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
Vocation as a call to a concrete ‘state of life’
Vocation as a call to a concrete ‘state of life’ – Christ has always called some people to follow him in concrete ways, by giving them a more specific vocation. In previous generations, the word ‘vocation’ would only have been used to describe the lives of priests and religious – because these people had in some sense been called ‘away’ from an ordinary life to a life of celibacy and
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
It is a journey that involves patience, honesty, perseverance…
The word ‘discernment’ is used to describe the whole process by which we listen to God and listen to our own hearts, gradually coming to know who God is calling us to be and where he is leading us. It is not something we just decide to do one afternoon, like baking a cake or watching a film. It is a journey that involves patience, honesty, perseverance, generosity, courage, and
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
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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
“Dan hu Ibni l-għażiż, isimgħu lilu”
“Dan hu Ibni l-għażiż, isimgħu lilu” Il-liturġija tal-kelma ta’ dan il-Ħadd tippreżentalna lil Kristu bħala l-persuna li aħna irridu nisimgħu fil-ħajja u li b’fidi fih u bil-għajnuna tiegħu nkunu kapaċi nwettqu dak kollu li Alla jitlob minna fil-ħajja u nirbħu kull diffikulta li niltaqgħu magħha. L-ewwel qari “Aqbad lil ibnek il-waħdieni, li inti tħobb … u hemm offrih b’sagrifiċċju tal-ħruq” – Quddiem ir-rakkont tal-ewwel qari, nibqa mistgħaġeb bil-fidi kbira li
tara u ma tifhimx…
Tara u ma tifhimx….titlob u ma tarax frott…tafda u tħossok tradut…tgħix is-sewwa u jiddieħku bik…taħdem u timpenja lilek innifsek u tibqa’ fejn tkun…tagħmel il-ġid u ma tkunx apprezzat. Tgħix il-Vanġelu u taqlagħha. Din hija l-esperjenza ta’ kull wieħed u waħda minnha. Il-Profeta Ġeremija għadda minn dawn is-sentimenti bħalma ngħaddu minnhom aħna. Minn ġewwa, kien persuna mimli bid-dubbji, mgħobbi b’mistoqsijiet serji fuq l-eżistenza tiegħu u għaliex qiegħed jgħix. Min barra kien
Ħalli d-dgħajsa tiegħek….
Jiena ta’ Pawlu. Jien ta’ Apollo. Jiena ta’ Kefa. Jiena ta’ Kristu. Jien mifrud? Jien ta’ min jien? Hija l-storja tal-bniedem. L-istorja tal-familji, tal-politika, tal-kunventi, tal-parroċċi…Litanija tal-firda. Qasmiet kullimkien. Jien ta’ dak u tal-ieħor. Jien tan-North. Jien tas-South. Jien tajjeb – dak ħażin. Jien ma’ dan il-Papa. Jien mal-Papa l-ieħor. Jien ma’ dan l-isqof. Jien mal-Isqof l-ieħor. Ninqdew b’kollox biex napprofitaw ruħna aħna. Għax meta ngħid jien ta’ xi ħadd,
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”
Liema lingwa?
7,000 lingwa differenti użati fid-dinja…x’varjetà! kif qatt jistgħu jiftehmu bejniethom il-bnedmin b’tant lingwi differenti? B’liema lingwa kien jitkellem Alla? B’liema lingwa jitkellem il-bniedem? Fir-rakkont ta’ Pentekoste nsibu li l-appostli wara li rċevew l-ispirtu s-Santu bdew jitkellmu b’ilsna oħra. X’kien qiegħed jiġri fl-Appostli wara l-mewt ta’ Ġesù? Kienu mimlijin biża’ li ser iduru kontrihom, u għalhekk issakkru fiċ-Ċenaklu bil-bibien magħluqa. Lingwa tal-bniedem: Biża (kulħadd l-istess) vs kuraġġ (kulħadd differenti): imma magħqudin:
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
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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