ f’dan il-post. Huma żaru wkoll l-Akwarju Nazzjonali li jinsab fl-inħawi tal-Qawra.

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Following a period of intensive studying for the exams, the seminarians set off for a two-day holiday in Malta.  This two-day holiday, from Friday the 14^th to Sunday the 16^th February, served not only as a period of relaxation but also as a means of strengthening the bond of brotherhood among the seminarians.

During their stay in Malta, the seminarians visited various places of interest.  Among others, they visited the Power Station at Delimara.  They were shown around the place and were given information about what goes on in this power station.  They visited also the National Acquarium at Qawra.

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Minn żmien għal żmien il-grupp missjunarju fi ħdan is-Seminarju ta’ Għawdex jieħu ħsieb li jistieden lil xi saċerdot missjunarju Għawdxi sabiex jaqsam mas-seminaristi l-esperjenza missjunarja tiegħu. Għalhekk nhar il-Ħamis, 30 ta’ Jannar, il-grupp ħa ħsieb li jistieden lil Dun Raymond Portelli li bħalissa jinsab għal xi jiem ta’ mistrieħ f’Għawdex.

Dun Raymond huwa saċerdot min-Nadur li bħalissa qiegħed jaqdi l-ministeru saċerdotali tiegħu bħala missjunarju fil-Peru. Huwa kien mistieden sabiex jiċċelebra l-quddiesa fllimkien mal-komunita’ fejn qasam ukoll xi ftit mill-esperjenza missjunarja tiegħu. Fil ħsieb tiegħu ma naqasx milli jistieden lis-seminaristi sabiex ikunu ġenerużi u qatt ma jagħlqu l-bieb għas-sejħat ta’ Alla u biex ma jibżgħux jekk jagħrfu li l-Mulej ikun qed isejħilhom biex jaqduh bħala missjunarji. Għax il-Mulej joffri lil persuna dak kolla li jkollha bżonn sabiex tgħix il-vokazzjoni tagħha bil-ferħ.

Wara l-quddiesa, Dun Raymond kien mistieden sabiex jingħaqad mal-komunita’ għall-kolazzjon.

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From time to time, the Missionary Group at the Gozo Seminary invites a Gozitan priest from the Missions to share with the seminarians his missionary experiences.  This year, the Missionary Group invited Fr Raymond Portelli  to share his experiences.  He who is now on holiday in Gozo. Fr Raymond hails from Nadur and at present he is doing missionary work in Peru.

On Thursday 30^th January, he joined the community at Mass and talked about his missionary life in Peru.  He encouraged the seminarians to heed God’s call and to be generous enough not to ignore it.  He urged them not to be afraid of God’s call to serve at the Missions since God offers to a person everything he needs to live his vocation to the full.

After Mass, Fr Raymond joined the community at breakfast.

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