F’konferenza tal-aħbarijiet li saret il-Ġimgħa 8 ta’ Jannar, 2010, ingħataw aktar dettalji b’rabta mat-tħejjijiet għaż-żjara f’Malta tal-Qdusija Tiegħu, il-Papa Benedittu XVI. Kif tħabbar f’Novembru li għadda, il-Papa ser iżur Malta s-Sibt 17 u l-Ħadd 18 ta’ April,    fl-okkażżjoni tal-1950 anniversarju tan-nawfraġju ta’ San Pawl.

  • L-GĦAŻLA TAD-DISINN TAL-LOGO

L-Isqfijiet Maltin għażlu d-disinn ta’ Mario Abela bħala logo uffiċjali taż-żjara tal-Papa f’Malta. Is-Sur Abela li għandu 26 sena hu mir-Rabat, Għawdex. Hu għalliem tal-arti u d-disinn fl-iskola ta’ Santa Tereża, f’Birkirkara. Id-disinn huwa fuq sfond ta’ kulur kaħlani li jissimbolizza l-baħar li jdawwar il-gżejjer Maltin; l-istess baħar li ġab lil San Pawl fuq il-gżejjer tagħna. Id-disinn jinkludi salib abjad u dgħajsa safra fuq il-mewġ, u fl-isfond tidher xena sempliċi li tirrapreżenta l-gżejjer Maltin. Il-kuluri bojod u sofor huma l-istess kuluri tal-bandiera tal-belt tal-Vatikan. Fid-disinn tiegħu, l-artist xtaq juri li d-dgħajsa li ġabet lil San Pawl, din id-darba qed iġġib lil Papa Benedittu XVI, u li t-tnejn li huma ġabulna u se jġibulna l-Bxara t-Tajba ta’ Ġesù Kristu. Dan il-logo li qed jiġi rreġistrat, jista’ jintuża bl-awtorizzazzjoni tal-Kurja tal-Arċisqof.

  • LITURĠIJA

Mis-seba’ korijiet li wrew interess li jieħdu sehem fiċ-ċelebrazzjoni liturġika tas-Sibt 17 ta’ April, fir-Rabat, intgħażel St Monica Choir immexxi minn Sr Benjamina Portelli OSA. Mis-sitt surmastrijiet li wrew interess li jmexxu l-kor waqt il-Quddiesa ta’ fuq il-Fosos nhar il-Ħadd 18 ta’ April intgħażel il-Maestro Dr. John Galea li se jesegwixxi l-Quddiesa Missa in fractione panis. Din il-Quddiesa, li saret fi spirtu tal-linji gwida li ħareġ il-Konċilju Vatikan t-Tieni fuq il-liturġija, ġiet eżegwita għall-ewwel darba fl-okkażjoni tal-25 anniversarju tal-ordinazzjoni saċerdotali ta’ l-Isqof t’Għawdex, Mons. Mario Grech.

Kif kien tħabbar fl-istqarrija għall-istampa maħruġa mill-kumitat organizattiv interdjoċesan, ix-xogħolijet kollha twasslu personalment minn Dun Jesmond Manicaro u Mons. Paul Vella fl-Uffiċċju taċ-Ċelebrazzjonijiet Liturġiċi tal-Q.T. il-Papa. Ftit tal-jiem ilu, Mons. Guido Marini, Ċerimonier tal-Papa, filwaqt li faħħar il-kontribuzzjonijiet kollha, ta l-indikazzjonijiet imħabbra.

Dettalji dwar kif ser jintgħażlu l-koristi għall-Quddiesa tal-Fosos.

Ser ikun hemm żewġ korijiet: wieħed tal-adulti u l-ieħor tat-tfal.

Il-kor tal-adulti ser ikun magħmul minn madwar 120 persuna (Soprani, Alti, Tenuri u Bassi) u dak tat-tfal (subien u bniet bejn it-8 u l-11-il sena) minn 100 persuna. Il-kor tat-tfal jitmexxa minn Andre Paul Huber. Kull min jixtieq jieħu sehem irid jgħaddi minn audition.

L-auditions tal-kbar ser isiru fil-Kurja tal-Arċisqof nhar il-Ġimgħa 29 ta’ Jannar 2010 bejn il-5.00 p.m. u 8.00 p.m. u s-Sibt 30 ta’ Jannar bejn id-9.00 a.m. u 12.30 p.m.

L-auditions tat-tfal ser isiru fil-Kurja tal-Arċisqof nhar is-Sibt 6 ta’ Frar 2010 bejn id-9.00 a.m. u l-12.00 u bejn it-3.00 p.m. u l-5.00 p.m.

  • L-INVOLVIMENT TAŻŻGĦAŻAGĦ

Fl-ewwel laqgħa ta’ konsultazzjoni li saret maż-żgħażagħ u r-rappreżentanti tal-gruppi u għaqdiet tagħhom bil-għan li tibda mixja ta’ evanġelizzazzjoni miż-żgħażagħ bi tħejjija għaż-żjara tal-Papa f’Malta, ġew identifikati żewġ xewqat li ż-żgħażagħ għandhom rigward dan l-avveniment:

1. Jixtiequ jwasslu messaġġ li l-Knisja ma tħalli lil ħadd barra mill-missjoni tagħha ta’ evanġelizzazzjoni. Il-Knisja hija waħda inklussiva u tfittex li tagħti appoġġ u twassal il-messaġġ ta’ mħabba lil kulħadd, irrispettivament mis-sitwazzjoni tal-individwu.

2. Jixtiequ wkoll jaqsmu ma’ żgħażagħ oħrajn l-esperjenza li huma għandhom ta’ Knisja li lesta li tisma’, b’mod partikulari l-vuċi taż-żgħażagħ. Il-Knisja tfittex ħafna li tagħtihom l-ispazju biex ikunu protagonisti fil-missjoni tagħha biex twassal messaġġ ta’ tama u ta’ kuraġġ lis-soċjetà ta’ żmienna.

Il-Kummissjoni Djoċesana Żgħażagħ bdiet taħdem fuq dawn iż-żewġ xewqat li ħarġu minn din il-laqgħa. L-organizzazzjoni kollha li se issir bi tħejjija għall-miġja tal-Papa se sservi biex twassal dawn il-messaġġi u tiftaħ opportunità sabiex wara l-vista tal-Papa tkompli l-evanġelizzazzjoni fuq il-viżjoni li jagħti l-Papa Benedittu XVI.

  • TIFKIRIET UFFIĊJALI

Matul il-konferenza tal-aħbarijiet tħabbar ukoll li l-Knisja se tippubblika ktieb u DVD uffiċjali taż-żjara tal-Papa f’Malta. Se tiġi manifatturata wkoll medalja kommemorattiva,  waħda tal-fidda mastizz u l-oħra maħsula bil-fidda (silver plated). Il-pubbliku se jkun jista’ jordnahom minn qabel biex b’hekk jibbenefika minn offerta ta’ qabel il-publikazzjoni tal-ktieb u tad-DVD, u tal-manifattura tal-munita.

Sadanittant, il-kumitat organizattiv ippubblika wkoll lista ta’ prodotti u servizzi meħtieġa biex dawk kollha interessati jesprimu l-interess li joffru xi prodott jew servizz meħtieġ. Din il-lista hija disponibbli fuq il-website tal-Knisja f’Malta www.maltadiocese.org

Indirizzaw il-konferenza tal-aħbarijiet, Mons. Charles Cordina li qed jippresiedi l-Kumitat Organizattiv Interdjoċesan, Dun Jesmond Manicaro, id-Delegat tal-Arċisqof għal-Liturġija, Dun Savio Vella SDB, id-delegat tal-Arċisqof għaż-żgħażagħ u Mons. Anton Portelli, Segretarju Amminisrativ tal-Arċidjoċesi ta’ Malta.

Biex tniżżel il-wallpaper bil-logo taż-żjara tal-Papa, għafas hawn taħt:


During a Press Conference held on Friday 8th January 2010, more details were given on the preparations for the visit to Malta of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI. As previously announced, Pope Benedict will visit Malta from Saturday 17th to Sunday 18th April 2010 on the occasion of the 1950 anniversary of St. Paul’s shipwreck in Malta.

  • The Official Logo

The Maltese Bishops chose Mario Abela’s design as the official logo for the Pope’s visit. Mr. Abela, a 26 year old teacher from Rabat, Gozo, works as an art and design teacher at St. Therese School in Birkirkara. The design is based on a navy blue colour, symbolizing the seas which surround the Maltese islands. The design includes a brilliant white cross on a vessel of a yellow colour on a background representing Malta. The white and yellow are the colours of the Vatican city flag. The artist wanted to convey the idea that the ship which brought Saint Paul to Malta, is now bringing Pope Benedict XVI, who both fulfilled and will fulfil their mission in bringing over the Good News. This logo is being registered under the Copyright Act and can be used with the permission of the Archbishop’s Curia.

  • Liturgy

The Saint Monica Choir, under the leadership of Sr Benjamina Portelli OSA was chosen out of seven choirs for the liturgical celebration on Saturday 17th April in Rabat. For the celebration of the Eucharist of the 18th April, to be held on the Granaries in Floriana, the Missa in Fraction Panis of Maestro Dr. John Galea was chosen. This Mass will follow the guidelines set out in the Second Vatican Council. It was first performed during Mgr. Mario Grech’s 25th anniversary from his ordination to the priesthood. Mgr Guido Marini, Master of ceremonies for Papal celebrations was responsible for the above choices.

Details on how the choir members will be chosen for the Mass on the Granaries:

Two choirs will be formed: one made up of adults and another made up of children.

The adult choir will consist of approximately 120 persons (Soprani, Alti, Tenors and Bassi) whilst the children’s choir (boys and girls ranging between the ages of 8 and 11 years) will be made of a 100 adolescents. The children’s choir will be led by Andre Paul Huber. All those who would like to express their interest in joining the choir will have to sit for an audition.

The auditions for the adult choir will take place at the Archbishop’s Curia on Friday 29th January 2010 between 5.00p.m. and 8.00p.m, and Saturday 30th January from 9.00a.m. to 12.30p.m.

The auditions for the children’s choir will take place at the Archbishop’s Curia on Saturday 6th February 2010 between 9.00a.m. and 12.00p.m, and 3.00p.m. till 5.00p.m.

  • The Youth Event

In the first meeting held with youth groups’ representatives, in order to include them in the journey of evangelization, two main goals were pointed out:

  1. To pass on the message that the Church is inclusive and wants to pass on the message of the Lord’s love to everyone.
  2. To share their experiences with their peers to show that the Church is ready to listen everyone, especially youth. The church does its best to listen to the youths perspective and give them an important role in its mission to pass on a message of hope and courage in today’s society.

The Youth Diocesan Commission is already working on these two goals which will be the aim revolving around the Pope’s visit.

  • Official Mementos

During the Press Conference it was announced that the Church will be publishing an official book and DVD on the Pope’s visit to Malta. Two silver coins will commemorate the event; one in solid silver and the other will be silver plated. The general public can order these mementos prior to the Pope’s visit in order to benefit from special offers.

The organizing committee published a list of products and services needed, for companies to express their interest. This list is available on the website of the Church in Malta www.maltadiocese.org

The Press Conference was addressed by Mgr Charles Cordina who is presiding the Interdiocesan Organizing Committee, Fr Jesmond Manicaro, the Archbishop’s delegate for liturgy, Fr Savio Vella SDB, the Archbishop’s delegate for youth and Mgr Anton Portelli, the administrative secretary for the Archdiocese of Malta.

Press on the following link to download the Wallpaper for the Pope’s visit: