Mill-Omelija tal-Papa Franġisku nhar Jum il-Kelma ta' Alla, l-Ħadd li għadda

Ħuti, fil-Ħadd iddedikat b’mod speċjali għall-Kelma ta’ Alla, nirringrazzjaw lill-Missier li tana l-Verb tiegħu, magħmul bniedem għas-salvazzjoni tad-dinja. Din hi l-ġrajja li dwarha titkellem l-Iskrittura kollha, li għandha bħala veri awturi lill-bnedmin u lill-Ispirtu s-Santu (ara Konċilju Vatikan II, Kostituzzjoni dommatika Dei Verbum, 11). Il-Bibbja tagħmel memorja ta’ Kristu u tal-ħidma tiegħu u l-Ispirtu jwettaqha fil-ħajja tagħna u fl-istorja tagħna. Meta aħna naqraw l-Iskrittura, meta nitolbu biha u nistudjawha, ma nirċevux biss informazzjoni dwar Alla, imma nilqgħu l-Ispirtu li jfakkarna f’dak kollu li Ġesù qal u għamel (ara Ġw 14:26). Hekk il-qalb tagħna, imkebbsa mill-fidi, tistenna bit-tama l-miġja ta’ Alla. Ħuti, jeħtieġ nidraw naqraw l-Iskrittura. Jien nieħu pjaċir nissuġġerixxi li kulħadd ikollu Vanġelu ċkejken, kopja żgħira tat-Testment il-Ġdid fil-but, u jġorruh fil-basket, iġorruh dejjem fuqhom, biex matul il-ġurnata jaqbduh f’idejhom u jaqraw minnu. Silta, żewġ sitiet… U hekk, matul il-ġurnata, hemm dan il-kuntatt mal-Mulej.

From From Pope Francis' Homily on the Sunday of the Word of God

Brothers and sisters, on the Sunday devoted in a special way to the word of God, let us thank the Father for having spoken to us by his own Word, made flesh for the salvation of the world. All the Scriptures, which have human writers and the Holy Spirit as their true authors (cf. Dei Verbum, 11), point to this event. The whole Bible speaks of Christ and his work, which the Spirit makes present and active in our lives and in history. When we read the Scriptures, when we pray and study them, we do not simply receive information about God; we receive his Spirit, who reminds us of all that Jesus said and did (cf. Jn 14:26). In this way, our hearts, inflamed by faith, wait in hope for the coming of God. Brothers, sisters, we must become more familiar with reading the Scriptures. I would like to suggest that all of us get a small, pocket-sized copy of the Gospels or the New Testament. We could always have it with us in a bag so that we can read it at various points throughout the day. One verse, two verses so that throughout the day we will have contact with the Lord. ... See MoreSee Less

Apprezzament – Rev. Kan Karm Attard

Ix-xena Biblika f’Malta tilfet wieħed mill-ikbar promoturi tal-Kelma ta’ Alla. Dun Karm Attard kien saċerdot li ddedika ħafna mill-ħin tiegħu biex ixerred il-messaġġ tal-Iskrittura u jgħin lin-nies jifhmu aħjar il-Kelma ta’ Alla.

Dun Karm twieled Ħaż-Żebbuġ fil-15 ta’ Ottubru 1940 u ġie ordnat saċerdot fl-11 ta’ Marzu 1967. Huwa beda l-ministeru saċerdotali tiegħu fir-raħal fejn twieled. Fl-1970, inħatar kappillan tal-Qrendi, fejn serva għal 26 sena u ħalla impatt spiritwali u kulturali li jibqa’ jitfakkar.

F’Jannar tal-1996, Dun Karm temm il-kariga tiegħu bħala kappillan u mar jgħix fid-Dar tal-Kleru. Madankollu, huwa baqa’ ddedikat ħafna għall-vokazzjoni tiegħu, speċjalment fit-tagħlim u t-tixrid tal-Iskrittura Mqaddsa. Huwa dar diversi parroċċi biex jgħallem korsijiet fuq il-Bibbja, sabiex isaħħaħ il-fidi u l-għarfien tal-poplu. Barra minn hekk, kellu rwol importanti fit-tagħlim tal-Iskrittura lil diversi żgħażagħ li kienu qed iħejju ruħhom biex jidħlu s-Seminarju Maġġuri.

Dun Karm kien appassjonat biex ixerred il-Kelma ta’ Alla u biex jiżgura li t-teżori tagħha jkunu aċċessibbli għal kulħadd. Kiteb ukoll artikli fuq il-Bibbja, u ħalla warajh wirt għani ta’ fidi, għerf u devozzjoni lejn il-Kelma ta’ Alla.

Dun Karm ħalliena s-Sibt li għadda, 18 ta’ Jannar 2025. Jalla d-dedikazzjoni bla heda tiegħu lejn Alla u l-Kelma Tiegħu tkompli tispirana.

Il-Fondazzjoni Biblika Maltija tirringrazzja lil Dun Karm Attard għall-kontribuzzjonijiet imprezzabbli tiegħu u d-dedikazzjoni tiegħu biex jippromwovi l-Kelma ta’ Alla.

Appreciation - Rev. Canon Karm Attard

The local biblical scene in Malta has lost one of its most significant promoters of the Word of God. Fr Karm Attard was a man who dedicated a lot of his time to spreading the message of Scripture and nurturing a deeper understanding of God’s Word.

Fr Karm was born in Ħaż-Żebbuġ on October 15, 1940, and was ordained a priest on March 11, 1967. He began his priestly ministry in his hometown. In 1970, he became the parish priest of Qrendi, where he served for 26 years and left a lasting spiritual and cultural impact.

In January 1996, Fr Karm ended his tenure as parish priest and relocated to Dar tal-Kleru. However, he remained profoundly dedicated to his vocation, committing himself to the instruction and dissemination of Sacred Scripture. He travelled extensively across various parishes, providing Bible courses to enrich the faith and comprehension of the laity. Furthermore, he was crucial in instructing individuals in the propaedeutic formation stage on the fundamentals of Scripture, inspiring numerous young men before joining the Major Seminary.

Fr Karm was a passionate advocate for spreading the Word of God and ensuring that its treasures were accessible to all. His efforts extended to writing articles and books about the Bible, leaving behind a rich legacy of faith, knowledge, and devotion to God’s Word.

Fr Karm passed away last Saturday, January 18, 2025. May his soul rest in peace, and may his tireless dedication to God and His Word continue to inspire all who knew him.

The Malta Bible Foundation extends its heartfelt gratitude to Fr Karm Attard for his invaluable contributions and unwavering dedication to promoting the Word of God.

Photo from the FB page of Kolleġġjata Bażilika Sant'Elena Birkirkara - Ħbieb tat-Tempju Elenjan ... See MoreSee Less