Society of Christian Doctrine
{{Redirect|MUSEUM||Museum (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox organization
| name = Society of Christian Doctrine (MUSEUM)
| native_name = Tal-Mużew
| native_name_lang = mt
| named_after =
| image = Society of Christian Doctrine - M.U.S.E.U.M.jpeg
| image_size = 220px
| caption = Entrance to the mother-house of the society
| logo = Society of Christian Doctrine logo.png
| logo_size = 200px
| abbreviation = MUSEUM
| formation = March 1907
| founder = George Preca
| founding_location = Ħamrun
| extinction =
| merger =
| type = Religious
| tax_id =
| registration_id =
| status = Active
| purpose = Teaching about the Roman Catholic religion
| headquarters = Mother House, Societas Doctrinæ Christianæ, id-Dar Ġenerali
| location = Blata l-Bajda, 207, Saint George Preca Road, Marsa MRS 9010
| coords =
| region =
| services = Doctrine
| fields = Theology
| language = Maltese, English, Italian, Latin, Spanish and Albanian
| leader_title = Director General
| leader_name = Roberto Zammit
| affiliations = Roman Catholic Church in Malta
| website = [http://www.sdcmuseum.org sdcmuseum.org] (Malta)
[http://www.precacommunity.org precacommunity.org] (Australia)
| remarks = Verbum Dei Caro Factum Est (The Word of God Became Flesh){{bibleverse|John|1:14}}
| formerly = Societas Papidum et Papidissarum (Society of the Sons and Daughters of the Pope){{cite book |first= Thomson |last=Gale |title= New Catholic Encyclopedia: A-Azt |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=ug8KAQAAMAAJ&q=societas+papidum |volume=1 |date=2003 |publisher= Catholic University of America |isbn= 9780787640057 |page= 636}}
}}
The Society of Christian Doctrine ({{langx|la|Societas Doctrinæ Christianæ}}, {{langx|it|Società della Dottrina Cristiana}}, {{langx|mt|Soċjetà Duttrina Nisranija}}; abbreviated SDC),{{cite news |title= Only registered NGOs to benefit from funding |url= http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20151003/local/only-registered-ngos-to-benefit-from-funding.586794 |work= Times of Malta |date= 3 October 2015 |archive-date=6 October 2015 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20151006033815/http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20151003/local/only-registered-ngos-to-benefit-from-funding.586794}} better known as MUSEUM, is a society of Catholic lay volunteers, made of men and women, teaching catechism in the Christian faith formation of children and adults.{{cite book |last= Andreassi |first= Diane Gale |date=2011 |title= Maltese in Detroit |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=_BuAK8MaJFMC&pg=PA57|publisher=Arcadia Publishing |isbn=978-0738583372 |page=57}} The society was established by George Preca in March 1907, in Malta. It has eventually spread around the world, first among Maltese migrants in Australia, then in Albania, in North Sudan, and other countries.{{cite journal |last=Lanfranco |first=Guido |journal=L-Imnara |title=It-Taghlim tad-Duttrina fil-Gzejjer Maltin; Ftit ta' l-Istorja |language=mt |url=http://melitensiawth.com/incoming/Index/L-Imnara/L-Imnara.%2006(2000)3=24/12s.pdf |page=107 |date=2000 |volume=6 |issue=3 |publisher=Rivista tal-Għaqda Maltija tal-Folklor |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160417213705/http://melitensiawth.com/incoming/Index/L-Imnara/L-Imnara.%2006(2000)3=24/12s.pdf |archive-date=17 April 2016}}
Name
MUSEUM is the abbreviation for "Magister Utinam Sequatur Evangelium Universus Mundus" as meaning "Master, may the whole world follow the Gospel."{{cite book |last= Rountree |first= Kathryn |date=2016 |title= Crafting Contemporary Pagan Identities in a Catholic Society |page= 22 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=Bh0pDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA22 |publisher=Routledge |isbn= 978-1317158684}}
Centres
In Malta, the society has forty-six catechism centres for males and forty-three for females.
By 1961, the society spread in Gozo, and became successful after a visit for a fishing session. That same year catechism started for males, and in 1962 it was followed by the female branch.{{cite web|title=Socjeta tad-Duttrina Nisranija M.U.S.E.U.M. (L-Iben t'Alla Sar Bniedem)|url=http://www.xaghraparish.org/groups-and-societies/socjeta-tad-duttrina-nisranija-museum-l-iben-talla-sar-bniedem/|work=Xaghra Parish|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170315201512/http://www.xaghraparish.org/groups-and-societies/socjeta-tad-duttrina-nisranija-museum-l-iben-talla-sar-bniedem/|archive-date=15 March 2017}} There are now{{When|date=July 2023}} nine catechism centres for males and seven for females in Gozo.
The objectives of the religious society is catechetical work in the parishes. Members may participate in the activities in six days every week.{{cite web |title= Malta and Gozo |url= http://www.sdcmuseum.org/Page.aspx?menu=2&pv=u0phsis4Db4 |work= Society of Christian Doctrine |date=2010 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170313225707/http://www.sdcmuseum.org/Page.aspx?menu=2&pv=u0phsis4Db4= |archive-date=13 March 2017}} The society often organises recreational activities for minors and educational courses for adults.{{cite news|title=Is-Soċju tal-Mużew jingħata l-liberta' proviżorja|url=http://netnews.com.mt/2014/09/02/is-socju-tal-muzew-jinghata-l-liberta-provizorja/|date=2 September 2014|work=Net News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170405122617/http://netnews.com.mt/2014/09/02/is-socju-tal-muzew-jinghata-l-liberta-provizorja/|archive-date=5 April 2017}}
Members of the society are invited to participate for a meeting every Wednesday at the mother-house of the society, in Blata l-Bajda, Marsa. The mother-house is the prominent Church of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal.{{cite book |last= Santaro |first= Nicholas J. |date=2011 |title= Mary In Our Life: Atlas of the Names and Titles of Mary, The Mother of Jesus, and Their Place in Marian Devotion |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=ZXWRgP-0KBkC&pg=PA104 |publisher= iUniverse |isbn= 978-1462040223 |page=104}} The main scope for teaching catechism is to religiously prepare individuals, generally minors, to receive the sacraments according to the Roman Catholic tradition.
Superiors General
This is a list of former and present superiors general of the society:
- Eugenio Borg (1911–1967);{{cite web |last= Borg |first= Eugenio |date=1963 |title= Eugenio Borg 1886-1967 |url= https://users.onvol.net/112718/Pc56htm/gege.htm |work=Preca Calling |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20031127175314/http://users.onvol.net/112718/Pc56htm/gege.htm |archive-date= 27 November 2003}}
- Francesco Saliba (1967–1983);{{cite news|url=http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20090415/local/museum-superior-general-resigns.252934|title=MUSEUM Superior General resigns|publisher=Times of Malta|date=15 May 2009|access-date=10 May 2017}}
- Victor Delicata (1983–2009);
- Natalino Camilleri (2009–2021) and
- Roberto Zammit (2021–present){{cite news |last1=Camenzuli |first1=Mark |title=New Superior General for the MUSEUM Society |url=https://newsbook.com.mt/en/new-superior-general-for-the-museum-society/ |work=Newsbook |date=8 August 2021}}
Further reading
History of the society:
- {{cite book|last=Rudolf|first=Uwe Jens|date=2018|title=Historical Dictionary of Malta|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lmZwDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA245|page=245|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |isbn=9781538119181}}
- {{cite book |last=Burns |first= Paul |date=2001 |title= Butler's Saints of the Third Millennium: Butler's Lives of the Saints |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=4omROvrMqbMC&pg=PA188 |publisher=A & C Black |isbn= 978-0860123828 |pages= 188–190}}
- {{cite journal |journal= The Maltese Wellingtonian |url= http://myparish.org.nz/dox/Tawa/Maltese%20wellingtonian%2026%5B2%5D.pdf |title= Blessed George Preca |volume=11 |issue=3 |pages=14–16 |date= June 2010 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170314152820/http://myparish.org.nz/dox/Tawa/Maltese%20wellingtonian%2026%5B2%5D.pdf |archive-date=14 March 2017 |issn=1179-4828 |editor= Anthony Micallef |location= Wellington, New Zealand}} Information from {{cite web |url=https://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/ns_lit_doc_20070603_preca_en.html|title= Blessed George Preca |work= vatican.va |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070603093804/https://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/ns_lit_doc_20070603_preca_en.html |archive-date= 3 June 2007}}
- {{cite journal |journal= L-Aħbar |editor= Marcelino Micallef |title= Benedict XVI Canonised 4 Saints: Calls Them Trinity's "Masterpieces" |url= http://ofm.org.mt/downloads/ahbar/ahbar2007/ahbarjun07.pdf |date=3 June 2007 |publisher= OFM Malta |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170314161756/http://ofm.org.mt/downloads/ahbar/ahbar2007/ahbarjun07.pdf |archive-date= 14 March 2017 |issue=125 |page=3}}
- {{cite news|last=Farrugia|first=Massimo|date=28 May 2007|title=Tal-Muzew feared as some sort of sect|url=http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20070528/local/tal-muzew-feared-as-some-sort-of-sect.16399|work=Times of Malta|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150926170133/http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20070528/local/tal-muzew-feared-as-some-sort-of-sect.16399|archive-date=26 September 2015}}
- {{cite web|date=2006|title=Dun Gorg - San Gorg Preca|url=http://www.freewebs.com/museumstjulians/dungorgsangorgpreca.htm|work=Museum San Giljan|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130729115215/http://www.freewebs.com/museumstjulians/dungorgsangorgpreca.htm|archive-date=29 July 2013}}
- {{cite journal|journal=L-Imnara|last=Bonnici Calì|first=Rafel|date=August 1982|title=Drawwiet li spiċċaw jew inbidlu|url=http://melitensiawth.com/incoming/Index/L-Imnara/L-Imnara.%2001(1982)5=5/03s.pdf|volume=1|issue=5|page=130|language=mt}}