The opening year of the formation was celebrated on Tuesday, at the Major Seminary of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Victoria.

The lecturers of the Major Seminary met for the beginning of the year, chaired by the Rector Can. Richard-Nazzareno Farrugia and by the Prefect of Studies Fr Noel Debono, in the presence of Bishop Anton Teuma.

After words of welcome from the Rector in which he greeted the new lecturers, Fr Noel Debono made a presentation of the criteria mentioned in the Apostolic Constitution Veritatis gaudium (8 December 2017) for the renewal and relaunch of the contribution of ecclesiastical studies.

The lecturers also discussed among themselves the ways in which the link between classroom learning and the questions of man and contemporary society could be made.

Finally, Mons. Bishop thanked all the lecturers for their participation in the work of the academic formation of the seminarians, and spoke to them about the concept of “teaching from the inside out” mentioned by psychiatrist Daniel J. Siegel. (1957-).

Following the meeting a Concelebration was held in the Seminary Chapel led by the Bishop together with the formators and lecturers of the Seminary, in the presence of the seminarians and their families. The Mass of the Holy Spirit was celebrated and after communion the Veni Creator sang.

This year of formation at the Gozo Major Seminary opened with a retreat at the Annunciation Prayer House in Malta between the 22nd and 26th of September.

During it the community of the Seminary is made up of six seminarians and a deacon together with three seminarians who are doing the intermediate year in Italy and Canada. There is also a student starting the Propaedeutic Year.

The Gozo Diocese said that “anyone wishing to help the Gozo Seminary with any charitable initiative can donate canned food and preserves.”

Photo: Gozo Seminary

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