Sitt Seminaristi Ser Jingħataw Il-Ministeru Tal-Akkolitat

L-Isqof Charles J. Scicluna, Amministratur Appostoliku, ser jistitwixxi sitt seminaristi fil-ministeru tal-akkolitat, waqt ċelebrazzjoni li ser issir nhar il-Ġimgħa 19 ta’ Diċembru 2014, fil-knisja parrokkjali ta’ San Ġużepp, il-Kalkara. Il-Quddiesa tibda fis-6:30 p.m.

Is-sitt seminaristi huma Sergio Fenech u Mark Mallia Pawley mill-Parroċċa ta’ San Sebastjan Martri, Ħal Qormi, Claude Mifsud mill-Parroċċa ta’ Marija Mtellgħa s-Sema, il-Mosta, James Saydon mill-Parroċċa ta’ Marija Bambina, in-Naxxar, Andrew Schembri mill-Parroċċa ta’ San Ġorġ, Ħal Qormi, u Gilbert Scicluna mill-Parroċċa ta’ San Ġużepp, il-Kalkara.

L-għoti tal-ministeru tal-akkolitat jimmarka pass ieħor…

Calendar… but not only !

Christmas lights, decorations, staff parties, Christmas carols, delicious food…. How easy it is for one to only tick the to-do list of external, artificial things in preparation for Christmas and forget what the time of Advent really is.

“Advent is a journey towards Bethlehem. May we let ourselves be drawn by the light of God made man” (tweet of Pope Francis on 21/12/13). Advent is not Christmas, thus to borrow from this tweet, Advent is not focusing on Bethlehem, it…

Lura l-Università

Wara li konna diġa lestejna l-kors tagħna ġewwa l-universita` u kellna wkoll ix-xogħol tagħna, il-Mulej sejħilna biex nimxu warajĦ għal din il-mixja ta’ formazzjoni ġewwa s-Seminarju. Din il-mixja talbet minna li nieqfu mix-xogħol li kellna u nerġgħu nibdew kors ieħor ġewwa l-universta`.

Il-kors li għandna kif bdejna huwa totalment differenti minn dak li konna għamilna qabel. Aħna konna segwejna korsijiet b’temi xjentifiċi, filwaqt li issa qed nsegwu kors fil-Filosofija u t-Teologija. Id-differenza fil-korsijiet tinħass għax dan huwa kors li sakemm…

Five Men to be Ordained Deacons

Tomorrow, Sunday 9th November, 2014, four seminarians and a Capuchin friar are going to be ordained deacons by His Lordship Monsignor Charles J. Scicluna, Titular Bishop of San Leone, Apostolic Administrator, Sede Vacante, during a mass celebrated at Christ the King Parish Church, Paola, commencing at 6:00pm.

The five deacons-to-be are, Carlo Calleja from Stella Maris Parish Church, Sliema, Abraham D’Amato, from St Peter in Chains Parish, Birżebbuġa, Christopher Ellul, from Christ the King Parish, Paola, Br Bertrand Vella OFMCap…

Apostleship of Prayer – November

Attached you will find a prayer proposal in English and in Maltese for the Pope’s Universal Intention for November.

The reflection rotates around the experience of solitude of a child.

November 2014

Novembru 2014

Il-Bidu jiġi wara t-tmiem.

Għadni niftakar il-mument tant emozzjonanti meta bdejt il-mixja tiegħi fis-Seminarju ftit tas-snin ilu u issa ġa wasalt fl-aħħar sena tiegħi ta’ formazzjoni fis-Seminarju u ser nibda fażi ġdida f’ħajti. Fi ftit ġranet oħra, jien flimkien ma’ erbgħa oħra minn sħabi ser niġu ordnati djakni. Huwa mument importanti ħafna f’ħajti għax b’dan il-pass ser ningħata b’mod iktar sħiħ lil Alla u lill-Knisja.

Id-djaknu fil-Knisja tal-bidu kien l-id il-leminija tal-isqof fil-ħidma tiegħu fost il-foqra. Illum id-djaknu (li jfisser ‘qaddej’) hu dak li…

60 Years On…

Sixty years have passed since the first student teachers entered the gate of Mater Admirabilis Training College at Tal-Virtù. However, this was but the new accomodation of the college, which opened its doors to the first group of 25 students on October 20, 1944 – feast of Mater Admirablis – at very cramped quarters in the convent/school at St. Julian’s. The initial ten-week course gradually developed into a two-year residential one, and a new college was built at Tal-Virtù. …

World Mission Sunday

For this year’s World Mission Sunday, at the Seminary, we presented some information about the contribution that seminarians gave in the Church’s missionary work around the world during the past 10 years. The word mission itself means “to be sent,” and many of us, at some point, have heard this invitation to leave everything behind us and go transmit the good news of God’s mercy and hope, and most of all, of God’s love. We are invited to…

An absurd gift

Few things were as countercultural as The First Modern Pope’s bold statement in 1967. Then, amid the sexual revolution that was gaining momentum across the western world, Paul VI reaffirmed the practice of priestly celibacy in his encyclical letter On Priestly Celibacy. Needless to say, the instruction met strong opposition from all camps.

Despite frequent calls for revision of this stance, the Church’s position remains unequivocal: prior to being ordained deacon, the candidate is to publically assume before God and…

Flirting with emptiness

It’s strange that we can be tempted to flirt with emptiness. Normally it’s not our first option. While working in a construction company I became aware that at the end of the day, everyone tries to shed off the dust caught in order to return back home in one’s true colours. We value dignity.

And yet we can be tempted to flirt with emptiness:

Empty words and empty promises;

Focusing on image at the expense of substance;

Seeking to impress rather than to…