In the beginning of March, the Prior Provincial, Fr. Leslie Gatt O.S.A. took part in a meeting of the Provincials of the South of Europe held in Madrid in Spain. The Prior Provincials of Malta, Spain and Italy, together with the Assistant to the Prior General Fr Javier Perez Barba O.S.A., discussed particularly the future of the Common Initial Formation Project. During the meeting, the Prior Provincials had the opportunity to visit the two Formation Houses of the Province of Saint John of Sahagun of Spain, in Valladolid and in San Lorenzo del'Escorial. In each community the Provincials also visited the respective theological institutes and held meetings with the directors of the Institutes, with the Formation Team, and with the professed students who practically come from different Augustinian circumscriptions of Asia, Africa and the Central America.

Between Sunday, March 26 and Wednesday March 29 then Fr Leslie took part in the meeting for the Major Superiors of the English Speaking Circumscriptions of the Order held in Sydney Australia. Superiors from various parts of the world took part in the meeting together with four assistants to the Prior General, including the Vicar General Fr. Joseph Farrell O.S.A. During the meetings they had the opportunity to share the particular strengths and challenges of their respective realities. These meetings also serve to discuss possibilities of further collaboration between circumscriptions of the Order in different countries. During this meeting, a very interesting visit was also made to the Saint Augustine College in Sydney.



Between March 10 and 12, fr. David Cortis O.S.A., Rector of Saint Augustine College, participated in a Meeting held in Madrid for the rectors of various Augustinian Schools in Europe. After the opening session, Fr. David made an interesting presentation about the work of our College here in Malta. Apart from the many activities carried out in the respective colleges, it is a wonderful opportunity that several initiatives of collaboration with other Augustinian colleges on an international level are nowadays being organized. This is a commitment which contributes to the strengthening of the Augustinian identity  and enriches the educational experiences of the respective institutions

In Europe, the Augustinian Friars have a good number of Educational institutions, mostly in Spain, but also in Ireland, England, Prague and Malta. It is worth saying that the Saint Augustine College in Malta, which this year will be celebrating the 175th anniversary of its foundation, is actually one of the oldest.


During the past months our year 6 students were busy observing and discussing the ongoing problems that planet Earth is facing and finding solutions on how to help and minimize such issues.

Through this project a good number of aspects and skills were explored and practiced. To begin with, the boys were encouraged to observe what is happening around us through various discussions, videos, newspaper articles, reading comprehension texts and information available online. In order to experience these issues first hand, in groups the students had to take care of a plant. Such plants were sown and assembled with wires to Kitroniks and Microbits; which were also coded with specific instructions. Every group used a different solution to water their plants with; each one of these representing the different environmental issues. Data about the conditions of the plants was recorded weekly with photos and bar graphs, until final conclusions were reached.

For the concluding stage of this project, the students were encouraged to think about the issues discussed, the data collected, and the conclusions drawn, and come up with a sustainable invention to tackle one or more of these issues. With the help of some parents, who gently volunteered to help, the students gathered different ideas into one sustainable structure. After researching, they planned and designed their inventions, and eventually they also built prototypes of such structures, using recyclable material. Throughout the whole process, the boys collaborated using their personal strengths and shared their ideas to reach a common goal.

To celebrate such an amazing educational journey, all the inventions were presented in detail by every group to their parents and other distinguished guests. The implementation and success of this project would not have been possible without the hard work and support of Mr Simon Peter Schembri, all the year 6 LSEs and teachers, the school assistant head Ms Veronique DeGabriele Ferrante, as well as Ms Roberta Trapani Maggi, Ms Pamela Fenech and Ms Natalie Lombardi Calleja from the secretariat.

Ms Daniela Buttigieg

Primary Teacher


The Provincial Commission of Augustinian Laity will be organizing a Penitential Celebration for the Augustinian Laity, on Monday, March 13, 2023, at 6.00pm.

 This celebration will take place at St Mark’c Church, Rabat. There will be several priests for Confession.

 Anyone who is interested is asked to talk to the Prior or whoever is responsible. Transportation will be provided.


On Friday, January 27, Fr Josef Sciberras O.S.A. defended his doctoral thesis at the Faculty of Church History and Cultural Heritage, at the Gregorian Pontifical University in Rome. Following his studies for a Licenciate in the same Faculty, Fr  Josef continued to increase his interest in the field. Meanwhile, the idea of ​​pursuing further studies for a doctorate started to materialise particularly in his interest in the figure of Mons. Paolo Micallef who was the only Maltese Prior General in the History of our Order, a figure who had never been accurately researched.

After the years of formation in Malta, Fr Paolo Micallef O.S.A. served as a friar in Italy and in 1855 he was actually serving as Prior in the community of Fermo when he was called to serve as Vicar General of the Order through the direct intervention of Pope Pius IX. Later he was elected Prior General. Following his years at the helm of the Order, he served also for some months as Apostolic Administrator of the diocese of Gozo, bishop of Citta del Castello and than Archbishop of Pisa.

After several years of hard work, last Friday 27th January, fr Josef presented his doctoral thesis, in which he particularly studied the years fr Paolo Micallef O.S.A. served as Prior General between 1855 and 1865. It is a work that brings to light the sterling service that Fr Paolo gave to the Order following years of decadence.


© 2024 agostinjani.org. All Rights Reserved.