Last week, the Liturgical and Missionary Group organised various activities in view of the World Mission Day, celebrated on Sunday, 20th October 2024. This week’s theme was inspired by the parable of the wedding banquet (cf. Mt 22:1-14), as commented by Pope Francis in this year’s World Mission Day message.
This Mission Week started on Monday, October 14th. On this day, the community prayed for Bishop Giovanni Cefai MSSP and Fr Raymond Portelli, who are both Gozitan missionaries in Peru. After dinner, the seminarians watched “Cabrini,” a film that depicts the life of Catholic missionary Francesca Cabrini.
On Tuesday, the Seminary community prayed for Bishops Joe Bonello OFM and George Bugeja, who are both Gozitan missionaries in Honduras and Libya, respectively. In the evening, the seminarians organised a Eucharistic adoration that included special prayers related to Mission Day and a reflection on the parable of the wedding banquet.
On Wednesday, the prayers were dedicated to Fr Anton Grech and Mgr Joseph Camilleri, both Gozitan missionaries, this time in Guatemala. On Thursday, the seminary community welcomed Mgr Jimmy Xerri, currently serving as the diocese’s delegate for Caritas and previously serving as a missionary in Brazil. Mgr Xerri celebrated mass and shared a reflection on his previous work in Brazil. On that day, the community prayed for Sr. Martha Joy and Sr. Lux Marie, two Gozitan nuns with the Congregation of the Missionaries of Charity. In the evening, a videocall with Br Carmel Duca MC was organised. Br Carmel is a Maltese consegrated layperson forming part of the Congregation of the Missionaries of Charity Brothers and is currently serving his mission in Los Angles. During the videocall, Br Carmel shared his experience with Missionaries of Charity Brothers and also answered several questions made by the seminarians.
On Friday, the prayers were dedicated to Fr Adeodato Schembri and his mission in Brazil. In the afternoon, the Seminarians visited the form 5 students of the Sacred Heart Minor Seminary. They shared with them a missionary-themed message, which included the sharing of missionary experiences in Guatemala, India and the Philippines done by some of the Seminarians in the past months.
In addition to the above-mentioned activities, the Liturgical and Missionary group prepared some missionary symbols, which were placed in the chapel.
