In a tradition introduced by John Paul II during his papacy 35 years ago, St. Peter’s Square will showcase a large Christmas manger beginning on December 7. 

Work has already begun in the square, as craftsmen are building the structure of the enclosure. 

These iron bars will provide support for the birth, which will occupy almost 900 square feet and measure nearly 23 feet tall…

L‑Arċisqof Charles J. Scicluna ħatar tmien religious counsellors ġodda sabiex jikkontribwixxu fil‑ħidma pastorali f’għadd ta’ skejjel tal‑istat. Huma ser jingħaqdu mat‑tim ta’ 21 religious counsellor li qed jagħmlu ħidma pastorali fid‑diversi skejjel medji u sekondarji.

It‑tmien religious counsellors ġodda huma:

• Dun Sergio Fenech u Dun Joe Mifsud ser jaqdu ħidma fl‑iskola Medja tal‑Kulleġġ San Injazju tal‑Ħandaq,
• Dun Mark Mallia Pawley fl‑iskola medja tal‑Kulleġġ ta’ San Benedittu f’Ħal Kirkop,
• Patri Ivan Attard OP fl‑iskola sekondarja tal‑Kulleġġ ta’ San Benedittu f’Ħal Kirkop,
• Dun James Saydon fl‑iskola sekondarja fil‑Kulleġġ Santa Klara f’Pembroke,
• Dun Claude Mifsud fl‑iskola medja tal‑Kulleġġ San Nikola fir‑Rabat,
• Dun Gilbert Scicluna fl‑iskola medja tal‑Kulleġġ Santa Margerita f’Bormla, u
• Dun Chris Ellul fl‑iskola sekondarja tal‑Kulleġġ San Tumas Moore f’San Luċija…

As a gesture of openness, cooperation and “cultural diplomacy,” the Vatican Museums have organised two joint art exhibitions with China.

“It is the first time ever the Pope’s museums have organised an exhibit in the People’s Republic of China,” Barbara Jatta, director of the Vatican Museums, told reporters at a Vatican news conference on November 21.

Art, with its “beauty, is an exceptional vehicle for dialogue” in every corner of the world because it is “without fear, without barriers,” she said…

• Nhar il‑Ġimgħa, 24 ta’ Novembru 2017, hu l‑ħames anniversarju tal‑ordinazzjoni episkopali tal‑Arċisqof Charles J. Scicluna. Għal dan il‑għan, il‑Knisja tħeġġeġ lill‑Insara biex dakinhar jitolbu għal Mons. Arċisqof biex il‑Mulej jagħtih l‑għajnuna meħtieġa fil‑qadi tal‑ministeru tiegħu bħala r‑Ragħaj tal‑Knisja f’Malta.

  Dakinhar tal‑anniversarju, fis‑6:30 p.m., l‑Arċisqof ser jiċċelebra Quddiesa fil‑Knisja Arċipretali tal‑Mosta, fil‑bidu tal‑Assemblea Djoċesana 2017. Kulħadd hu mistieden jingħaqad mal‑Arċisqof għal din il‑Quddiesa…

Pope Francis has chosen Brazil’s Cardinal Sérgio da Rocha to serve as relator general of next year’s Synod of Bishops on youth.

The nomination of the 58-year-old Archbishop of Brasilia was announced at the Vatican on November 18. The relator is responsible for providing a comprehensive outline of the synod’s theme at the beginning of the meeting and for summarising the speeches of synod members before work begins on concrete proposals for the pope…

It-Tnejn, 20 ta’ Novembru 2017, waqt il-viżta pastorali fost il-komunità Bormliża, l-Arċisqof Charles J. Scicluna żar il-kongregazzjonijiet tas-sorijiet fil-Parroċċa tal-Immakulata Kunċizzjoni.

Fil-Monasteru Santa Margerita, l-Arċisqof iltaqa’ mas-sorijiet Kermelitani Tereżjani tal-klawsura waqt li fil-Kunvent tas-sorijiet Ursolini, Mons. Arċisqof żar lis-sorijiet Ursolini kif ukoll lill-Franġiskani u lill-Missjunarji tal-Karità.

Agħfas hawn biex tara r-ritratti kollha tal-laqgħa tal-Arċisqof mas-sorijiet f’Bormla…

Pope Francis celebrated Mass on Sunday – the XXXIII Sunday in Ordinary Time and the first-ever World Day of the Poor – in St Peter’s Basilica. The Holy Father announced the World Day of the Poor during the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy, and entrusted its organization and promotion to the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization.

There were some 4 thousand needy people in the congregation for the Mass, after which Pope Francis offered Sunday lunch in the Paul VI Hall…