https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/15375 2026-04-09T04:34:51Z 2026-04-09T04:34:51Z Knieps-Port le Roi, Thomas Schembri, Kevin https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/144647 2026-03-05T10:59:00Z 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Implementing chapter 8 of Amoris laetitia throughout the world : a critical reading of episcopal pastoral guidelines Authors: Knieps-Port le Roi, Thomas; Schembri, Kevin Abstract: The authors critically analyze the numerous pastoral guidelines issued by several bishops’ conferences and individual bishops as a response to the publication of Pope Francis’s exhortation AL in 2016. While all bishops value AL as a significant and perceptive contribution to their local communities, they differ in the interpretation of the exhortation. The article focuses on their main areas of disagreement: first, from a methodological point of view, the role and function of pastoral care in church teachings for which AL has required a fundamental reorientation, where some bishops insist on placing doctrine systematically and structurally above the pastoral approach; second, from a moral theological perspective, the way in which some bishops override the weight of mitigating factors in the course of pastoral discernment by subordinating the conscience of the individual to the objectivity of moral law, contrary to the call of AL; third, with regard to sexual morality, the emphasis which certain bishops put on complete sexual abstinence, in contrast to the statement of AL that irregular situations can be accompanied in other ways. The article concludes by addressing the question of whether the bishops’ guidelines will lead to a positive reception in the local communities and to what extent the pastoral directives will help the church promote a better understanding of the faith.

2025-01-01T00:00:00Z Galea, Paul https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/137655 2025-07-28T08:22:19Z 2019-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: "The wheat beneath the chaff" : discriminating religiousness by means of the post-critical belief scale Authors: Galea, Paul Abstract: This study forms part of an investigation into the religious beliefs and attitudes among students at the University of Malta, the majority Roman Catholic, initiated by the University Chaplaincy. It consists of a survey meant to assess their adherence to basic tenets of Christian faith and morals. In the course of this on-line survey, the shorter version (18 items) of the Post-Critical Belief Scale (Duriez et al, 2005) was also administered to the 421 participants, males and females, mean age 21 (SD=4). Of these, only 380 cases which had all the item answered were accepted. This instrument, based on Wulff’s theory (1991, 1997), suggests a variety of approaches to religion that can be located in a two-dimensional space along the bipolar dimensions, Exclusion vs. Inclusion of Transcendence and Literal vs. Symbolic. It envisages four groups, Restorative Interpretation, Literal Affirmation, External Critique, and Relativism. In the analysis of the results of the survey, an exploratory factor analysis suggested the presence of two different groups which however needed to be identified. After considering several variables from the survey section, Church Attendance proved to be the strongest one that differentiated between the two. This led to the creation of two groups, those who attend Church more or less regularly, and those who rarely do so, or never at all. The former group was seen to correlate strongly with the items related to basic tenets of faith as compiled by the survey. The second part of the study consisted in the analysis of the PCBS scores. Following a procedure previously conducted by Fontaine (2003) of multi-dimensional scaling and principal component analysis, two factors were extracted which rotated towards the target as proposed by Wulff. The rotated two dimensional solutions had substantial congruence with the bipolar model, and with Tucker's Phi in excess of 0.85. The18 items also separated neatly into their respective quadrants, just like that of Fontaine (2003, 511). Using the two subgroups for further contrasts, t-tests revealed that those who went to church regularly scored significantly higher on the Restorative Interpretation (t = 5.29), whereas the others scored significantly higher on External Critique (t = -9.39) and on Relativism (t = -4.18). No significant difference was noted on Literal Affirmation. While the survey was able to identify a particular group showing a stronger consistency between belief and practice, the PCBS contrasts were able to posit this group in the Restorative Interpretation quadrant. This represents a position in which the existence of the religious realm is inclusive of transcendence while retaining the symbolic meaning of the religious language. The results have shown that the PCBS could be validly replicated with a different population and that it also enjoys a degree of discriminant validity. The conclusions, moreover, shed some more light on the character of the subjects falling under the Restorative Interpretation quadrant which, according to Wulff (1991, 1997), has largely been neglected in empirical research.

2019-01-01T00:00:00Z Galea, Paul https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/137653 2025-07-28T08:18:02Z 2017-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Accompanying fragility : a reading of Amoris Laetitia from a pastoral-psychological perspective Authors: Galea, Paul Abstract: Acknowledging and accompanying fragility reflects the realism of Amoris Lætitia and its strong pastoral approach. This is no mere pragmatism as it continues to strongly reaffirm the Gospel ideals and Church teachings on marriage and the family. While respecting individual autonomy and personal responsibility in the context of one’s particular condition, it adopts a pedagogy of patience and support in the process leading to a gradual integration of the ideals. The exhortation mirrors the traditional functions of pastoral care, as is healing, sustaining, guiding and reconciling, all within the context of the Internal Forum. The exhortation distinguishes between a sacramental (penance) and a non-sacramental approach within the same internal forum. This makes it possible that a solution be reached not necessarily in the confessional. Indeed, most human problems are mixtures of conflicted human freedom (psychological) and moral and religious dilemmas. This approach mirrors very closely the one adopted by Pastoral Counseling and Spiritual Discernment. While the latter focuses more on spiritual issues, the former is characterized by the building of a workable and warm relationship in an atmosphere of acceptance and understanding, and given enough time and support, the client autonomously is helped to develop or rediscover problem-solving skills. This calls for the formation of pastoral functionaries, whether ordained or lay, who are sufficiently trained in such disciplines and who could offer such help outside the confessional. This study focuses on the pastoral counseling paradigm as the one that closely reflects the spirit of the exhortation. Amoris Lætitia touches also on other aspects which are typically the domain of psychology, such as understanding and integrating emotions, and the role of emotions in commitment to marriage.

2017-01-01T00:00:00Z Galea, Paul Vella, Marisa https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/137554 2025-07-24T06:27:15Z 2016-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: The Church's teachings on sexual matters : the reaction of young married couples Authors: Galea, Paul; Vella, Marisa Abstract: In the calling of the two Synods of Bishops on the pastoral challenges of the family Pope Francis has shown a remarkable awareness of the problems that families are facing in today's world. The Synod Fathers were also asked to speak frankly and with courage, promising no censorship. The controversial issues were plenty. Apart from divorce and remarriage, the other thorny issues that dominated the scene were those of sexuality and affectivity. The Synod acknowledged these issues when stating that people feel the need to live in greater harmony with their emotions and feelings and to seek affective relationships of quality in the best manner possible.

2016-01-01T00:00:00Z