https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/41652 2026-04-11T14:18:49Z 2026-04-11T14:18:49Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/32711 2018-08-15T01:33:59Z 2005-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: The Franciscan Capuchin Brotherhood as an example of consecrated communion Abstract: As both her history and dogma show, the Church has always been aware that she is the community of the Risen Lord. Starting from the first portrait of the primitive Christian community as shown in chapter 2 in the book of the Acts of the Apostles till the present day models of Church, one can see a whole series of expressions of ecclesial communion, among which one of the most privileged, powerful and ancient expression is undoubtedly the fraternal communion of consecrated life. This demonstrates that ecclesial and consecrated communion not only predate the Franciscan Capuchin brotherhood, but are also its inspiration, life and goal. In view of such understanding two questions need to be clarified. First, what vision does the Church give to the Franciscan Capuchin brotherhood in her pronouncements on consecrated life? Second, how has that vision been taken up, assimilated and lived by the Capuchin fraternity? In order to address these questions, this article, which is also a part of the author's Licentiate dissertation entitled The Franciscan Capuchin Charism of Brotherhood, is being divided in two parts. In the first part, a brief and concise presentation of the Church's vision of the concept of brotherhood within the context of consecrated life will be given. In the second part, the author will be giving concrete proposals as to how this ideal of consecrated communion can be lived within the Franciscan Capuchin brotherhood.

2005-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/32352 2018-07-28T01:35:14Z 2005-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: What is 'new' in the new edition of Il-Bibbja? Abstract: Now that the Malta Bible Society is holding a number of cultural activities to remind Christians and non-Christians alike of the importance of the Bible within our culture, the writer of this article thought it is the right moment to review, even if in a general manner, the Third Edition of Il-Bibbja published by the Society towards the end of 2004. The reviewer of a work that has seen multiple editions is bound to ask whether the latest 'edition' merits the name: 'Was this edition justified vis-a-vis its predecessors?' Was the Malta Bible Society justified in requesting a frequent reader of Scripture or a Bible lover to fork out money to purchase this new edition of the Bible in Maltese? As our readers will remember, what many consider as the official translation of the Bible in Maltese published as Il-Bibbja, was first published by the Malta Bible Society, then in conjunction with the Media Centre, in 1984; the Malta Bible Society, this time on its own, published the Second Edition in 1996. In 2004 the Society has just published the Third Edition. What is there in this publication to justify the noun 'edition'? Why not using the phrase 'a new printing'? With some reserve on his part as he had a manu in pasta in the formation of the new book, the present reviewer maintains that the Il-Bibbja of 2004 merits the title 'new edition' and not simply the more general 'new printing'.

2005-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/32351 2018-07-28T01:34:54Z 2005-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: The psycho-social and religious situation of Maltese migrants in Australia Abstract: When Christianity came to Australia, with the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788, it came as the religion of the Europeans. The British gradually extended their control over the whole continent and consequently established in this country the dominance of European culture. They were, in fact, determined to make sure that this "new" country would be British. And the religion of Britain , as of Europe, was Christianity (Wilchen, 2005). Malta is a traditionally European Catholic country. And although there is evidence of early Maltese settlers in Australia, it was only during the years following the Second World War that the Maltese came to play a far more important role in the process of ethnic diversification of the Australian population in general and the Australian Catholic community in particular. Meanwhile, Australian Catholicism, like several other Christian Churches, is still to this very day, examining and evaluating the best possible expressions of its relatively recent national experience. Hence, I would like to take adeeper look at the psycho-social and religious situation of Maltese migrants in Australia.

2005-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/32347 2018-07-28T01:34:56Z 2005-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: The contribution of the University of Malta in the formation of the Maltese priests 1838-1850 Abstract: In my book, For Service alone, about the Institution of the Seminary of Malta, I wrote that when the Seminary opened its doors to six students on 25 March 1703, "the first group of well educated and ecclesiastically well-formed clergy was the beginning of a long line of priests who received their formation in the Seminary of Malta." However, it should be said that in Malta the formation of priests was imparted also by the University of Malta through the Faculty of Theology. Ea semper (25 June 1777), the Motu proprio about Clerics and personal immunity, which Pope Pius VI addressed specifically to the Diocese of Malta, allows "the Bishop to confer the first Tonsure to the young man who, after his tenth birthday, has spent three years in a Seminary or in a College; if this was not possible, he should have dressed his clerical habit with the permission of the Bishop and during a three year period he had served a particular church assigned to him by the Bishop; or if any young man wanted to frequent any University to follow his studies, this time of study at the University would be accounted to his credit to merit the first Tonsure."

2005-01-01T00:00:00Z