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On the 1^st May, the feast of St Joseph the Worker and a public holiday, our community paid a visit of Malta.  We first visited Id-Dar tal-Kleru, where Fr Daniel Xerri, our Rector, led a concelebrated Mass, accompanied by the priests who reside in this home.  Then we had the opportunity of meeting several priests, including Gozitan priests, who shared with us some experiences, thoughts and advice.  We proceeded to visit the Tal-Virtù Seminary where we stayed for dinner.

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Fl-1 ta’ Mejju, jum ta’ btala pubblika meta l-Knisja tiċċelebra lil San Ġużepp Ħaddiem, il-komunità tagħna għamlet mawra f’Malta.  Il-ġurnata bdiet bi żjara fid-Dar tal-Kleru, fejn ir-Rettur Dun Daniel Xerri ppresieda waqt konċelebrazzjoni mas-saċerdoti residenti f’dik id-dar.  Wara dan, kellna l-opportunità niltaqgħu ma’ diversi saċerdoti, fosthom uħud Għawdxin, li bil-ferħ qasmu magħna xi esperjenzi minn tagħhom u anke ħsibijiet u pariri.  Minn hemm, imbagħad, morna nżuru lil sħabna s-seminaristi tad-Djoċesi ta’ Malta fis-Seminarju Tal-Virtù, fejn konna mistednin għall-pranzu.

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On the 4^th Sunday of Easter (29^th April 2012), the Universal Church prays the Lord of the Harvest to send more workers in his field.  In conjunction with this day, the Vocations Group within the Seminary Community, together with the diocesan director for vocations, organised two events during which adolescents and youths could experience seminary life.  On Tuesday 24^th April, Form 5 students and older students joined the seminarians in moments of evening prayer, followed by dinner, a short rest and a football match.  On the following Saturday, there was a gathering for altar boys and members of Vocational Groups. These boys came from the Form 1 to Form 4 age group.  The boys were divided into two groups and they were guided to reflect on priestly vocation as a gift that is received gratuitously so that it can be shared gratuitously with others.  On Sunday, the seminarians animated gatherings and Holy Mass in the parishes of Gozo.  Prayers for Vocations were said in all the churches.

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Fir-raba’ Ħadd tal-Għid, 29 ta’ April 2012, il-Knisja Universali titlob lil Sid il-Ħsad jibgħat aktar ħaddiema fil-għalqa tiegħu.  F’rabta ma’ dan il-jum, il-Grupp tal-Vokazzjonijiet fi ħdan il-komunità tas-seminarju, flimkien mad-direttur djoċesan għall-pastorali vokazzjonali organizza żewġ mumenti li fihom adoloxxenti u żgħażagħ seta’ jkollhom kuntatt mas-seminarju.  Nhar it-Tlieta 24 ta’ April, ġew mistiedna studenti mill-klassijiet tal-form 5 ’il fuq, biex jingħaqdu mas-seminaristi għall-mument ta’ talb filgħaxija, għaċ-ċena u wara ftit ħin ta’ mistrieħ u lobgħa futbol.  Is-Sibt ta’ wara, l-abbatini u l-membri tal-gruppi tal-vokazzjonijiet li huma fil-klassijiet bejn il-form 1 u 4 ġew imqassmin f’żewġ gruppi, u saritilhom riflessjoni dwar il-vokazzjoni bħala rigal li wieħed jirċevih b’xejn biex ikun jista’ jaqsmu b’xejn ma’ ħaddieħor.  Fil-jum tal-Ħadd, imbagħad, is-seminaristi animaw laqgħat u Quddies fil-parroċċi t’Għawdex, waqt li l-Knisja kollha talbet għall-Vokazzjonijiet.

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On the occasion of the sixtieth anniversary of his presbyterial ordination, Archbishop Emeritus Ġużeppi Mercieca paid a visit to the Diocese of Gozo where he was brought up, where he received his education and where he was ordained priest.  He shared his life experience with us and he urged us to always trust in God and to hold our relationship with Him above all else.  He joined us in our mid-day prayer and then had dinner with us.  In the evening, we participated in the Pontifical Mass celebrated for the occasion at the Gozo Cathedral.

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Fl-Okkażjoni tas-sittin sena anniversarju mill-Ordinazzjoni Saċerdotali tiegħu, l-Arċisqof Emeritus Ġużeppi Mercieca għamel żjara lid-Djoċesi ta’ Għawdex li fiha trabba, studja u ġie ordnat.  Nhar il-21 ta’ April, huwa żar is-seminarju tagħna, fejn hu kien student u anke rettur.  Hu qasam magħna l-esperjenza tiegħu u ħeġġiġna nafdaw dejjem fil-Mulej, u nżommu r-relazzjoni tagħna miegħu ’l fuq minn kull ħaġa oħra.  Wara li tlabna t-talb ta’ nofs il-jum flimkien miegħu, hu kien mistieden għall-pranzu.  Filgħaxija, imbagħad, ħadna sehem fil-pontifikal li sar fl-istess okkażjoni fil-Katidral tal-Assunta.

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Nhar id-19 ta’ Marzu, is-seminaristi u diversi studenti universitarji u tas-sixth form flimkien mad-direttur tal-vokazzjonijiet Dun Michael Curmi, approfittaw mill-btala pubblika sabiex jorganizzaw sports day għall-abbatini kollha t’Għawdex.  Din l-attività li kienet mifruxa mid-9am sas-2pm ġiet organizzata fil-gym ta’ ħdejn is-seminarju, u għaliha attendew xejn inqas minn 120 abbati, kważi minn kull parroċċa u knisja fejn hemm l-abbatini.  L-isports day bdiet b’riflessjoni qasira minn Dun Michael Curmi.  Imbagħad ingħata bidu għal serje ta’ logħob bejn l-erba’ timijiet differenti li fihom kienu mqassmin dawk kollha li ħadu sehem.  Kien hemm ukoll wirja ta’ skills tal-futbol mill-plejer Għawdxi Chris Camilleri.  Fl-aħħar tal-attività, ingħatat tifkira f’forma ta’ midalja lit-tfal u lill-parteċipanti kollha.

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The 19^th March was Sports Day for all Gozitan altar boys. The sports activities were organised by the seminarians and various university and sixth form students, together with  Fr Michael Curmi, Director for Vocations.  The activities were held in the gym next to the Seminary and lasted from 9am to 2pm.  About 120 altar boys from almost all churches and parishes of Gozo joined in.  The day started with a short talk by Fr Michael Curmi.  The participants were divided into four different teams. Then followed a series of games among the four different teams.  Chris Camilleri, a Gozitan football player, gave a show of football skills.  At the end of the activity all the partecipants received a medal as a memento.

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Nhar il-Ħadd 26 ta’ Frar 2012, l-ewwel Ħadd tar-Randan, Mons. Isqof Mario Grech ta l-ministeru tal-Lettorat lis-seminarista Daniel Sultana mill-parroċċa tax-Xagħra u l-ministeru tal-Akkolitat lis-seminarista Gabriel Gauci mill-parroċċa ta’ Kerċem.  Il-ministeri ngħataw waqt konċelebrazzjoni fil-parroċċa ta’ Kristu Salvatur, fl-Għasri.  Waqt l-omelija tiegħu Mons. Isqof qal: “Kif fid-deżert Kristu kien imġarrab, hekk ukoll jiġri lid-dixxipli tiegħu, speċjalment lil dawk li huwa jagħżel għalih!  Importanti li aħna nxandru lil Kristu sħiħ!  F’epoka bħal din tagħna, mhix daqshekk remota t-tentazzjoni li, biex jogħġbu lill-massa, il-ħabbara tal-Vanġelu jaslu li jipprietkaw parti biss mill-verità.  Dan mhux biss ikun imur kontra l-lealtà tagħna lejn Alla li sejħilna u bagħatna, imma wkoll kontra dik lejn il-bnedmin, għax b’dan il-mod inkunu nkattru n-nixfa spiritwali.”

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On Sunday, 26^th February 2012, the first Sunday of Lent, H.L. Mgr Bishop Mario Grech bestowed the ministry of Lectorate to seminarian Daniel Sultana, who hails from the parish of Xagħra, and the ministry of Acolytate to seminarian Gabriel Gauci from the parish of  Kerċem.  During the homily, Mgr Grech stated that: “Christ’s disciples, especially those whom he has chosen to be His, will be tempted just as Christ himself was tempted in the desert!  It is important that we preach Christ holistically!  In an era like ours, there is the tendency that, in order to accomadate the masses, the preachers of the Gospel preach only part of the truth.  Such an attitude does not go only against our loyalty to God who called us and who sent us to preach, but also against the loyalty to mankind, since in this way we would be perpetuating a spiritual drought.”

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Bejn l-14 u s-16 ta’ Frar 2012 is-Seminarju Maġġuri, flimkien mal-Kummissjoni Kleru, organizza tlett ijiem ta’ aġġornament għall-Kleru bit-tema: “Bin il-bniedem se jsib fidi fuq l-art meta jiġi?” (Lq 18,8).  Dan sar bi tħejjija għas-Sena tal-Fidi mnedija mill-Papa Benedittu XVI u li se tiftaħ f’Ottubru li ġej, kif ukoll bi tħejjija għall-viżta pastorali li Mons. Isqof Mario Grech se jagħmel fid-djoċesi ta’ Għawdex fl-okkażjoni tas-Sena tal-Fidi.  Fl-ewwel jum tkellem Fr Hector Scerri SThD dwar “L-esperjenza tal-fidi, fid-dawl tal-ittra appostolika ‘Porta fidei’ tal-Papa Benedittu XVI”.  Fit-tieni jum tkellem Fr Renè Camilleri SThD dwar “L-evanġelizzazzjoni l-ġdida”, u fit-tielet jum il-Prof. Oliver Friggieri dwar “Il-proposta tal-fidi lis-soċjetà Maltija tal-lum u ta’ għada”.  Il-laqgħat saru fis-sala tas-Seminarju tal-Qalb ta’ Ġesù u għalihom attendew għadd sabiħ ta’ saċerdoti djoċesani u reliġjużi kif ukoll is-seminaristi.