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Sunday, 24^th February 2013 marked another milestone in the vocational walk towards priesthood on the part of Joseph Attard, from the Parish of The Assumption at Żebbuġ and of Mario Curmi from the Parish of Maria Bambina at Xagħra.  Mgr Bishop Mario Grech bestowed upon them the Ministry of the Lectorate in the parrochial church of St Gregory and Our Lady of Succour at Kerċem.   

On the second Sunday of Lent the Church offers us the opportunity to reflect upon the episode of the Transfiguration.  In his homily, the Bishop talked about the ‘beauty’ that enhanced the three apostles who accompanied The Lord to Mount Tabor.  “Lord, how good that we are here!” Peter’s words express the sentiment of admiration that Jesus instilled in the heart of the apostle in the moment of his transfiguration.  This is the same sentiment that is instilled in the heart of every person who feels the vocation to give himself exclusively to Jesus in a religious or priestly life.

It is the beauty of Jesus that inspired Joseph and Mario, and many other young men, to start on the path of discernment that leads to their priestly ordination.  The beauty of Jesus is most evident on the cross.  Although His face is deformed and is repulsive, Jesus on the cross is the greatest evidence of God’s love to us.  Mgr Grech ended the homily by encouraging Joseph and Mario to keep on contemplating this love of Jesus through the reading of the Holy Scripture so that they too will be able to exercise their ministry as Lectors of the same Holy Scripture.  It is only through the reading of the Word that we can know the truth: that God really loves us!

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Nhar il-Ħadd 24 ta’ Frar 2013 ġiet immarkata tappa oħra fil-mixja vokazzjonali tas-seminarista Joseph Attard, mill-parroċċa ta’ Marija Mtellgħa s-Sema fiż-Żebbuġ u tas-seminarista Mario Curmi, mill-parroċċa tat-Twelid ta’ Marija fix-Xagħra.  Mons. Isqof Mario Grech tahom il-ministeru tal-lettorat fil-knisja parrokkjali ta’ San Girgor u tal-Madonna tas-Sokkors, f’Ta’ Kerċem.

Fit-tieni Ħadd tar-Randan il-Knisja tpoġġi għar-riflessjoni tagħna l-evanġelju tat-Trasfigurazzjoni.  Fil-prietka tiegħu, Mons. Isqof, tkellem mill-‘ġmiel’ li saħħar lit-tliet appostli li akkompanjaw lill-Mulej fuq il-muntanja Tabor.  “Mgħallem kemm hu sew li aħna hawn!”  Il-kliem ta’ Pietru jesprimi s-sentiment ta’ ammirazzjoni li qanqal Ġesù f’qalb l-appostlu fil-mument tat-trasfigurazzjoni tiegħu.  Dan hu l-istess sentiment li jinbet fil-qalb ta’ kull persuna li tħoss is-sejħa biex tingħata b’mod sħiħ lil Ġesù fil-ħajja reliġjuża jew saċerdotali.

Hu l-ġmiel ta’ Ġesù li qanqal lil Joseph u Mario, u lil ħafna persuni oħra bħalhom, biex jibdew it-triq tad-dixxerniment li twassal għall-ħajja saċerdotali.  Ġesù jidher l-isbaħ fuq is-salib.  Għalkemm il-wiċċ tiegħu hu sfigurat u ma jiġbidx l-għajnejn, Ġesù fuq is-salib hu l-akbar xhieda tal-imħabba ta’ Alla għalina.  Mons. Isqof spiċċa billi ħeġġeġ lil Joseph u Mario sabiex ikomplu jikkontemplaw din l-imħabba ta’ Ġesù għalihom permezz tas-smigħ tal-Kelma ta’ Alla u hekk huma wkoll ikunu jistgħu jeżerċitaw il-ministeru tax-xandir tal-istess Kelma.  Hu permezz tas-smigħ ta’ din il-Kelma li wieħed jista’ jsir jaf il-verità: li Alla verament iħobbu!

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Nhar it-Tnejn 11 ta’ Frar immarka l-bidu tat-tieni semestru.  Wara l-waqfa tal-eżamijiet, it-Tnejn filgħodu, is-seminaristi rritornaw għal-lectures.  It-Tnejn filgħaxija Fr John Anthony Berry SThD ingħaqad mal-komunità sabiex imexxi seminar.  Fih hu ta informazzjoni bażika dwar il-Konċilju Vatikan II.

Fr John stqarr kif il-Papa Ġwanni XXIII ġie ispirat minn diversi teoloġi u movimenti li fil-bidu tas-seklu għoxrin kienu qed jisħqu fuq il-bżonn li ssir riforma fi ħdan il-Knisja.  Dan wasslu biex ħabbar il-Konċilju Vatikan II u biex ħamsin sena ilu, fil-11 ta’ Ottubru 1962, nedih.  Fr Berry ippreżenta d-diversi viżjonijiet tal-Konċilju, filwaqt li tana diversi linji gwida prattiċi li permezz tagħhom aħna nistgħu naqraw id-dokumenti tal-Konċilju, b’mod speċjali l-erba’ kostituzzjonijiet.

Filgħaxija l-komunità ngħaqdet mal-Isqof u mal-Knisja Għawdxija ġewwa Ta’ Pinu.  Hemm saret quddiesa għall-bżonnijiet tal-Qdusija Tiegħu l-Papa Benedittu XVI, fil-jum li fih hu ħabbar l-intenzjoni tiegħu li nhar il-Ħamis 28 ta’ Frar jieqaf jeżerċita l-ministeru Petrin tiegħu, bħala Isqof ta’ Ruma.

Monday, February 11^th, marked the beginning of the second semester.  Following the end of examination week, it was lecture time again for the seminarians.  On Monday afternoon, Fr John Anthony Berry SThD joined the community to lead a seminar in which he gave basic information about Vatican Council II.

Fr John explained how Pope John XXIII had been inspired to call the Vatican Council II by various theologians and movements that, in the dawn of the twentieth century, were calling for reform by the Church.  In fact, Vatican Council II was launched fifty years ago, on October 11^th, 1962.  Fr Berry presented the various visions of the Council.  He gave us a number of practical guidelines with which we can read the documents of the Council, especially the four constitutions.

In the evening, the community joined the Bishop and the members of the Church in a congregation at Ta’ Pinu.  A Mass was said for the needs of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI, on the day in which he declared that on Thursday, February 28^th, he would be renouncing his Papal Ministry as Bishop of Rome.

Fl-okkażjoni tal-Ġimgħa ta’ Talb għall-għaqda fost il-knejjes Insara, nhar il-Ħamis 24 ta’ Jannar filgħaxija ġiet mistiedna l-komunità Anglikana li ta’ kull nhar ta’ Erbgħa tiltaqa’ fil-kappella tas-Seminarju għas-servizz tagħha.  Għal din il-laqgħa ġie mistieden ukoll il-Kanċillier tal-Katidral Anglikan ta’ San Pawl, fil-Belt Valletta, ir-Rev. Kan. Simon Godfrey.

Il-Kanċillier iltaqa’ mal-komunità tas-Seminarju u mexxa konferenza li fiha tkellem fuq il-Knisja Anglikana, u ta deskrizzjoni tal-kawżi li wasslu għax-xiżma mill-Knisja Kattolika Rumana.  Fl-istess waqt hu qal li għalkemm l-Anglikani, fis-seklu sittax, tbiegħdu minn Ruma u nqatgħu minnha, huma ma nqatgħux mill-fidi u mill-ispiritwalità tagħha.  Ir-Rev. Godfrey stqarr li l-Knisja Anglikana hija Kattolika fl-ispirtu tagħha.  Kien hemm żmien fejn dan l-ispirtu ċċajpar minħabba l-protestantiżmu, li eventwalment daħal fl-Ingilterra.  Bħala risposta għal dan, tul l-istorja tal-Anglikaniżmu kienu diversi l-movumenti li fakkru fl-oriġini Kattoliċi tal-istess Knisja Anglikana u anke wrew ix-xewqa li xi darba terġa’ ssir l-għaqda.  L-akbar fost dawn huwa l-Oxford Movement, li minnu l-Kardinal John Henry Newman kien jagħmel parti.

Fi tmiem il-konferenza r-Rev. Simon Godfrey awgura u għamel kuraġġ lis-seminaristi f’din il-mixja vokazzjonali tagħhom.  Hu wegħdhom it-talb tiegħu u stqarr li l-komunità Anglikana dejjem żammet lill-komunità tas-Seminarju fit-talb tagħha.  Skont ir-Rev. Godfrey l-akbar sfida tal-Knisja tal-futur, kemm dik Kattolika u anke dik Anglikana, se jkun l-indifferentiżmu u l-ostilità tal-‘Kristjani’ lejn il-Knisja.  Din hi sfida kbira li teħtieġ saċerdoti konvinti, saċerdoti li b’żelu qaddis iridu jerġgħu jkebbsu n-nar tal-fidi fil-qalb bierda tan-nies.

Fi tmiem il-konferenza kulħadd inġabar fil-kappella għas-servizz ekumeniku mmexxi mir-Rettur tas-Seminarju, Fr Daniel Xerri u il-Kanċillier ir-Rev. Kan. Simon Godfrey.  Għal dan il-mument ingħaqdu magħna wkoll il-membri tal-komunità Anglikana.  Wara, għaddejna għas-sala fejn kien hemm ftit refreshments tal-okkażjoni.

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On Thursday evening, 24 January, the Seminary invited the Anglican Community for an ecumenical meeting, part of the Week of Prayer for unity among Christian Churches.  The Anglican Community meets every Wednesday at the Seminary Chapel.  Rev. Can. Simon Godfrey, Chancellor of the Anglican Cathedral of St Paul, in Valletta, was also invited for the meeting.

The Chancellor addressed the community of the Seminary in a conference about the Anglican Church and about what led to the schism between the Anglican Church and the Roman Catholic Church.  He said that although the Anglicans broke relations with the Church of Rome in the sixteenth century, they still continued to share its faith and its spirituality.  Rev. Godfrey said that the Anglican Church is Catholic in spirit.  There was a time when this spirit was blurred because of Protestantism that eventually prevailed in England.  To counteract, many movements throughout the history of Anglicanism kept alive the Catholic origins of the Anglican Church and encouraged reunification.  The most famous movement was the Oxford Movement.  Cardinal John Henry Newman formed part of this movement.

Rev. Simon Godfrey encouraged the seminarians to keep steadfast in their vocation.  He said that he himself and the Anglican Community remember the Seminary and the seminarians in their prayers.  According to Rev. Godfrey, the greatest challenge facing both the Catholic and the Anglican Churches of the future will be the indifference and hostility of ‘Christians’ towards the Church.  This is a great challenge that needs priests who are convinced of their faith and mission, and who through their holy zest want to rekindle the fire of faith in indifferent hearts.

At the end of the conference, the congregation met in the chapel for the ecumenical service led by the Reverend Rector of the Seminary, Fr Daniel Xerri, and the Reverend Chancellor, Can. Simon Godfrey.  Members of the Anglican community joined us for the service.  Later on, we all met in the hall for refreshments.

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Last week, an American Cardinal of the Catholic Church honoured us with his presence at the Seminary.  On Monday, 14th January, His Eminence Cardinal William Joseph Levada paid a visit to our Seminary.  He was accompanied by Mgr Mario Grech, Bishop of Gozo, Mgr Ġużeppi Mercieca, Archbishop Emeritus of Malta and Mgr Charles J. Scicluna, Auxiliary Bishop of Malta.  They joined the community at dinner.

Cardinal William Joseph Levada is the Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith.  He was born in 1936, at Los Angelis, California, in The United States.  He served as Auxiliary Bishop in the diocese where he was born.  Then he served as Archbishop in the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon, Archbishop of San Francisco in California and Apostolic Administrator of Santa Rosa, California.  In 2005 he replaced Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the present Pope Benedict XVI, as Prefect of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith.  He occupied this post up to July 2012.

His Eminence, Cardinal Levada was in Malta to take part in a number of meetings.  During his stay in Malta, he crossed over to Gozo for a visit.  He thanked us for our welcome, wished us success in our studies and gave us his blessing.

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Tul il-ġimgħa li għaddiet, prelat tal-Knisja Kattolika onora s-Seminarju tagħna permezz taż-żjara tiegħu.  It-Tnejn 14 ta’ Jannar l-Eminenza Tiegħu l-Kardinal William Joseph Levada ngħaqad mal-komunità tagħna għall-ikel ta’ nofsinhar.  Flimkien miegħu ġew ukoll l-Isqof t’Għawdex Mons. Mario Grech, l-Arċisqof Emeritu ta’ Malta, Mons. Ġużeppi Mercieca, u Mons. Charles J. Scicluna, l-Isqof Awżiljarju ta’ Malta.

Il-Kardinal William Joseph Levada hu l-Prefett Emeritu tal-Kongregazzjoni tad-Duttrina tal-Fidi.  Hu twieled f’Los Angelis, California, fl-Istati Uniti, fl-1936.  Qeda l-ministeru tiegħu bħala Isqof Awżiljarju tad-Djoċesi tal-oriġini tiegħu.  Wara għamel xi żmien Arċisqof ġewwa l-Arċidjoċesi ta’ Portland in Oregon; Arċisqof f’San Francisco, California; u wara Amministratur Appostoliku ġewwa Santa Rosa, California.  Fis-sena 2005 ħa post il-Kardinal Joseph Ratzinger (illum il-Papa Benedittu XVI) bħala Prefett tal-Kongregazzjoni tad-Duttrina tal-Fidi.  Hu ħalla minn din il-kariga f’Lulju 2012.

L-Eminenza tiegħu l-Kardinal William kien f’Malta għal xi laqgħat.  Tul il-waqfa tiegħu f’Malta hu għamel żjara f’Għawdex.  Fi tmiem l-ikla, hu rringrazzjana tal-akkoljenza li tajnih, awguralna l-isbaħ xewqat għall-futur u tana l-barka tiegħu.

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Jannar ifisser il-bidu ta’ sena ġdida.  Dan hu żmien fejn wieħed jiltaqa’ u jfisser ix-xewqat sbieħ tiegħu lil sieħbu.  Hekk seħħ is-Sibt 5 ta’ Jannar fis-Seminarju.  Is-saċerdoti, il-patrijiet u s-seminaristi Għawdxin kienu mistiedna għal laqgħa flimkien ma’ Mons. Isqof għall-qsim tal-awgurji.

Il-laqgħa bdiet b’talba ta’ radd il-ħajr lil Alla għal kull ma għamel mal-Knisja Għawdxija tul is-sea 2012.  Imbagħad, Mons. Rosario Borg (fl-assenza tal-Vigarju Ġenerali, Mons. Giovanni Bosco Gauci), f’isem is-saċerdoti kollha preżenti, radd ħajr lil Mons. Isqof tal-ħidma li wettaq f’Għawdex tul is-sena 2012 u awguralu għas-sena l-ġdida.

Mons. Isqof Mario Grech, min-naħa tiegħu, għamel il-messaġġ tal-okkażjoni.  Hu stqarr li l-Knisja fil-passat “għamlet l-istorja”!  Din għandha tkun il-missjoni tal-Knisja anke llum.  Hi, bħal Marija hi msejħa li toffri l-“inbid ġdid” lis-soċjetà: lil Ġesù Kristu.

Din kienet it-tema diskussa fis-Sinodu tal-Isqfijiet li sar f’Ottubru 2012, li għalih attenda Mons. Isqof Mario Grech: it-tema tal-Evanġelizzazzjoni l-Ġdida.  L-Isqof qal li f’din l-esperjenza ħareġ ħafna l-element tal-“kolleġġjalità” fi ħdan il-Knisja, element li għandu jkompli jingħata aktar ċentralità.  Hu stqarr li l-kolleġġjalità tinkludi fiha wkoll il-bżonn li jkun hemm aktar lajċi bis-sens li jiġu fdati responsabiltajiet pastorali, b’hekk ma jibqax ikollna Knisja klerikali.

“Is-Sinodu kien sinfonija Kristoloġika.”  It-Trinità Qaddisa, b’mod partikulari l-persuna ta’ Ġesù Kristu, inżammew fiċ-ċentru ta’ kull diskussjoni.  Il-missjoni tal-Knisja, fil-fatt, hi li twassal lil Ġesù Kristu lill-bnedmin.  Dan ma jistax iseħħ jekk ma nagħmlux bħall-Knisja tal-bidu, li qabel ma bdiet il-missjoni tagħha nġabret u stenniet fit-talb, għax kienet taf li Alla nnifsu biss jista’ joħloq il-Knisja tiegħu.  Għalhekk, “l-evanġelizzazzjoni ġdida titlob evanġelizzaturi spiritwalment imġedda”.

Qabel ma jwassal lil Kristu l-evanġelizzatur irid jieqaf biex jisma’ l-Kelma.  L-evanġelizzazzjoni l-ġdida, għalhekk, qabel kollox mhix kwistjoni ta’ applikazzjoni ta’ “metodi” ġodda għall-proklamazzjoni tal-Vanġelu, imma titlob li l-istess evanġelizzatur jikber fil-fidi tiegħu fi Kristu u jpoġġi l-kérygma Kristoloġika fil-qofol tal-evanġelizzazzjoni tiegħu.  Hi din il-fidi li trid twasslu biex ikun missjunarju: għax fidi mingħajr appostolat hi fidi mejta!

Mons. Isqof qal li l-evanġelizzazzjoni ġdida hi meħtieġa wkoll għaliex ix-xenarji soċjali u kulturali qegħdin dejjem jinbidlu u qed isejħulna għal xi ħaġa ġdida.  F’din il-kultura hemm spazji ġodda li jeħtieġu d-dawl ta’ Kristu, spazji li ma nistgħux li ma nitħeġġux biex indawluhom permezz tiegħU.  Fid-dawl tal-Konċilju Vatikan II, l-ispirtu Kristjan, Kattoliku u Appostoliku tad-dinja kollha, qed jistenna qabża ’l quddiem biex tkun approfondita d-duttrina u jkun hemm formazzjoni aktar ħajja tal-kuxjenza.  Mons. Isqof stqarr li dan jgħodd b’mod speċjali għas-saċerdoti.  Hekk biss is-saċerdoti jistgħu jibqgħu jżommu l-irwol ta’ “maestri di cultura” u jkompli jiżirgħu lil Kristu fil-kultura tal-lum.  Din l-evanġelizzazzjoni l-ġdida titlob ekkleżjoloġija ġdida: Knisja li tħaddan il-komunjoni u Knisja f’relazzjoni mad-dinja.  Dan iwassal għall-għajnuna reċiproka, għax meta l-Knisja tirrelata mas-soċjetà, hi tgħallem lill-bniedem ikun aktar uman u hi min-naħa tagħha tirċievi ħafna mid-dinja.

Mons. Isqof ikkonkluda billi stqarr li s-Sinodu ħareġ b’diversi suġġerimenti prattiċi biex din l-evanġelizzazzjoni l-ġdida tkun tista’ sseħħ, u li wieħed ikun jista’ japprofondixxihom aktar fiż-żmien li ġej.  Hu temm id-diskors tiegħu billi awgura lill-presbiterju djoċesan biex ikompli jiġġedded spiritwalment, ħalli b’hekk tkun tista’ ssir l-evanġelizzazzjoni l-ġdida li permezz tagħha jsir it-tqaddis ta’ din il-gżira.

Agħfas hawn biex tniżżel id-diskors sħiħ ta’ Mons. Isqof

L-Arċipriet il-Kan. Tarcisio Camilleri, delegat tal-kleru f’Għawdex, ħabbar xi attivitajiet li se jsiru fiż-żmien li ġej għas-saċerdoti, u stieden lil kulħadd għal refreshments tal-okkażjoni.

January marks the beginning of a new year.  This is a time when people meet and exchange greetings.  On the 5 January the Seminary hosted a gathering where members of the clergy and seminarians met Mgr Bishop Mario Grech and exchanged greetings.

The meeting started with a prayer of thanksgiving to God for the blessings bestowed upon the Church of Gozo along the year 2012.  Then, on behalf of those present, Mgr Rosario Borg, (who stood in for Mgr Giovanni Bosco Gauci, the General Vicar), thanked Mgr Bishop Grech for his pastoral work in the diocese during the year 2012 and wished him a happy new year.

Mgr Bishop Grech delivered a short talk for the occasion.  He said that in the past the Church “made history”.  Even in our times the Church has to continue this mission.  Like Mary, the Church is called to offer to society the “new wine”, that is Jesus Christ.

This was the theme discussed in the Bishops’ Synod held in October 2012 and which Mgr Grech attended.  The theme was the New Evangelization.  The Bishop said that during the Synod the element of “collegiality” within the Church was evident.  This element needs to be more centralised.  He said that collegiality includes also the need for more lay people to be entrusted with pastoral responsibilities.  In this way the Church will no longer be clerical.

“The Synod was a Christological symphony.”  The Holy Trinity and the figure of Jesus Christ in particular, was the centre of every discussion.  In fact, the mission of the Church is to preach Jesus Christ to mankind.  To do so, we have to follow the example of the early Church.  Before starting its mission, the early Church gathered and waited in prayer since it knew that it was only God himself who could create his Church.  For this reason, “the new evangelisation requires preachers who are spiritually renewed”.

Before preaching Christ, the preacher has to stop to listen to the Word.  For this reason, the new evangelisation is, above all, not a question of applying new “methods” for the proclamation of the Bible, but is a call for the need of the same preacher to strengthen his faith in Christ and place the Christological kérygma in the centre of his evangelisation.  It is this faith that will make him a missionary: since faith without apostleship is a dead faith!

Mgr Bishop Grech added that the new evangelisation is needed also because of the social and cultural scenario that is ever-changing and making new claims.  In this culture there exist new spaces that need the light of Christ.  We cannot be indifferent to the need of filling these spaces with this light.  According to the Vatican II Council, the Christian, Catholic and Apostolic spirit in the whole world is looking forward to a more profound doctrine and a more mature formation of the conscience.  Mgr Grech said that this applies particularly to priests.

It is only in this way that priests can retain the role of “maestri di cultura” and keep on sowing Christ in modern culture.  This new evangelisation demands a new ecclesiology: a Church that embraces communion and a Church in a relationship with the world.  This leads to reciprocal help, because when the Church interacts with society it teaches man to be more humane and at the same time the Church gains a lot from the world.

In concluding, Mgr Bishop Grech said that the Synod came up with various practical suggestions so that there would be this new evangelisation.  These suggestions can be delved into more deeply in the future.  He ended his talk by saying that he hoped that the diocesan presbytery will continue to renew itself spiritually.  In this way, the new evangelisation can take place and will contribute towards a spiritual enrichment of the island.

Click here to download Bishop Grech’s speech (in maltese)

Archpriest Can Tarcisio Camilleri, delegate of the Gozitan clergy, announced the activities for the clergy in the coming future.  Refreshments followed.

Nhar il-Ġimgħa 21 ta’ Diċembru filgħaxija s-seminaristi bdew il-waqfa tagħhom għall-Milied.  Tul il-ħmistax ta’ vaganzi huma setgħu jqattgħu aktar ħin mal-familja tagħhom, jistrieħu, imma anke jkunu aktar preżenti fil-parroċċi tal-pastorali u fil-parroċċi tal-oriġini tagħhom.

Mons. Isqof Mario Grech, dakinhar filgħaxija, ġie s-Seminarju jmexxi l-quddiesa ta’ radd il-ħajr fi tmiem l-ewwel term.  Għal din il-quddiesa kienu mistiedna l-ġenituri tas-seminaristi flimkien mal-Aħwa Ħbieb tas-Seminarju.  Mons. Isqof bena l-omelija tiegħu fuq l-ewwel qari tal-ġurnata, mill-Ktieb tal-Profeta Sofonija: “Il-Mulej hu f’nofsok; ma jkollokx iżjed ħsara minn xiex tibża’” (Sof 3,15).  Hu fakkar lilna lkoll preżenti li aħna, dawk li ninsabu qrib Alla, imsejħin inwasslu din l-aħbar lin-nies kollha ta’ madwarna.

Fi tmiem il-quddiesa sar il-ftuħ tal-wirja Incarnatione.  Fl-okkażjoni tas-Sena tal-Fidi l-Kummissjoni Djoċesana tal-Arti Sagra flimkien mas-Seminarju tal-Qalb ta’ Ġesù ħadu ħsieb itellgħu wirja ta’ arti sagra fuq il-misteru tal-Milied, fis-sala tas-Seminarju.  Hemm il-ħsieb ukoll li fi żmien l-Għid tiġi mħejjija wirja oħra, din id-darba fuq il-misteru tal-qawmien ta’ Kristu mill-imwiet.  Ir-Rettur, Fr Daniel Xerri, ta merħba lil dawk preżenti u spjega l-iskop għalfejn ittellgħet din il-wirja.  Fr Joseph Calleja, mill-Kummissjoni Djoċesana tal-Arti Sagra, ta kritika tax-xogħlijiet li jinsabu eżebiti.  Mons. Isqof, imbagħad, qabel ma nieda l-wirja, wera l-apprezzament tiegħu għall-inizjattiva li ttieħdet u ħeġġeġ biex nivvalutaw aktar l-arti sagra bħala espressjoni tal-fidi tagħna.

Ritratti

The evening of the 21st December marked the beginning of the Christmas holidays for the seminarians.  During the fifteen-day holiday, the seminarians could be with their family, and offer their services at their parish of origin and at other parishes where they are following pastoral duties.

That same evening, Mgr Bishop Mario Grech paid a visit to the Seminary where he led a Mass of Thanksgiving to mark the end of the first term.  Parents of seminarians and members of Aћwa Ħbieb tas-Seminarju attended this Mass.  Mgr Bishop focused his homily on the first reading of the day, taken from the Book of the Prophet Zephaniah: “The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst, you have no further misfortune to fear” (Zep 3,15).  He reminded the congregation that we, who are close to God, are asked to spread this news to all the people around us.

After Mass, the exhibition Incarnatione was declared open.  On the occasion of the Year of Faith, the Diocesan Commission of Sacred Art, together with the Seminary of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, put up an exhibition of sacred art regarding the mystery of The Incarnation.  This exhibition was put up in the main hall of the Seminary.  Another exhibition regarding the mystery of The Resurrection will be put up for Easter.  The Rev. Rector, Fr Daniel Xerri, welcomed the guests and explained the aim behind this exhibition.  Fr Joseph Calleja, of the Diocesan Commission for Sacred Art, gave a critical appreciation of the exhibited works.  Mgr. Bishop inaugurated the exhibition and praised this initiative.  He augured a better evaluation of sacred art as this is a form of expression of our faith.

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