https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/37755 Fri, 17 Apr 2026 16:26:27 GMT 2026-04-17T16:26:27Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/37869 Title: The socio-cultural milieu of holiness : Maltese values in a Euro-Mediterranean perspective Abstract: The English words for "saint" and "holiness", unlike their Maltese equivalent of "qaddis" and "qdusija", have different etymological origins though related meanings. The Concise Oxford Dictionary defines a saint as "a holy or a canonised person (by a Church after his or her death) regarded as having a place in heaven". The temporal existence of a saintly person is marked by great holiness and virtue. Holiness, however, refers to the state of religious or spiritual goodness and well-being of the living. It is manifest in personal integrity (hence "holy" from whole), good moral conduct, oneness with others, society and the environment. As a diffuse socio-religious culture it is not restricted to anyone person or a heavenly saint. Whereas saints are canonized posthumously by a Church, the greatest majority of holy people never come to be declared saints. Ordinary holiness, though very real, often escapes the attention of official religion. Sun, 01 Jan 1995 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/37869 1995-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/37868 Title: The sacrament of baptism in Cyril's mystagogical catecheses I-III Abstract: With the renewal of interest in the process of Christian Initiation today, especially with the restoration of the catechumenate after the Second Vatican Council, there is also a rejuvenated pursuit of the Patristic teaching and influence on such a process. It is with this same interest that I am undertaking in this article to see how Cyril in his time initiated new converts and his method of catechesisfor these new-comers of the Church in Jerusalem In this article I hope to uncover the various liturgical rites of Baptism in the initiation of Christians from the first three Mistagogical Catechesesof Cyril of Jerusalem. Before that, it might be good to put ourselves in the historical context of these Mistagogical Catecheses and the problem of authorship. To understand better the doctrinal content of these catecheses, we should first survey a few of the important terminology that Cyril used which contained specific meanings. Then I shall draw some conclusions with relation to our situation today. Sun, 01 Jan 1995 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/37868 1995-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/37867 Title: The sectarian in us : questions on the question "What is a sect?" in East-West perspective Abstract: Until before Vatican II the answer to the question what a sect is seemed to present, for many in the Catholic Church, no special difficulties. Whoever cut himself or herself off from the one true Church belonged, in ascending order of distance from the one true Church, to one of three categories: a) schismatics, b) heretics or c) sects. Schismatics had basically rescinded only communion while practically retaining the whole truth; heretics, while giving up some basic truths, had kept many others; and sects ];lad disfigured the truth to such an extent that they could hardly claim to be Christians any longer, in spite of some Christian elements in their new beliefs and could be described as a Christian sect primarily in view of the Christian Church from which they broke off. Sun, 01 Jan 1995 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/37867 1995-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/37866 Title: Melita Theologica : volume 46 : issue 2 Editors: Abela, Anthony; Eminyan, Maurice; Bellizzi, Michael; Coleiro, Charles Abstract: Table of contents: 1/ FARRUGIA, E. G. - The sectarian in us : questions on the question "What is a sect?" in East-West perspective -- 2/ ABELA, A. M. - The socio-cultural milieu of holiness : Maltese values in a Euro-Mediterranean perspective -- 3/ BORG, F. - The sacrament of baptism in Cyril's mystagogical catecheses I-III -- 4/ LUPI, J. - Ecclesiology in the fathers -- 5/ Book reviews. Sun, 01 Jan 1995 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/37866 1995-01-01T00:00:00Z