The 9th of November reminds us of the Dedication of the Roman Basilica known as the Lateran, one of the four ancient papal basilicas of Rome. It is the Mother-Church of Christianity since it is the seat of the Pope in his capacity of Bishop of Rome. For the Romans, the Lateran is their Cathedral church.

The official name of the church is quite a long one; it is known as the Cathedral of the Most Holy Saviour and of Saints John the Baptist and the Evangelist in the Lateran. At St George’s, the 9th of November is a special day due to the spiritual relationship that our basilica enjoys with the Lateran Basilica.

It was back in the seventies that after the foundation of the Collegiate, St George’s was ‘aggregated’ to the Lateran Cathedral as is shown in the Latin inscription beneath the organ balcony. This aggregation reminds us of the ancient ties that St George’s has had with the Church of Rome since time immemorial. What comes to mind is the reference to St George’s Parish Church in an old document that dates back to 1450 showing that St George’s was one of the churches that pilgrims could visit during this jubilee year in order to gain indulgences. This remains one of the most important documents in the history of our parish.

Today, it is our duty to pray for Our Holy Father Pope Francis, the Bishop of Rome. It also our duty, during this particular time to pray to the Holy Spirit that He may provide us with a new spiritual leader for our own diocese. St Ignatius of Antioch reminds us of the importance of being in unity with our bishop. This is the right time to pray that God may give us a shepherd that he may guide us in our spiritual journey and be an example to us in our search for what is good, beautiful and true.

 

TALBA GĦALL-ISQOF

O Alla ta’ kobor u ħniena bla tarf,
li f’Ġesù Kristu, ir-Ragħaj it-Tajjeb,
tajtna xbieha ħajja tal-imħabba tiegħek għalina,
tkun imbierek fl-isqfijiet kollha
li sejjaħt biex imexxu din il-Knisja.

Isma’ t-talba tagħna
għar-Ragħaj il-ġdid li l-ħniena infinita tiegħek se toffrilna:
itfa’ fuqu l-Ispirtu Qaddis tiegħek
biex jista’ jħobb u jmexxi l-Knisja f’Għawdex
skont il-qalb tiegħek ta’ Missier
u jagħraf jisma’ u jifhem ix-xewqat u l-ħtiġijiet
tal-ulied tiegħu kollha.

Agħtih ħlewwa, determinazzjoni u xewqa mħeġġa
li joffri kuljum il-ħajja tiegħu
għall-ġid tal-merħla fdata lilu.
Agħmel li jkun qaddis fl-intenzjonijiet u fl-opri,
bla ma jieqaf mit-talb,
u għaref fid-dixxerniment.

Għin lis-saċerdoti, id-djakni, l-ikkonsagrati
u l-Insara fidili kollha fil-vokazzjoni speċifika tagħhom,
biex jagħrfu fih lil Kristu r-Ragħaj it-Tajjeb
u jobdu bil-ferħ u b’fiduċja sħiħa
l-kliem u l-linji pastorali li int trid tnebbħu bihom.

Dan nitolbuhulek għall-interċessjoni tal-Omm tagħna l-Madonna Ta’ Pinu,
tal-qaddisin Patruni tad-Djoċesi ta’ Għawdex,
u għall-merti ta’ Ġesù Kristu, Ibnek u l-Mulej tagħna.

Ammen.