Popular religiosity in Malta : an application of the directory on popular piety

Abstract

Popular Religiosity in Malta: An Application of the Directory on Popular Piety is the title of this dissertation. The Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy - Principles and Guidelines, issued by the Congregation for the Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, contains much of relevance to the Maltese context. Studying the Directory for the purpose of learning how to apply it locally is the main aim and purpose of this dissertation. The first chapter seeks to reach an adequate comprehension of the nature of popular piety in Malta. The analysis is carried out from the anthropological, sociological and historical perspectives. A case study is also included in order to help further define certain prominent characteristics of local popular piety and their effects. The purpose of the second chapter is to study ways of implementing the principles and guidelines, provided by the Directory, in Malta. The primary approach is theological especially since the Directory provides an overview of the theological preparation required to fully comprehend liturgy and popular piety in the light of the necessity of applying these guidelines. The principles of the Directory are applied to each type of devotion examined in Chapter after scrutiny. The conclusion draws recommendations for the application of the Directory in the popular religiosity of contemporary Maltese society. Without harming the existent good, we as a Church should strive to eradicate harmful and erroneous elements which are often present in the various forms of popular devotions.