Bullettin ta’ 4 Ħadd matul is-Sena (Sena B)
Archive for January, 2009
L-għadd 147 tar-rivista Marjoloġika Madonna Ta’ Pinu għandu bħala tema interessanti tiegħu x’inhu “santwarju” fl-ottika Kristjana. Mons. Lawrenz Sciberras jiftaħ b’espożizzjoni biblika li fiha jfisser il-viżjoni Lhudija tat-Tempju ta’ Ġerusalemm, u warajh il-liturġista Patri Anton Farrugia ofm jikteb fuq ir-rit tad-Dedikazzjoni ta’ knisja. Fir-riflessjonijiet patristiċi tiegħu, din id-darba mibnija fuq kitbiet San Ambroġ, Mons. Carmelo Refalo jitfa’ ħarstu fuq Marija bħala t-Tempju l-ġdid. Biex wieħed jifhem sew is-sens teoloġiku tas-“santwarju” m’għandux jitlef l-artiklu ta’ Dun Gerard Buhagiar Għaliex is-Santwarju?
Intenzjoni Ġenerali
Biex ir-Rgħajja tal-Knisja meta jgħallmu u jaqdu lill-Poplu ta’ Alla jkunu aktar sensittivi għall-ħidma tal-Ispirtu s-Santu.
Intenzjoni MissjunarjaĦalli l-Knisja fl-Afrika ssib il-mezzi biex tippromovi r-rikonċiljazzjoni, il-ġustizzja u l-paċi. Continue reading >>
On the occasion of the year dedicated to St. Paul, the Sacred Art Commission (of the Diocese of Gozo) in collaboration with the Ministry for Gozo is holding an exhibition at the Ministry of Gozo, Victoria. The exhibition, officially opened by HE Dr Edward Fenech Adami, the President of Malta and blessed by HE Mgr Mario Grech, the bishop of Gozo last Saturday, 24th January, will be open till the 14th February 2009.
Download Official Exhibition Program
Maltese Version
Contrary to what has been reported in the past few days in the media regarding what Bishop Mario Grech said about homosexual persons, with respect to truth and to those same persons with a homosexual orientation, the bishop states that in the homily referred to, he only said: “the fact that our Church does not remain one of the masses, but becomes a minority, should not weigh heavily on one’s heart. Since a little salt is enough to provide taste, it is important that the salt is not insipid! Whoever does not accept Christ’s teaching, would be consistent with his self if he excommunicates himself from the Church.”
In that homily, Bishop Grech did not mention any category of persons; he never mentioned homosexual persons, and much less did he say that homosexuals should leave the Church.
Sexual orientation by itself is never a moral disorder; it’s the wrong use of that orientation that goes against the moral order.
Those who know what the Church is, know that it is holy and, at the same time, continuously needing purification. In it there are sinners who, because they want to discover the true love, open their hearts to the Word of Christ and daily pray for God’s mercy.
Therefore, whoever is ready to receive the Good News, considers Christ as his Saviour and is open to conversion, he is not excluded from the Church, even if his weakness, whatever type it is, makes this process long and difficult.
This applies also to persons with homosexual orientation. These, too, we must receive with respect, love and gentleness. They are called to do God’s will in their lives; if they are Christian, they must unite the difficulties they encounter because of their condition to the glorious cross of Christ.
Eċċellenza,
F’isem il-Kappillani ta’ Għawdex , u f’isem il-Kulleġġ tal-Konsulturi nagħtik merħba fostna.
Żgur li nkun qed nesprimi s-sodisfazzjon tagħna lkoll talli għoġbok toffri dan il-ħin magħna, minkejja l-ħafna impenji tiegħek.
Nixtiequ nuru l-apprezzament tagħna għall-karriera twila tiegħek fil-ħajja politika u bħala President tar-Repubblika ta’ Malta. Aħna nqisu dan iż-żmien tiegħek mhux biss bħala karriera imma wkoll bħala missjoni, meta nafu li l-konvinzjonijiet u l-principji li mexxew u dawlu lil ħajtek kienu dejjem ispirati minn dawk tal-Vanġelu. B’hekk int offrejt l-enerġija tiegħek għall-ġid ta’ art twelidna u bħala servizz lil ħutna l-Maltin kollha, bi spirtu tassew Nisrani. Nistqarru li dan huwa ta’ ġieħ kbir għall-Knisja f’Malta.
Bħala ministri li l-Knisja f’Għawdex afdatilna t-tmexxija u l-kura tal-poplu ta’ Alla, aħna l-Kappillani mhux rari li fil-ħidma pastorali tagħna niltaqgħu wkoll ma’ persuni bi ħtiġijiet umanitarji li fil-limiti tagħna nippruvaw nagħtu sehemna ħalli ngħinu u ntaffu xi ftit mit-tbatija ta’ dawn il-persuni. Għalhekk nixtiequ wkoll f’din l-okkażjoni jkollna l-opportunità nieħdu mingħandek ftit mill-ħażna kbira tal-esperjenza tiegħek fit-tmexxija socjali tal-poplu tagħna, biex aħna wkoll inkomplu nsaħħu u ntejbu l-qadi tagħna lill-poplu afdat f’idejna, u naraw kif nistgħu nkunu dejjem ta’ għajnuna għalih fid-diversi oqsma tal-ħajja.
Nixtiequ nirringrazzjawk mhux biss ta’ din il-preżenza tiegħek fostna u li biha qed tonorana, imma wkoll nghidulek grazzi u grazzi mill-qalb għal dak kollu li tajt lil pajjiżna.
Minn qalbna nixtiequlek ħafna snin ta’ mistrieħ mistħoqq għall-ħidma fejjieda tieghek u nwegħduk it-talb taghna.
Għalkemm hemm min jippreferi jiddeskrivi l-epoka li qed ngħixu fiha bħala “żmien ta’ kriżi, nippreferi li nsejħilha bħala “epoka li għaddejja mill-uġiegħ tal-ħlas”. Għax għalkemm ma nistgħux ma nirrikonoxux id-diversi forom ta’ tbatija u kontradizzjonijiet li l-bniedem u s-soċjetà qed iġarrbu llum, wieħed jittama li dawn huma l-esperjenzi li jwaswlu għal tnissil ta’ ġenerazzjoni ġdida li jkollha kwalità ta’ ħajja aħjar.
Quddiem il-problema tal-infertilità, hemm koppji li huma ħerqana li jilqgħu l-ħajja; fost dawk li sfortunatament kellhom falliment ta’ ħajja miżżewġa, hemm min għadu jemmen fiż-żwieġ, tant li jixtieq li jesplora jekk jistax ikollu possibiltà li jerġa’ jiżżewweġ; għalkemm illum is-sotentament u l-manteniment tal-familja saru piż mhux żgħir, għandna ħafna li b’sagrifiċċju personali jaraw kif jistgħu jaqilgħu xi ħaga aktar biex idawru r-rota; affrontati b’diffikultajiet soċjali, qed nassistu għal staġun ġdid fid-dinja tat-tredjunaliżmu! Dawn l-eżempji u istanzi oħrajn mill-ħajja familjari u soċjali ta’ ġensna jixhdu li l-poplu tagħna għandu “voglia di vivere”, u bl-ebda mod ma jidher li b’xi mod ser inċedu għat-tentazzjoni li naqtgħu qalbna u ma nissiltux biex ngħixu ħajjitna fil-milja tagħha!
In response to seven days filled with tragedies suffered by boat people off the coasts of Africa, Asia and the Americas, the International Catholic Migration Commission sounds a loud “Mayday!” to governments, international institutions, civil society organisations and the media to respond with urgency and humanity to the plight of the men, women and children in these crossings.
Published reports over just the seven days January 16-23 have described:
Jan. 17: At least 500 asylum seekers from Burma and Bangladesh pushed out to sea on boats, and abandoned, without engines, and according to survivors, with little or no food or water and their hands tied. In one report, more than 100 migrant workers were feared drowned after a warship forced their barge back out to sea, leaving it adrift.
