In the message for this 54th World Day of Prayer for Vocations, the Pope reflects on the missionary dimension of our Christian calling. 

The Holy Father says that “commitment to mission is not something added on to the Christian life as a kind of decoration, but is instead an essential element of faith itself.  A relationship with the Lord,” he adds, “entails being sent out into the world as prophets of his word and witnesses of his love.”

Even if at times when “we are conscious of our weaknesses and tempted to discouragement”, Pope Francis underlines,  “we need to turn to God with confidence”, and he reiterates that, by “virtue of baptism, every Christian is a “Christopher”, a bearer of Christ, to his brothers and sisters.”

In the message divided into three subtitles, the first being “Jesus is anointed by the Spirit and sent”, the Holy Father explains that, “to be a missionary disciple means to share actively in the mission of Christ.”

In the second heading, “Jesus is at our side every step of the way”, Pope Francis describes how “the questions lurking in human hearts and the real challenges of life can make us feel bewildered, inadequate and hopeless.”  But he goes on to say, “if we contemplate the risen Jesus walking alongside the disciples of Emmaus we can be filled with new confidence.” 

In the third subtitle, “Jesus makes the seed grow”, the Pope says that, “it is important to let the Gospel teach us the way of proclamation.”  “The seed of the Kingdom”, he adds, “however tiny, unseen and at times insignificant, silently continues to grow, thanks to God’s tireless activity.” 

Concluding his message the Holy Father underlines that, “there can be no promotion of vocations or Christian mission apart from constant contemplative prayer and he encourages this kind of profound friendship with the Lord, “above all for the sake of imploring from on high new vocations to the priesthood and the consecrated life.”

The 2017 World Day of Prayer for Vocations will be celebrated on May 7th…

Nhar it-Tlieta li ġej, 9 ta’ Mejju 2017, il-Knisja f’Malta tiċċelebra l-festa tal-ewwel qaddis Malti, San Ġorġ Preca. 

16-il sena ilu, fid-9 ta’ Mejju 2001, il-Fosos tal-Furjana kienu ppakkjati bin-nies, ilkoll preżenti għall-beatifikazzjoni ta’ San Ġorġ Preca, li sitt snin wara waslitu għall-kanonizzazzjoni. 

Għal din l-okkażjoni, fil-Kappella tal-Madonna tal-Midalja Mirakoluża (il-Kappella tal-MUSEUM), il-Blata l-Bajda se jsiru dawn iċ-ċelebrazzjonijiet:

Il-Ġimgħa 5 ta’ Mejju 6:00pm – Quddiesa tal-Ewwel Jum tat-Tridu, iċċelebrata minn Dun Andrew Borg…

Mil‑lum, il‑Ġimgħa 5 ta’ Mejju, sal‑Ħadd 7 ta’ Mejju 2017, il‑Malta Catholic Youth Network (MCYN) qed torganizza konferenza għall‑youth leaders bl‑isem ta’ ‘Plexus’, fil-kunvent tal‑iskola ta’ Sant’Agata, ir‑Rabat.

Il‑Malta Catholic Youth Network (MCYN) hi kummissjoni ġdida fi ħdan il‑Knisja f’Malta li tagħti leħen liż‑żgħażagħ, u li tieħu ħsieb tikkordina u tħeġġeġ il‑ħidma pastorali fost iż‑żgħażagħ. L‑MCYN hija mmexxija mid‑delegat tal‑Arċisqof għaż‑żgħażagħ, Benjamin Flores Martin…

L‑Arċisqof Charles J. Scicluna żar lir‑residenti taċ‑Ċentru Terapewtiku ta’ San Blas, limiti ta’ Ħaż‑Żebbuġ. L‑Arċisqof iltaqa’ personalment mar‑residenti ta’ San Blas li qed jagħmlu wieħed mit‑tliet programmi għar‑rijabilitazzjoni mid‑droga, offruti mill‑Knisja f’Malta permezz tal-Caritas.

Huwa ġie milqugħ mill‑Vigarju Episkopali għad‑Djakonija, Mons. Charles Cordina, mid‑Direttur ta’ Caritas Malta, Leonid McKay, mill‑Kordinatur tas‑Servizzi, is‑Sur Anthony Gatt, u mill‑istaff kollu ta’ San Blas…

Nhar it-Tnejn, l-1 ta’ Mejju 2017, fis-Seminarju tal-Arċisqof ittellgħet l-attività Preca May Day Call, waħda miż-żewġ attivitajiet ippjanati għall-ġimgħa tal-vokazzjonijiet.

L-attivitajiet  li saru kienu jinkludu sport, drama, tpinġija, qari ta’ stejjer, logħob bil-kompjuter u anke diskussjonijiet, kollha jduru mal-ħajja tas-saċerdot u qaddis Malti San Ġorġ Preca. 

Filgħodu żar l-attività l-Arċisqof Charles J. Scicluna, fejn kellu wkoll l-opportunità jiltaqa’ mat-tfal u anke jiċċelebra Quddiesa fil-kappella tas-Seminarju…

Aktar minn 3,600 persuna żaru l-Palazz tal-Arċisqof fil-Belt Valletta, waqt il-Valletta Green Festival, organizzat mill-Fundazzjoni Valletta 2018, bejn it-28 u t-30 ta’ April 2017.

Il-viżitaturi ngħataw l-opportunità unika li jżuru l-parti sotterranja u jammiraw il-ġnien pittoresk tal-Palazz, bil-funtana tiegħu tmur lura għas-seklu 17. Id-dħul għall-Palazz tal-Arċisqof kien bla ħlas, bil-ġurnata tal-Ħadd kienet l-aktar impenjattiva, hekk kif marru jżuruh aktar minn 1,000 persuna…