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
INT Ewkaristija
Darba l-Papa Benedittu kien qal: Ewkaristija li ma tgħaddix għall-prattika konkreta tal-imħabba hija xi ħaġa essenzjalment framentata. Aħna ma niġux hawn biex niċċelebraw l-Ewkaristija għax hija xi tradizzjoni. Niġu hawn għaliex l-Ewkaristija tatina l-qawwa naffrontaw bi mħabba dak kollu li niltaqgħu miegħu. L-Ewkaristija mhux ċelebrazzjoni sabiħa u daqshekk. Fil-fatt m’hemmx Ewkaristija bla kumpassjoni u bla ma naqsmu ma’ l-oħrajn. Ewkaristija hija għotja. F’kull ċelebrazzjoni Ewkaristika Ġesù jingħata lill-Missier għalina. Jingħata
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
Vocation as a call to holiness
One way of expressing this is to say that the fundamental human vocation is the call to holiness, the call to be a saint. The saints are not just heroic people who live in history books; they are ordinary Christians who have tried to live their faith without holding anything back – to love God with their whole hearts, to love those around them without counting the cost, to work
To be saints…
To be saints is not a privilege for the few, but a vocation for everyone. — Pope Francis (@Pontifex) November 21, 2013
1. Desire and attraction
You don’t need to over-analyse your life, looking for conclusive signs in every mood or event. This can become an obsession, and even a superstition, like reading the tea leaves or the horoscopes. When you stand back and take a look at the big picture, perhaps a pattern emerges, and you sense that you are being drawn in a particular direction. Usually, you don’t really need more signs, you just
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
Water Is Thicker Than Blood, an Augustinian Theology of Marriage and Singleness
Water Is Thicker Than Blood, an Augustinian Theology of Marriage and Singleness, ktieb ta’ Jana Marguerite Bennett, ippublikat mill-Oxford University Press fl-2008. Mit-titlu wieħed igħid – imma b’mod xjentifiku d-demm huma aktar oħxon mill-ilma, u allura għaliex dan it-titlu? Dan il-ktieb jikkunsidra kif id-djar, l-familji u l-ħajja domestika huma relatati mal-Knisja. F’teoloġiji bikrija kienet iktar iglorifikata l-ħajja monastika bħala triq aktar diretta għall-ġid sopranaturali, filwaqt li ħassieba kontemporanji jaraw li
Lejn fejn sejra ħajti?
Lejn fejn sejra ħajti? Liema direzzjoni ħadet, qabdet, qiegħdha? Mistoqsija li ħafna persuna jistaqsu, għaliex ħafna drabi l-aktar affarijiet importanti fil-ħajja huma mitlufa fil-materjaliżmu u hedoniżmu. Naqraw stejjer ta’ persuni li jfittxu li jagħtu lil ħajja tagħhom direzzjoni ġdida, għaliex ħafna affarijiet (fosthom il-ġid u l-popolarità) ħallewhom b’sens kbir ta’ vojt fil-ħajja tagħhom. Huma d-deċiżjonijiet fundamentali li jagħtu direzzjoni lil ħajjitna. Fil-fatt fl-Evanġelju skont San Luqa, naraw li beda l-vjaġġ
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
X’qed itaqqalna fil-ħajja?
X’qed itaqqalna fil-ħajja? X’qed jagħmilna skjavi? Forsi kif qiegħda tinbidel is-soċjetà X’valuri għandna llum Il-fejn sejrin fil-ħajja tagħna u fis-soċjetà li qegħdin ngħixu X’irridu mill-ħajja – nuqqas ta’ sodisfazzjoni fil-ħajja Frustrazzjoni Kundizzjonijiet ibsin tal-ħajja Il-faqar fid-dinja Nies għajjenin, aljenati Mifnija taħt it-toqol tat-telqa u l-indifferenza (indifferenza tal-bnedmin u indifferenza tal-insara) Toqol ta’ struttura ekonomika li drabi tabbuża mill-bniedem Skjavi Tal-idea tagħna mingħajr ma nisimgħu u nħallu qalbna għal ideat differenti
Kemm tara ‘l bogħod?
Is-sejħa biex inkunu qaddisin San Pawl fi-tieni qari jħeġġiġna li kulħadd imsejjaħ għall-qdusija, kulħadd imsejjaħ biex jara naqra iktar, tħares fil-bogħod. M’hemmx dak u l-ieħor, kollha kemm aħna mistednin għal ħwejjeġ kbar, ħwejjeġ/esperjenzi li ma jħalluniex naraw biss il-kumditajiet tagħna. Mhux daqshekk biss! Is-‘sufan’ mhux tajjeb għalina l-insara. Is-sufan huma l-kumditajiet tiegħi, dawk l-affarijiet li jagħmluni safe, dawk il-persuni li magħhom inħossni komdu għax huma inqas minni, Il-profeta Iżaija iħeġġiġna
Min ifittex isib…
Min ifittex isib, min iħabbat jiftħulu Min jaf kemm-il darba rrepetejna din il-frażi lil xulxin.. probabli l-kuntest ta’ din il-frażi jkun meta xi ħadd ikun qiegħed jgħejja jfittex jew ikollu bżonn kuraġġ biex ikompli jfittex.. jew forsi qaluha lilna! L-istess ħaġa ġralhom il-maġi fil-festa tal-lum. Pero bid-differenza li l-maġi komplew ifittxu biex sa fl-aħħar sabu lil Ġesu u “mtlew b’ferħ kbir, inxteħtu fl-art iqimuh, fetħu t-teżori tagħhom u offrewlu r-rigali”
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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