Discover who YOU are
We are Augustinians.
We would like to walk with you the walk of life with all the challenges and questions it brings with it.
Learn more about us answer your restless calling today.
A lamp to your feet
God ‘speaks’ to us in ordinary ways
Christians talk about how God ‘calls’ us to do something, and perhaps we think this means that one day we will literally hear a voice telling us what to do. Sometimes God does speak to us in clear and dramatic ways, but more often he ‘speaks’ to us in ordinary ways. He guides us through the deepest desires of our hearts (calling us ‘from within’) and the events and circumstances
To be saints…
To be saints is not a privilege for the few, but a vocation for everyone. — Pope Francis (@Pontifex) November 21, 2013
Holding the hand of the Lord…
“How wonderful to walk along in life holding the hand of the Lord” (Saint Edith Stein). The most beautiful thing in this world is to be led by the hand of God. Not going at it alone when we pursue our interests and goals, but rather taking it on together with Someone who knows and loves us. Not building my life alone, but in a loving and trusting communion with
Each vocation in the Church…
Each vocation in the Church has its origin in the compassionate gaze of Jesus, who forgives us and calls us to follow Him. — Pope Francis (@Pontifex) April 17, 2016
Titħajjar tiġi warajja? – Ġesù
Relazzjoni ma’ Ġesù – Ġesù jitkellem magħna Il-Mulej li jitkellem fil-ħajja tagħna…b’mod normali mingħajr trombi: Jistedinna biex nimxu warajh: bil-persuni li niltaqgħu magħhom, bil-Bibbja li hija l-kelma tiegħu bit-talb personali tagħna bl-ewkaristija bis-sagramenti b’mod qawwi fis-sagrament tar-rikonċiljazzjoni jitkellem bl-esperjenzi tagħna, jitkellem fil-ferħ tagħna, fit-tama, fil-ħolm, fil-qadi tagħna jitkellem fil-mumenti ta’ dlam, diffikultajiet, qtigħ ta’ qalb Nirriflettu: aħna kif nitkellmu miegĦu? Kemm nagħtu kas ta’ dawn il-mumenti li fihom jitkellem il-Mulej
Educators
Priests
Missionaries
Religious
Augustinians
Discover who WE are
We were founded as an Augustinian Order in 1244 when Pope Innocent IV gathered together various hermit communities in Italy and have been present in Malta since the 14th century.
We follow the footsteps of Christ and Saint Augustine.
We serve God and his people in diverse ministries as priests, educators and missionaries.
Our Stories
Augustinian Heart Blog
The City of God
Saint Augustine is often regarded as the most influential Christian thinker after Saint Paul, and City of God is his masterpiece, a cast synthesis of religious and secular knowledge. It began as a reply to the charge that Christian other worldliness was causing the decline of the Roman Empire. Augustine produced a wealth of evidence to prove that paganism bore within itself the seeds of its own destruction. Then he
Huwa preżenti fina
Illum hija l-festa ta’ Pentecoste…waħda mill-isbaħ festi. Hija l-festa tal-Ispirtu s-Santu… Minn din il-ġurnata l-Ispirtu kien “mogħti”, u nirċevuh u nirrikonoxxu d-don ta’ Kristu Rxoxt. L-Ispirtu li jagħti l-qawwa, li huwa preżenti f’kollox, preżenti fil-kultura tagħna. Huwa wkoll l-Ispirtu li bil-kwiet u tul iż-żmien jipperparana biex ngħixu l-fidi. Huwa l-Ispirtu li qed preżenti f’kull mument tal-ħajja tagħna. Mingħajru, ma nkunx l-istess. U grazzi għad-doni tiegħu, nista’ nimxi, nimxu f’dan il-vjaġġ
Kattar fina l-Fidi…
Hija karba li llum għandha eku. Li nagħmlu mistosqijiet fuq il-fidi tagħna huwa eżerċizzju san. Il-fidi ma nistgħu npoġġuha fuq l-ixkaffa sakemm nużawha, għaliex imbagħad niskopru li saret dgħajfa u bla sens mill-użu tagħha u ma ssostniniex. U għalhekk il-virtu tal-integrita tinvolvi eżerċizzju importanti li tgħina wkoll fil-mumenti ta’ sfida. Li tkun bniedem bil-fidi huwa aktar itqal illum milli kien qatt qabel? Minn naħa l-waħda LE: l-ġenerazzjonijiet passati kellhom
Lil min jixtieq Alla jressaq viċin, illum?
Din il-ġimgħa, il-biċċa xogħol tagħna, flimkien ma’ Iżaija u Ġwanni l-Battista hija li ngħajtu fid-desert, u li nippreparaw it-triq tal-Mulej, li nagħmlu ħbieb mal-għeddewwa antiki, li npoġġu ħdejn xulxin u naqsmu l-ikel u li nġibu l-paċi fid-dinja. Huwa żmien importanti u serju fejn nikkonvertu d-dinja permezz tal-ġustizzja biex il-paċi issaltan fostna. Lil min jixtieq Alla jressaq viċin, illum? Liema diviżjonijiet/qasmiet nixtiequ li naraw mfejjqa? Forsi wkoll f’pajjiżna…bejn partiti politiċi, bejn
l-imħabba t’Alla b’xejn
Kemm irrid naħfer? Kemm nista’ nirċievi imħabba mingħand Alla? Kemm ser nagħti imħabba? Kif nista’ naħfer? — Għadab u qilla – huma sentimenti naturali li jitilgħu fil-wiċċ meta nkunu mweġġgħin minħabba xi inġustizzja. Mhux faċli li naħfru u mhux xi ħaġa li tiġi mill-lum għal għada, huwa proċess, mixja li titlob minna ħafna kuraġġ u qawwa mill-Mulej. Kemm-il darba għandna naħfru? Pietru jistaqsi sa seba’ darbiet? Hawnhekk Pietru diġà qiegħed
unfinished symphony
L-Evanġelju ta’ dan il-Ħadd ikompli mas-silta tal-Ħadd li għadda. Il-Ħadd li għadda rajna l-ewforija tad-dixxipli u ta’ Pietru fejn raw li Ġesù huwa l-imgħallem, il-ħabib u l-Messija tant mistenni f’Israel. Min jaf kemm kien mument ta’ eċitament għalihom. U Ġesù wkoll ta r-responsabiltà lil Pietru u lid-dixxipli. Pietru – il-blata li ma tiċċaqlaqx – jiġifieri fuq xiex tinbena l-Knisja. Kien mument ta’ ferħ, għaliex huma kienu qegħdin jistennew Messijah –
Frequently Asked Questions
We were founded as an Augustinian Order in 1244 when Pope Innocent IV gathered together various hermit communities in Italy and have been present in Malta since the 14th century. We follow the footsteps of Christ and Saint Augustine and serve God and his people in diverse ministries as priests, educators and missionaries.
In Malta we are presenti in 6 communities: Valletta, Rabat, Tarxien, Pietà, Paceville and Victoria (Gozo).
Here are the three key differences between diocesan priests and religious priests:
1. Where they live.
Diocesan priests serve in the particular geographical region of a diocese or archdiocese. Usually, the bishop assigns them to a parish, where they live independently and interact with the parishioners and broader community. Diocesan priests sometimes live with other priests who serve at their parish, but each can own his own property.
Priests who are in a religious order are not assigned to a particular diocese. Instead, the superior of the order (the Prior Provincial) tells a religious priest where he will live to carry out his ministry. It could be in a different city, or even a different country. Religious priests live in community with one another. The religious priests in community own possessions communally.
2. What their mission is.
A diocesan priest is generally called to serve the needs of his parish. He celebrates Mass and administers sacraments to the parishioners, including Baptism and Reconciliation. At the same time, he runs the parish by making administrative and financial decisions. Additionally, a diocesan priest serves the particular pastoral needs of his parish, such as visiting the sick and spiritually accompanying parishioners.
In contrast, religious priests can work in a wide variety of ministries including a parish, though they also administer the sacraments and celebrate Mass. Their work depends on the charism of their religious order, which refers to the spirituality and particular focus for which the order was founded. Ministries can include teaching, working with the poor, assisting the elderly, leading a contemplative life of prayer, and much more.
3. The promises they make.
All priests make an important and unique commitment to the Church when they decide to enter seminary and when they are ordained. But there are some differences in the types of promises priests make, and when they make them. Diocesan priests make three promises to the bishop at their ordination:
- To recite daily the Liturgy of the Hours
- To obey the bishop
- To live a life of celibacy
Religious priests make temporary solemn vows before their ordination as part of their formation. After a certain number of years, depending on the order, they make final solemn vows. These vows, which are shared by religious brothers, sisters, and priests, are the three evangelical counsels:
- Poverty
- Chastity
- Obedience
Diocesan priests and religious priests are wonderful gifts that Christ has given us in his Church, and in their separate but complementary ways, they help the Church to flourish. We pray in a special way today for vocations to the diocesan and religious priesthood, and for all vocations to consecrated life.
Religious vows are sacred promises. They reflect a life orientation and profound loving commitment. After a period of formation members of religious communities, Sisters, Brothers and those becoming Religious Priests, publicly profess such vows of poverty, celibate chastity and obedience.
Religious vows joyfully free a person to live for God and through that first love to serve others with love and to witness to God’s faithfulness, compassion and care for all.
Poverty is the vow that call us to live simply. We depend on the generosity of our benefactors and commit to living in a community that provides for our material and financial support. The vow of poverty is an invitation to follow Jesus by renouncing earthly goods for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Chastity is a personal virtue – to love others appropriately as a single, celibate male. Chastity is an invitation to renounce marriage and sexual activity. It is also a deeply rewarding form of love. It’s not all sacrifice…. Augustinians share in the intimate and chaste love of family, friends, and those we serve in ministry.
Obedience is the vow to give respect and deference to our legitimate superiors. Our local superior is called a Prior, and he holds responsibility for the local community. Local communities are organized into Provinces, headed by a Provincial. The Provincial serves as the Ordinary, which means that the Provincial can assign where a friar lives and works.
The Rule of St. Augustine incorporates the basic principles of the Augustinian spirituality of religious community life. The Rule of St. Augustine was written around the year 400.
1) Discernment
3) Pre-Novitiate
4) Novitiate
5) Simple Vows
7) Solemn Vows
8) Ordination to the Diaconate
9) Ordination to the Priesthood
Ask by getting in contact with us on our contact page, or talk to a vocations director.
Discover who WE are and who YOU are
To young men we also offer the possibility of living in our community in Pietà for a few days where they can share our life built on the experience of the first Christian community.
Here they live the reality of our daily life by sharing our prayers, our community Eucharist, our food, our recreation and our work, particularly in the service of our brothers and the Church.
Above all we share together the beauty of each person’s story by celebrating the experiences and qualities of each one of us.
Let's Walk Together
We can’t wait to hear your story.
Allow us to accompany you as we embark on this journey of discovering the calling and the wonderful plan that God has for you.
Fill in the form below to start a conversation with our Augustinian Vocations Director.
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