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
Created to share God’s love
The fundamental vocation of every human being is to love. This is not obvious to everyone today. Many people believe that human life is just an accident, a chance product of evolution, a meaningless event in a vast mechanical universe. It is certainly true that our lives have been shaped by many different forces, but there is a much deeper truth that we can discover through faith: Every single human
5. Value
5. Value – Of the many projects and careers you are interested in, which of them are really worthwhile? Which allow you to contribute to something that is not just a waste of time? What do you actually believe in and want to promote? This doesn’t mean you have to choose a ‘religious’ or ‘charitable’ work – as if all the ordinary jobs people do in the world are a
Santu Wistin jiktbilna…
Għażiż/a Jisimni Wistin. Għalkemm għext żmien ilu, għadni ħaj illum permezz tal-ħafna kitbiet li ħallejt warajha. Nixtieq li permezz ta’ din l-ittra ċkejkna nagħmlu bħal encounter bejnietna ta’ dak li għext, esperjenzajt, ġarrabt, irriflettejt, u ta’ kemm Alla tas-sorpriżi kien preżenti kontinwament minkejja d-diversi dubji u diffikultajiet li ltqajt magħhom fiż-żgħożija tiegħi. Għaliex, jiena bniedem u ngħix qalb il-bnedmin u “x’inhi qalbi jekk mhux qalb umana?”. Għalhekk ħabib, dawn huma
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
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
Augustinian Reflections on the Christian Life
Gilbert Meilaender, The Way that Leads There: Augustinian Reflections on the Christian Life, Wm B. Eardmans, Grand Rapids/mi, 2007 Santu Wistin ifformula dak il-ħsieb ta’ xewqa li “l-qalb tagħna ma ssibx kwiet jekk ma tistrihx fik, O Alla”. Gilbert Meilaender isostni li din il-frażi hija fiċ-ċentru tal-eżistenza tagħna. Ma huwiex ktieb fuq Santu Wistin jew it-tagħlim tiegħu fuq il-ħajja nisranija. Lill-qarrej jofri għadd ta’ riflessjonijiet fuq l-għexien nisrani li
“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
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
ħabbara fid-dinja tal-lum?
l-missjoni li Ġesù ta lit-72 hija l-istess missjoni li rċieva Ġesù innifsu. U x’inhi din il-missjoni? Din hija li tħabbar li s-saltna t’Alla hija fil-qrib u li tfejjaq il-morda. x’passi nistgħu nieħdu bħala evanġelizaturi? Ngħarfu l-ġuħ u l-għatx tal-qlub tal-bnedmin, dak li jirrikonoxxu u wkoll dawk moħbija (eżempju s-sens tal-ħajja, għaliex qegħdin hawn, jien min jien fil-verità?, x’jżommni ħaj? x’inhi l-imħabba vera? id-direzzjoni tal-ħajja, l-ispiritwalità, t-tfixxija għal Alla l-ħaj, t-tfixxija
77
Silta li tkellimna fuq il-maħfra. Lkoll rċevejna xi azzjoni ħażina fejn weġġajna u fejn sibna li naħfru lil xulxin hija xi ħaġa diffiċli. Ġesù jfakkarna li l-maħfra hija waħda mill-marki li tagħmilna dixxipli veri tiegħu. Li taħfer ma hix xi magic, jew xi automatic switch. Hemm proċess ta’ fejqan. Hemm bżonn nitolbu għaliex it-talb inissel fina l-Ispirtu ta’ Ġesù, li hu spirtu ta’ ħniena u ta’ maħfra. Il-maħfra hija diffiċli.
id-djamant tal-Milied
X’ifisser il-Milied? Min jaf kemm-il darba iċċelebrajnih! Ħa nieħdu xi aspetti partikolari. Ħa nibdew mis-simboli u li għandna hawn fuq l-artal Il-presepju – huwa immaġini tal-ġenna. Kollox juri paċi, mħabba, fulfiment, mingħajr biki. Hija ikona tal-vizzjoni ta’ Iżaija fejn Alla jimsaħ kull demgħa. It-tarbija fil-paċi. L-għar – huma post fejn igħixu l-baqar, ngħaġ u annimali u jieklu f’maxtura. U Ġesù qed f’maxtura tal-injam. Dak l-istess injam li mbagħad sar is-salib
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.
"*" indicates required fields