When was the seminary in malta founded

During the Second World War the building of the Seminary was hit three times and sustained considerable damage. For a short period the Major Seminary was transferred to the Oratory at Birkirkara. Twentieth century Malta grew increasingly aware of the need of holy vocations. The future priest was to look up to the Maltese priest himself, not only during Mass but also while hearing confessions, preaching, assisting the dying for long hours and accompanying the deceased to Church and to cemetery.

A local document issued from the Maltese Diocese in the first half of the twentieth century described the priestly vocation as an ardent desire to be useful in serving others. Archbishop Guzeppi Mercieca decided to move the Seminary back to the Mdina area and to its present place, in Tal-Virt? Formerly known as the Mater Admirabilis Training College, the present complex has a history of its own. The main chapel was consecrated by Archbishop Michael Gonzi on 31 May, Under the direction of Monsignor Lawrence Gatt, the now Archbishop?

Seminarians have the formation programme at this place while all students read for their degrees at the Faculty of Theology of the University of Malta.? Formation at the Archbishop? John Chrysostom Crispo 2.? Silvio Pace 3.? John Paul Pace 4.? Emilio Enea Melani 5.?

Francis Wizzino 6.? Joseph Lazzaro ? Alessander Cassar 8.? Louis Gauci 9.? James Bertis ? Joseph Genesius Aquilina ? Padre Maestro Jerome Alboranti ? Gajetan Vella ? Michael Angel Dimech ? Peter Decelis ? Joseph Rizzo ? Laurence Saliba ? Saviour Corso ? John Busuttil ? Dominic Bezzina ? Such year is also notified for its foundation just a couple of years after the erection of the new diocese of Gozo by Blessed Pope Pius IX.

The mastermind behind the whole project however, was the Gozitan born patriot Mgr. Pietro Pace who at the time, was serving as the Vicar General of the newly-erected diocese. Pace had also collaborated with an equal Gozitan patriot — the renowned Sir Adrian Dingli, in order to have Gozo as independent diocese cf.

The Heart of Gozo , Gaulitana 11; Gozo, , page The first batch of seminarians numbered around a hundred. Most of them were boarders and these were divided into three sections: the so called grandi , the mezzani and the piccoli. Later on, the Seminary embraced another section of students known as the piccolini but these would merely receive Primary education.

The building that now houses the Seminary knows its origin to the munificence of several persons who in decided to erect a new hospital for women in the island of Gozo. The encouragement and support of Vincenzo Labini, Bishop of Malta and Gozo, knew no bounds — he promised to meet one third of all costs. Their portraits still hang in the Seminary corridors. Bishop Labini laid and blessed the foundation stone on 3 May It consisted of two halls of a letter L and had a capacity for fifty beds.

Some beds were reserved for incurables and there was a maternity corner for unwed mothers. In , its scope was greatly reduced as the Saint John the Baptist Hospital for males, situated across the street from St Julian Hospital the present complex of the Ministry for Gozo , opened its doors for females.

It had,among other things, stipulated that the diocese open its own seminary and indicated the former hospital as its venue. It was the promoters of the Diocese who had earmarked the building for this noble scope, a suggestion that was endorsed by the Holy See.

Mgr Francesco Buttigieg, the first bishop of Gozo, ordered the implementation of this demand. The St Julian Hospital closed down on 30 November Monsignor Pietro Pace, the Vicar General and the chief promoter of the Diocese, engaged a Roman architect to prepare a plan for its conversion.

Through the efforts of the indefatigable Pace, its conversion soon got under way. He graciously accepted and, on 11 September , three Jesuits arrived from Sicily to assume the responsibility of the new seminary: Fr Antonio Tommasi sj, who was to be the first Rector, Fr Salvatore di Pietro sj, the first Minister and master of Mathematics and Physics, and Brother Antonio Ardagna sj. Bishop Buttigieg, who had worked so hard to set this new venture on a stable and solid basis, unfortunately died the previous July and the official opening was delayed until the election of his successor.

The inauguration eventually took place on 4 November , in the afternoon. In remembrance of the inauguration three marble coats-of-arms were eventually placed over the entrance of the Seminario del Gozo : that of Pope Pius IX flanked by those of Bishop Labini on theleft and Bishop Buttigieg on the right.