Għasri Parish's notices for this week are as follows:
1. The parish council will be meeting on Friday, 15th September 2023 at 7.15pm at the Rectory next to Għasri Parish Centre. The agenda is: parish church roof restoration, catechism, cemetery clay issue, home visits, other matters. Everyone can attend (not just the parish council members).
2. On Thursday 14th September 2023, the English-speaking community of Gozo will be doing a prayer meeting at Għasri parish church at 3.30pm which will be led by Fr. Krystof Buttigieg. Anglicans and non-Catholics are invited too. Għasri's British roots trace back to the mid-1800s when the British decided to build Gozo's only lighthouse on Ġordan Hill (in Għasri) together with accompanying barracks. Although the late Queen Elizabeth II never visited Għasri's lighthouse during her Gozitan visits, the royal forces took care of the lighthouse until the naval base was closed. It has not been documented whether H.M. King Charles III had ever visited the station when he was still Prince of Wales. The quintessentially-british red post box and red telephone box are still preserved at Għasri's piazza.
4. On Thursday, 14th September 2023, the church will be open for silent Eucharistic Adoration from 8am until noon and from 5.30pm until 6pm.
4. On Thursday, 14th September 2023, we will pray the Rosary in front of the Holy Eucharist at 6pm with the prayer intentions for vocations and families.
5. A confessor who is not resident in Għasri is available for the Sacrament of Reconciliation at Għasri Parish church on Saturdays between 6pm and 6.45pm. On Sundays, Confession is available: during 8.30am Mass, from 10.15am and during 10.30am Mass, and from 5.15pm until 5.45pm.
6. Communion for the sick (Viaticum) is given every Sunday after 8.30am's Mass.
Għasri Local Council will be organising the annual cultural event relating to our community's heritage on Saturday, 23rd September 2023. Part of the event will include an exhibit of antique statues. Those who would like to participate can contact Mr. Sammy Saliba on 79204517. These local artefacts will be part of the event "Traditions: Wine, Olive Oil and Honey" on the 23rd of September 2022 at 7pm organised by the Għasri Local Council together with the Gozo Ministry and other participants. The fair will include various activities and will be held at Għasri's Piazza. This event has cultural significance to the community because one of Għasri's etymological explanations is that olives (Maltese word: Żebbuġ) from the neighboring village of Żebbuġ was brought to Għasri to be extracted (Maltese phrase: Għasir taż-Żebbuġ). To this date, olive trees for local olive oil production are still dotting Għasri's idyllic landscape. Moreover, in the past, local herdsmen who resided in the various farmhouses around the village used to produce wine and honey at their own homes. Although the production of wine and honey at one's own farm was characteristic of many farmhouses in Malta, southern Sicily and rural areas in the Mediterranean region, these traditions were retained in Għasri until the late 1990s when various food-production-regulations were promulgated and these traditions eventually got replaced by more sophisticated means of food production.
The updates on the two infrastructural projects which are currently ongoing at our parish are as follows:
- Updates on the Church's roof restoration: Collections during the first weekend of each month will go directly to this infrastructure project. The architect noted that it's not just the membrane which needs changing but also some stones around the windows.
- There are no new updates on the cemetery works. However, those who would like to reserve a new grave are kindly requested to contact the parish.
Notes from the Diocese: - Prospective couples interested in initiating or continuing their two-year Catholic Marriage Preparation Meetings are encouraged to approach the parish (Fr. Eddie Vella) for the application process. Couples should apply for these meetings, irrespective of whether they have set a wedding date yet. The meetings are scheduled to commence on the last weekend of September. Gozitans who live on the main island of Malta will be able to attend the course in Malta rather than Gozo as the same meetings will be offered both in Gozo and Malta.
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