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On Friday 22^nd March, the Church commemorated the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows.  In the afternoon the seminarians left the Seminary to visit their parish where they celebrated this feast with their community.

On Palm Sunday, 24^th March, after serving at the Cathedral in the morning, the seminarians met at Dar Stella Maris at Żebbug for a spiritual retreat, led by Fr Martin Micallef OFM Cap.  Fr Micallef urged the seminarians to let this retreat be an opportunity to embrace Divine Mercy and consequently be a moment of conversion.  The spiritual retreat ended on Wednesday 27th March, after the midday lunch.

The seminarians could then join their families for a fifteen-day holiday.  During the liturgical celebrations of the Pascal Triduum, the seminarians served at the Cathedral.  They will return to the Seminary on Monday, 8^th April.

Nhar il-Ġimgħa 22 ta’ Marzu ġiet iċċelebrata t-tifkira devozzjonali ta’ Marija Addolorata.  Waranofsinhar is-seminaristi kellhom l-opportunità li jmorru fil-parroċċi tagħhom biex jiċċelebraw din il-festa flimkien mal-komunitajiet tagħhom.

Nhar Ħadd il-Palm, 24 ta’ Marzu, wara li filgħodu s-seminaristi taw is-servizz tagħhom fil-Katidral, huma nġabru f’Dar Stella Maris, fiż-Żebbuġ, għall-irtir tagħhom.  Din is-sena l-irtir tmexxa minn Fr Martin Micallef OFM Cap.  Hu ħeġġeġ lis-seminaristi sabiex iħallu l-irtir ikun għalihom opportunità ta’ laqgħa mal-ħniena ta’ Alla u konsegwenzjalment mument ta’ konverżjoni.  L-irtir ġie fi tmiemu l-Erbgħa 27 ta’ Marzu permezz tal-ikel ta’ nofsinhar.

Wara l-irtir is-seminaristi ngħaqdu mal-familjari tagħhom għal ħmistax ta’ waqfa  u mistrieħ.  Fiċ-ċelebrazzjonijiet liturġiċi tat-Tridu Mqaddes tal-Għid huma taw is-servizz tagħhom fil-Katidral.  Is-seminaristi għandhom jirritornaw is-Seminarju nhar it-Tnejn 8 ta’ April.

It is a custom for our seminary to celebrate the feast of St Joseph, carer of Jesus and husband of Mary.  On the eve of the feast and on the feast day, the seminarians served at the Cathedral during the celebrations led by the Bishop.

As part of the celebrations, our lecturers met the Bishop at the Seminary on 16^th March and later joined the community for lunch.

The 19^th March 2013 is a special day since it witnessed the beginning of the Papal ministry of Pope Francis.  During the days of the conclave our community joined the Church at prayer for the election of a new Pope.  We followed the events on television and internet, especially on Wednesday evening, 13^th March, when we followed the media to welcome the new Pope.

Hija drawwa sabiħa li fis-seminarju tagħna tiġi ċċelebrata bħala festa komunitarja s-solennità ta’ San Ġużepp, ħarries ta’ Ġesù u raġel ta’ Marija.  Barra minn dan, lejliet u nhar id-19 ta’ Marzu s-seminaristi taw s-servizz tagħhom fil-Katidral matul iċ-ċelebrazzjonijiet immexxija minn Mons. Isqof.

Fl-okkażjoni ta’ din il-festa wkoll, is-Sibt 16 ta’ Marzu, il-lecturers iltaqgħu fis-Seminarju għal laqgħa flimkien ma’ Mons. Isqof u wara ngħaqdu mal-komunità għall-ikel ta’ nofsinhar.

Id-19 ta’ Marzu 2013 se jibqa’ mfakkar bħala l-bidu tal-ministeru Petrin tal-Papa Franġisku.  Tul il-ġranet tal-konklavi l-komunità tas-Seminarju ngħaqdet mal-Knisja fit-talb għall-għażla tal-papa l-ġdid.  Aħna segwejna b’attenzjoni ċ-ċerimonji u l-istennija ta’ din l-aħbar permezz tal-mezzi tat-televiżjoni u l-internet; speċjalment nhar l-Erbgħa 13 ta’ Marzu filgħaxija, meta nġbarna flimkien quddiem it-televiżjoni biex nilqgħu lil Papa Franġisku.

For the second consecutive year the seminarians organised a sports day for altar boys and for members of the Groups for the Promotion of Vocations.  This activity was held on Tuesday 19^th March, feast of St Joseph.

A number of children and youths met at 9.00am at the Seminary.  The activity started with a short prayer meeting led by Fr Joseph Curmi.  The participants were then grouped into four teams and then took part in the various games organised for them.  At noon the participants stopped for a snack.  The activity ended at 2.00pm with a tug-of-war.

All the participants received a memento, prepared by the seminarians.  During this activity the altar boys met the seminarians in a different environment from the one in which they usually meet. They also had the opportunity of teaming up with altar boys from other parishes.

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Għat-tieni sena konsekuttiva s-seminaristi ħadu ħsieb jorganizzaw sports day għall-abbatini u għall-istudenti tal-vokazzjonijiet tad-djoċesi.  Din saret fil-festa ta’ San Ġużepp, it-Tlieta 19 ta’ Marzu.

Għadd ta’ tfal u adoloxxenti nġabru fis-Seminarju fid-9.00am.  L-attività bdiet permezz ta’ mument ta’ talb immexxi minn Fr Joseph Curmi.  Wara li l-parteċipanti ġew imqassma f’erba’ gruppi, ingħata bidu għal-logħob.  F’12.00pm saret waqfa qasira u sar it-tqassim ta’ snack.  Il-logħob spiċċa fis-2.00pm permezz tal-logħba tant mistennija: it-tug-of-war.

Fi tmiem din il-ġurnata sabiħa tqassmet tifkira lil kull min attenda, magħmula mis-seminaristi stess.  L-abbatini kellhom l-opportunità li jiltaqgħu mas-seminaristi f’ambjent differenti minn dak li soltu jiltaqgħu magħhom.  Kellhom ukoll il-possibbiltà li jiltaqgħu mal-abbatini ta’ parroċċi oħrajn u magħhom jaħdmu f’team-work għal għan wieħed.

Ritratti

Matul is-sena jiġu organizzati attivitajiet differenti għall-membri tal-gruppi tal-vokazzjonijiet u għall-abbatini.  Żmien ir-Randan kien mument opportun biex jiġu organizzati attivitajiet djoċesani għall-istudenti tal-vokazzjonijiet.  Nhar it-Tlieta 5 ta’ Marzu lqajna fostna numru sabiħ ta’ studenti tal-form 5 li għexu mas-seminaristi ftit mumenti mill-programm tas-seminarju: mument ta’ talb, l-ikel ta’ filgħaxija, u ħin ta’ mistrieħ.

Bejn il-Ħadd 3 u l-Ġimgħa 8 ta’ Marzu saret ġimgħa ta’ talb għall-vokazzjonijiet fil-parroċċa tal-Qala.  Il-mumenti prinċipali matul din il-ġimgħa kienu l-Adorazzjoni tal-Ħamis li tmexxiet minn żewġ seminaristi, u l-laqgħa mat-tfal tad-duttrina u l-quddiesa ċċelebrata fil-knisja parrokkjali l-Ġimgħa.

Ta’ kull ġimgħa, fil-parroċċi tagħna, diversi studenti jiltaqgħu għal-laqgħa tal-vokazzjonijiet.  Nhar is-Sibt 16 ta’ Marzu, dawn l-istudenti, li huma bejn il-form 1 u 4, iltaqgħu lkoll flimkien fis-seminarju għal laqgħa waħda li tmexxiet mis-seminaristi.  Fi tmiem il-laqgħa l-istudenti kellhom logħba futbol flimkien.

Ritratti 

Throughout the year, various activities are organised for members of Groups for the Promotion of Vocations and for altar boys.  During Lent, such activities were held in the diocese for members of these groups.  On Tuesday, 5^th March, the Seminary hosted a number of Form 5 students who joined us during prayer time and leisure activities and at supper.

Between Sunday and Friday, 3^rd – 8^th March, prayers for vocations were held at the parish of Qala.  The climax of the week was reached on two occasions: the first was on Thursday when two seminarians led the Adoration of the Holy Eucharist, and the second on Friday, when children who attend religious centres met at the parish church where Mass was celebrated.

Every week, our parishes host meetings for students who form part of Groups for the Promotion of Vocations.  These students are in forms 1 to 4 of Secondary Schools.  On Saturday 16^th March, the students joined the seminarians for a meeting at the Seminary.  At the end of the meeting the students played football.

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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!

Ritratti

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 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.