Published on January 12, 2011
in 2010.
One year from the earthquake of 12th January 2010, Haiti is still reeling from the devastating experience which has since been followed up by a sever hurricane and a cholera epidemic. The earthquake killed 250,000 people and destroyed much of the housing and infrastructure in Port au Prince.
Caritas Internationalis responded swiftly and within 72 hours of the earthquake, a team of more than 20 international staff from Caritas organisations in Latin America, Africa, Oceania and Europe had assembled in Port au Prince to lend their assistance and solidarity to Caritas Haiti and the local Church as they scaled up to respond to the disaster.
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Published on January 12, 2011
in 2010.
Kmieni dal-lejl, l-Erbgħa 12 ta’ Jannar 2011, tħabbret il-mewt ta’ Mons Ġużeppi Zerafa minn Għajnsielem. Mons Zerafa twieled fl-1938, u kien ordnat saċerdot fil-25 ta’ April 1965. Bejn l-1981 u l-2006 huwa qeda l-ministeru saċerdotali bħala Arċipriet tal-Parroċċa Madonna ta’ Loreto, f’Għajnsielem.
Il-funeral tiegħu se jsir nhar it-Tnejn 17 ta’ Jannar. Fit-3.00pm jitlaq korteo funebri mill-Knisja l-Qadima għall-Knisja Parrokkjali ta’ Għajnsielem, fejn fit-3.30pm Mons Isqof Mario Grech imexxi konċelebrazzjoni praesente cadavere.
Nitolbu għalih biex il-Missier tas-Sema jilqgħu fost il-ġemgħa ferrieħa tal-qaddisin.
Published on December 28, 2010
in 2010.
Media Release
December 28, 2010
Australian Catholic Church mourns a holy and gentle pastor
– Bishop Joseph Angelo Grech, 1948-2010
It is with great sadness that we inform you of the death of Bishop Joseph Angelo Grech, Bishop of Sandhurst, Victoria, at the age of 62.
Bishop Joe Grech took ill on 22 December with a recurrence of a blood disorder. His condition deteriorated on Christmas Day, and he died peacefully in St Vincent’s Private Hospital Melbourne with Archbishop Mark Coleridge and Fr Maurizio Pettena CS, as well as family members and close friends at his side.
Maltese-born Bishop Joseph Angelo Grech was born in 1948 and ordained to the priesthood in 1974. He was installed as the sixth Bishop of Sandhurst on 27 April 2001.
President of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference Archbishop Philip Wilson today paid tribute to Bishop Joe as an exceptional pastor.
“My brother Bishops and I are deeply saddened by the death of Bishop Joe Grech. Bishop Joe has been a wonderful member of the Episcopal Conference. He has made a tremendous contribution to the Church in Australia because of his deep faith and spirituality, which has been shown especially in the zeal with which he dealt with issues
of migrants and refugees and his outreach to young people. He has also shown a wonderful support and commitment to Charismatic prayer groups in this country”, he said. Bishop Joe’s commitment to the people of the Diocese of Sandhurst was that of a man with a deep love for humanity and a great enthusiasm for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Bishop Joe is quoted as saying: “I love Jesus Christ and want everyone to have the same opportunities to know and love him as I do.” Bishop Joe was the Bishops’ delegate for Youth and Young Adults and for Migrants and Refugees, and he served in these roles with joy and a deep compassion. Bishop Joe frequently spoke out on the treatment of asylum seekers and refugees in Australia, and he matched these words with pastoral action, through his involvement in the establishment of services in remote detention centres. Young people around Australia will feel particularly keenly the loss of Bishop Joe whose enthusiastic manner, unique and charismatic style of preaching and gentle pastoral sensibility helped many young people encounter the spirit of Jesus Christ.
Further details and funeral arrangements will be provided as they come to hand.
Eternal rest grant unto him and may perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace.
For media enquiries please contact Beth Doherty 0407 081 256 or Fr Brian Lucas 0419 243 959.
Published on December 28, 2010
in 2010.
Ftit siegħat ilu waslet l-aħbar li l-Eċċellenza Tiegħu l-Isqof Joe Grech, Isqof ta’ Sandhurst fl-Awstralja, temm il-missjoni tiegħu fuq din l-art u mar jingħaqad ma’ Kristu Rxoxt fid-Dar tal-Missier.
L-Isqof Joe Grech li huwa mill-Arċidjoċesi ta’ Malta, għal ħafna snin wettaq il-missjoni tiegħu bħala saċerdot u bħala isqof fl-Awstralja kemm għall-emigranti Maltin f’dak il-kontinent, kif ukoll għall-poplu t’Alla fl-Awstralja fdat f’idejh.
L-Isqfijiet ta’ Malta u Għawdex flimkien mal-Kleru u mar-Reliġjużi u l-Lajċi li tant drabi l-Isqof Grech saħħaħ bix-Xandir tal-Kelma, b’sens qawwi ta’ fidi u tama, jingħaqdu fit-talb f’dan il-mument speċjali mal-familja tal-Isqof Grech, mal-aħwa tiegħu fl-Episkopat fl-Awstralja, mal-Kleru, Reliġjużi u Lajċi fid-Djoċesi ta’ Sandhurst u ma’ dawk kollha li f’ħajtu gawdew mill-ħidma pastorali tiegħu.
Published on December 10, 2010
in 2010.
Kemm-il darba ssemma u nkiteb fuq il-mezzi tax-xandir u l-istampa li l-Knisja f’Malta għandha xi diffikultajiet dwar il-Liġi li tirregola Organizazzjonijiet Volontarji u l-Amministrazzjoni tagħhom.
Ġieli ġie allegat li dawn id-diffikultajiet huma li l-Knisja ma tridx li tagħti rendikont skont din il-Liġi, tad-dħul u l-infieq finanzjarju tal-attivitajiet tal-Organizazzjonijiet tagħha. Dan mhux il-każ. Id-diffikultajiet huma ta’ natura oħra. Billi t-taħdidiet mal-awtoritajiet konċernati għadhom għaddejjin u jidhru li resqin lejn it-tmiem, jidhrilna li mhux prudenti nagħtu aktar dettalji.
L-Awtoritajiet tal-Knisja jirringrazzjaw lill-benefatturi li bl-offerti u s-sehem tagħhom isostnu l-hidmiet tal-organizazzjonijiet tal-Knisja b’risq min hu f’xi bzonn. Nirringrazzjaw ukoll lill-Awtoritajiet Ċivili li dejjem sabu mezz legali biex jibqgħu jagħtu s-sussidju tant meħtieġ biex dawn l-organizazzjonijiet jibqgħu jagħtu dan is-servizz.
Published on November 22, 2010
in 2010.
Il-Moviment Gradwati Għawdxin jistieden lill-gradwati u l-membri tal-professjonijiet kollha (anki koppji) għall-Quddiesa tal-ewwel Ġimgħa tax-Xahar fit-3 ta’ Diċembru, ċelebrata minn Dun Renato Borg (li għamel tant snin bħala segretarju u asistent personali tal-Isqof Nikol Cauchi). L-intenzjoni se tkun bħala suffraġju għal ruħ Mons Cauchi li beda attivitajiet indirizzati għall professjonisti u waqqaf dan il-moviment – u baqa’ responsabbli tiegħu sal-aħħar.
Bħas-soltu ssir fil-knisja ta’ Santu Wistin (Victoria): fit-8.00pm - ħin tard fl-għaxija biex jippermettilhom jaħtfu din l-opportunita’ u jsegwu omelija speċifikament għalihom. Ikun hemm ukoll il-possibilta’ tal-Qrar minn kwarta qabel.
Ilkoll imħeġġa nieħdu sehem: okkażjoni biex nerġgħu nesprimu r-ringrazzjament tagħna.
Published on November 22, 2010
in 2010.
Bijografija ta’ Patri Joe Bonello
Ħatra ta’ Isqof ġdid minn Għawdex
Tifraħ il-Knisja f’Għawdex bl-aħbar li waslet illum li wieħed minn uliedha, Patri Joe Bonello OFM mix-Xagħra ġie magħżul mill-Papa Benedittu XVI bħala isqof koadjutur tad-djoċesi ta’ Juticalpa fil-Ħonduras.
In-nomina tal-E.T. l-Isqof Bonello mhux biss tfakkarni fl-imħabba ġeneruża li l-poplu Għawdxi għandu lejn il-missjoni, imma hija wkoll konferma ta’ kemm il-komunità parrokkjali tax-Xagħra għandha għal qalbha l-ħidma għall-vokazzjonijiet saċerdotali u reliġjużi.
Filwaqt li f’isem id-djoċesi nifraħ lill-E.T. Mons Isqof Joe Bonello OFM u lill-Provinċja Franġiskana Maltija San Pawl Appostlu, insejjaħ lill-Insara biex bl-interċessjoni ta’ Marija Bambina jitolbu lil Alla jieqaf mal-Isqof Bonello fil-missjoni ġdida afdata f’idejh. Nappella wkoll lill-familji tagħna biex jibqgħu jkunu ġenerużi kemm ma’ Ġesù Kristu meta jsejjaħ lil xi ħadd minn uliedhom għal warajh, kif ukoll mal-Knisja fil-missjoni.
Illum, it-Tnejn, 22 ta’ Novembru 2010.
+ Mario Grech
Isqof ta’ Għawdex
Published on November 22, 2010
in 2010.
Il-Ħadd 21 ta’ Novembru 2010, fid-Djoċesi ta’ Għawdex ġiet iċċelebrata l-festa ta’ Kristu Sultan. I-tema magħżula “Bil-ġrieħi tiegħuksibna l-fejqan tagħna” (Is 53,5). Dan sar fil-kuntest ta’ din is-sena pastorali li fiha l-Knisja f’Għawdex qed tirrifletti fuq is-“Sagrament tal-Qrar għajn ta’ Fejqan”.
Il-program beda quddiem il-knisja ta’ San Franġisk f’Victoria fejn Mons Isqof għamel it-talb tal-bidu li kien segwit b’korteo bix-xbieha ta’ Kristu Msallab. Il-ġemgħa miġbura imxiet f’mixja ta’ talb lejn il-parkeġġ ta’ quddiem l-iSptar Ġenerali ta’ Għawdex.
Mal-wasla tal-korteo t-tfal li din is-sena ser jiċievu għal-ewwel darba s-sagrament tar-rikonċiljazzjoni poġġew fjura ħamra quddiem is-Salib; saret l-inċensazzjoni tal-Kurċifiss minn Mons Isqof. Iċ-ċelebrazzjoni kompliet b’qari mill-kelma ta’ Alla u esperjenza ta’ fejqan fil-ħidma ministerjali tas-saċerdot -li ingħatat minn Patri Franco Fenech OFM Cap - u esperjenza ta’ fejqan fil-ħajja ta’ koppja miżżewġa minn koppja.
Lejn tmiem iċ-ċelebrazzjoni tkellem Mons Isqof Mario Grech. Fid-diskors tiegħu huwa qal:
“Kull bniedem jixtieq ikun ferħan. F’kull bniedem hemm l-għatx biex ikun ferħan. Għalina li nemmnu f’Ġesù Kristu, il-fidi hija għajn ta’ ferħ; permezz tal-fidi n-Nisrani mhux biss huwa mlibbes bil-ġmiel imma għandu qawwa li jsebbaħ madwaru.
Imma fl-istess ħin hawn ħafna dieqa fina u madwarna. Mhumiex ftit dawk il-bnedmin li għandhom qalbhom mimlija bid-dwejjaq. Uħud mill-familji tagħna huma mifluġin u nieqsa mill-ferħ. Smajna l-esperjenza li tana Patri Franco ta’ kategorija waħda mis-soċjetà tagħna. Smajna l-esperjenza xhieda sabiħa ta’ din il-kopja.
Is-soċjetà tagħna hija diżordinata forsi wkoll għax tixtieq tfittex il-ferħ imma qed tfittex mezzi li ma jipprovdux il-ferħ li jibqa’.
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One year from the earthquake of 12th January 2010, Haiti is still reeling from the devastating experience which has since been followed up by a sever hurricane and a cholera epidemic. The earthquake killed 250,000 people and destroyed much of the housing and infrastructure in Port au Prince.
