In defence of <i>Il-Muzew</i>

Being a former member of the Society for Christian Doctrine, better known as MUSEUM (Muzew), I followed with interest the correspondence on Muzew lessons in The Sunday Times.

My conclusion is that, unfortunately, some parents are more interested in the material than in the spiritual welfare of their offspring. They do not heed Christ's words, where he said (Matt. 6, 19-21): "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust will corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust will corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

To show how exaggerated some parents' comments about the time 'lost' during Muzew lessons were, I will relate my own experience:

When I was a student at the Lyceum with all the lessons, homework and studies like any other students, I was also a member of MUSEUM. I used to teach a class of five-six-year-old boys, in a small chapel, preparing them for First Holy Communion. Those lessons lasted 30 to 45 minutes, four times a week.

After the lessons I used to go home where, if I had a lot of homework, I would spend an hour or so doing some of it, had a cup of tea and off to the MUSEUM where we met for our own lessons - they were called assenjatur. When I did not have much homework or anything to study I used to go straight to the MUSEUM and at times replaced any of my friends, who was absent, teaching a class of boys, preparing them for the Sacraments. Our own MUSEUM lessons were held every day, seven days a week, and, at times, twice on Sundays. Besides, I always went for that little walk with other MUSEUM lads on Sunday afternoons.

However I always did all my homework, was always good at school and passed all my exams. In July 1956, less than one month after finishing my GCEs (which I passed with good marks), I sat for a competitive exam, passed it with a good placing and by August I had a job. I only had to give up teaching catechism at the small chapel when I started working because I finished work when the catechism lessons had already started. But I continued attending the Muzew, while studying other subjects which we did not have at the Lyceum. I remember (Blessed) Dun Gorg Preca telling us "kollox ghandu hinu" (first things first).

This is no self-praise, as I need no recommendation, and I prefer to be paid by Our Lord. It is just to show how absurd some parents were when they said that their children could not cope with 30-minute catechism lessons four times a week. Knowledge of their catechism will help them build a sound character so that they will not be an easy prey to bad company and drugs. Parents are only investing in their children's future. Normally we have to queue and wait near banks, where we go to invest or withdraw money, so why not wait for our children too, when they are at the MUSEUM?

After Eugenio Borg, the first Superior-General of the MUSEUM, retired from work at HM Dockyard, an English inspector promised him a normal salary if he returned to the Dockyard without working, as his presence was enough to instill and encourage the other workers. Other Dockyard superiors were more than happy when they had a MUSEUM member in their workshop, for the same reason and as they knew that persons knowing their religion well and thus with a sound character are more reliable.

Some parents, even a parent/teacher of Religion, said that two lessons a week are enough. I wonder. As soon as some children receive their First Holy Communion they will stop going to the Muzew, start again when they reach Confirmation age and afterwards, the majority of them, stop going once and for all. So shouldn't we teach them about our, and their, religion, as much as possible, before it is too late?

Another parent said that the MUSEUM authorities told her that attending Il-Muzew was obligatory. In my opinion what is most obligatory is that the children should know their religion well before they receive the Sacraments. She should have interpreted the MUSEUM authority's warning in this sense. Children should know what they are receiving and be better prepared for their future.

Another comment I read was that in school many have religion lessons. Do they think that a religion lesson by a normal teacher is better than the one given by persons fully prepared for that?