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
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
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
You want that happiness today…
You want that happiness today. But you need to say “yes” to His call; you need to break the bubble of your online profile and cross the threshold of real life. And how will you hear that call if you never take off your headphones? Discerning Your Vocation – a catholic guide for young adults – Community of the Beatitudes
2. Admiration
Admiration – Which people do you admire the most? Is it because of who they are or what they stand for or what they do? What is it about them or their vocation that you have been attracted to? What does it stir up in your own heart? Which person, alive now, would you most like to be? Which saints, from the past, inspire you most? Why? How to Discover
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
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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
Inkomplu niffukaw u ma nitilfux dan iċ-ċentru
Forsi nistaqsu – kif fil-festa ta’ Kristu Re qed naqraw qari iktar marbut mal-Ġimgħa l-Kbira? Fuq is-salib li Ġesù deher bħala sultan – Dan huwa s-sultan tal-Lhud. Ġesù ma kienx sultan tal-għana jew tal-arroganza imma kien sultan-ragħaj li jagħti ħajtu għan-ngħaġ tiegħu. Sultan kien leader, u ejja niskopru l-leadership tiegħu…huwa tip ta’ leadership differenti) Kien jagħti l-ewwel post lil Alla Kien qrib tal-bniedem Kien joffri l-ħbiberija tiegħu lil Kulħadd Għandu
Alla magħna! – Kien, għadu u jibqa’
Alla magħna! – Kien, għadu u jibqa’ Hemm tradizzjoni li tgħid li f’Ġerusalemm hemm marka tas-sieq ta’ Kristu ta’ qabel ma tela’ s-sema – l-aħħar marka li ħalla fuq l-art. Kemm hi vera jew le, kulħadd jista’ jkollu d-dubji fuqha.. Anke jekk ninsew il-marka ta’ sieq Kristu fuq il-blata tal-Axxensjoni, il-mistoqsija xorta tibqa’ tidwi: Kristu ħalla xi marka fid-dinja biex juri li rifes fuq il-blata li ngħixu fiha? Liema marka
il-familja mqaddsa
F’dan l-aħħar Ħadd tas-sena kalendarja, il-knisja tiċċelebra il-festa tal-Familja Mqaddsa. Fl-Evanġelju ta’ dan il-Ħadd niltaqgħu ma’ Xmun, raġel li kien qiegħed b’fidi kbira jistenna li jara l-Messija, fejn dan jgħid lil Marija, li ‘sejf, jinfidlek ruħek!’. Ftit qabel l-Evanġelista jgħidilna li Marija u Ġużeppi baqgħu mistagħġba b’dak li Xmun kien qiegħed jgħid fuq Ġesu’. Hawn wieħed jista’ jara kemm Marija għandha tkun mudell għalina, għax minkejja t-tbatija li ħabbrilha Xmun,
“telqu lura … minn triq oħra”
F’dan il-Ħadd qegħdin niċċelebraw l-festa tal-Epifanija. F’din il-festa niċċelebraw dak li jgħidlina San Pawl li, ‘il-pagani huma msejħa biex ikollhom sehem mill-istess wirt … fi Kristu Ġesu’’; l-universalita’ tas-sejħa biex wieħed jimxi wara Kristu, u li Ġesu’ ġie biex jifdi lil kulħadd. “rajna l-kewkba tiegħu” – Bħalma nafu kien permezz ta’ kewkba li l-Maġi waslu għand Ġesu’. Probabilment dawn kienu xi nies studjużi jew tal-inqas familjari mall-istilel. Fil-ħajja tagħna aħna
Mulej Ġesu’, agħtini qalb mimlija paċi…
San Gwann minn Sahagun “Missier, ma tafx tagħlaq ħalqek! Sur duka, għalfejn nitla’ fuq il-pulptu? Biex ngħid il-verità lil min qed jismagħni jew biex bla mistħija nżiegħel bihom biex ifaħħruni?” Dan il-kliem intqal bejn id-duka t’Alba li mar għall-funzjoni reliġjuża u l-patri Agostinjan Ġwanni minn Sahagun li kien qiegħed jippriedka. Dak il-jum Ġwanni pprofitta mill-preżenza ta’ ħafna nobbli tal-belt u awtoritajiet ċivili, sabiex jikxef il-gvern ħażin u l-inġustizzji tal-prepotenti ma’
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
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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