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
How do I know my vocation?
How do I know my vocation? Monk, religious priest, nun, marriage, single life? Many voices are speaking both within me and around me. Here are 3 essential criteria upon which you can rely: Listen to the deepest desire of your heart Test the “endurance” of this deepest desire The “Reality Principle” revisited: it is the Church who calls Discerning Your Vocation – a catholic guide for young adults – Community
Agħti l-pass!
Għandek paċenzja? Lesti tħalli l-qamħ u s-sikrana jitilgħu flimkien bħal bidwi fil-parabbola? Paċenzja Xi drabi bħal donnu naraw biss in-negattiv fina tant li ma jħallinix naraw it-tajjeb u l-pożittiv li hemm fina…naqtgħu qalbna. Jista’ jkun ukoll li nkunu rridu lil kulħadd perfett kif jaqbel lili u min mhux skont il-kriterji tiegħi nwarrbu, nneħħiħ minn ħajti. Għalfejn jiġrilna hekk? Għax ma naċċettawx li aħna lkoll dgħajfin, imma mhux biex naqtgħu qalbna
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
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
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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
Is-sena t-tajba!
Is-sena t-tajba lil kulħadd. Nibdew sena ġdida b’xewqat sbieħ u tajbin. Nawguraw lil xulxin sena mimlija b’ħafna affarijiet sbieħ, li l-liturġija tal-lum tiġborha f’kelma waħda – BARKIET – Il-Mulej jbierkek, li l-Mulej jimlik bil-barkiet tiegħu matul din is-sena li għadna kif bdejna. U fil-fatt il-qari jurina b’mod konċiż x’tikonsisti din il-barka ta’ Alla: li naraw wiċċ Alla u li niltaqgħu miegħu, li ngħixu u nesperimentaw il-ħniena t’Alla, li hija l-imħabba
vox pop
Illum saret moda din l-biċċa tal-vox pops…u għal diversi affarijiet nisimgħu jew naraw minn jistaqsi mistoqsijiet biex jitwieġbu. U llum fl-evanġelju għandna wkoll mistoqsija jew aħjar żewġ mistoqsijiet. Ħafna drabi ma naħsbux fuq din il-ħaġa, imma nindunaw li l-Evanġelji huma mimlija bil-mistoqsijiet. Xi kultant jidher li hemm iktar mistoqsijiet milli tweġibiet. Il-mistoqsijiet jfissru tfixxija, li wieħed ikun għatxan għall-għerf…ikunu mistoqsijiet ġenwini u mhux mistoqsijiet tricky. U hawnhekk nindunaw li permezz
Nafdaw ukoll li Alla jidħol f’ħajjitna, u hemm ikun hemm is-salvazzjoni.
Dan Żakkew kien publikan u sinjur – mela kien sterjotipat li kien diżonest, u l-kredibilità tiegħu zero. U minflok Żakkew stieden lil Ġesù għal ikel, Ġesù stieden lilu nnifsu għal din l-ikla. U b’dan kollu Ġesù jaċċettah bħala wieħed li miegħu setgħa jaqsam ċertu valuri u ċertu ‘understandings’. Ukoll, jurih li miegħu wieħed jista’ jagħmel komunità. U għalhekk imbagħad kien hemm ir-reazzjoni għal dan kollu mill-folla. Kien hemm ostilità kbira.
Do I have a vocation?
“God calls all the souls he has created to love him with their whole being, here and thereafter, which means that he calls all of them to holiness, to perfection, to a close following of him and obedience to his will. But he does not ask all souls to show their love by the same works, to climb to heaven by the same ladder, to achieve goodness in the same way. What sort
dik tiegħi!
Is-Sid tal-għalqa huwa l-Mulej u l-għalqa hija Israel, il-bdiewa huma l-kapijiet tal-Lhud, il-qaddejja huma l-profeti li marru jippruvaw iwasslu l-messaġġ ta’ ġustizzja u paċi f’diversi żminijiet fl-istorja tal-Bibbja, l-iben huwa Kristu li keċċewh u salbuh ‘il barra mill-Belt (mill-ħitan ta’ Ġerusalemm) Il-ħajt tas-sejjieħ kien iservi biex jipproteġi d-dielja minn xi annimali salvaġġi kif ukoll minn xi ħallelin li jippruvaw jisirqu. It-torri kien iservi biex tara jekk hux ġejjin xi ħallelin
Liema ragħaj?
Jiena r-ragħaj it-tajjeb (Ġw 10:11) Illum f’Malta ma tantx għandna naraw ix-xena ta’ ragħaj jirgħa n-nagħaġ, biss żgur li ma kienx il-każ fi żmien Ġesu’, għax flimkien mas-sajd u l-biedja, dan kien xogħol komuni ħafna. F’dan il-Ħadd iddedikat għall-vokazzjonijiet, il-knisja tippreżentalna lil Ġesu’ bħala r-ragħaj li jagħti ħajtu għan-nagħaġ tiegħu biex dawn isalvaw. ‘F’ħadd ħliefu ma hemm salvazzjoni’ – Fl-ewwel qari nisbu din l-affermazzjoni qawwija li jagħmel San Pietru meta
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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