The religious vocation journey : responses, supports, barriers and coping strategies-stories of Chinese priests, religious brothers and religious sisters in Hong Kong /

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Responses, supports, barriers and coping strategies-stories of Chinese priests, religious brothers and religious sisters in Hong Kong

Student Theses

2021

Mak, Yin Chun

Hong Kong : The Education University of Hong Kong

Thesis

The study aimed to explore the stories of Hong Kong-born Catholics in choosing to lead religious life in the midst of the universal negative climate of decreasing numbers of individuals pursuing a religious vocation. It examined the trajectory of the religious vocation journey of a sample of 10 religious personnel and 4 laity by understanding the responses they made, discernments undergone, supports received, barriers encountered and coping strategies adopted. The study also took the group as a whole by looking at their perspectives on the declining trend of responses to a religious vocation and suggested measures to foster a religious vocation. This helped to address the issue of a declining population of religious personnel, despite an expansion of the Catholic lay population in Hong Kong. The primary data collection method used in this research was a qualitative approach by means of life history interviews with the 14 participants. The individual narratives showed that the calling to a religious vocation for all participants came from God, who might have encountered the person directly, passed the messages through others and/or inspired one's inner desire. In the discernment process, three tools-companionship of spiritual directors, visiting religious institutes/attending come-and-see programmes and self-reflection-were identified as crucial factors in the participants' decision to lead a religious life; furthermore, three key factors-charisma/missionary work, community life and prayer/liturgical life-had been considered in selecting which religious institute to enter. In pursuing a religious vocation, the participants encountered difficulties at different times/stages, and community life was regarded as the most challenging barrier among all. The coping strategies broadly entailed looking upward to God through prayers and trust in Him, and going inward to oneself by improving oneself and/or accepting others. The sources of support were God from above, individual self from within and encouragement from the environment, including family, friends, faith community and religious institutes. On the macro level, the participants' perspectives showed that the declining trend of responses to a religious vocation could be attributed to four parties: religious personnel, religious institutes, family and youngsters. The religious personnel could not live up to God's image and, thus, failed to attract others to pursue religious life. The conservative rules/regulations and aging members posed hindrances to one's desire to enter the religious institutes concerned. A lack of support from families and the increase of broken families imposed challenges to individuals' responses to a religious vocation. Youngsters had immature attachments to the material world and had no close links with God. On the measures fostering a religious vocation, the participants indicated that apart from the aforementioned four parties involved in the reasons for the declining responses to a religious vocation, five more parties-schools, Diocese of Hong Kong (DHK), parishes, Diocesan Vocation Commission (DVC) and social media-could be engaged in promoting a religious vocation in Hong Kong. The nine parties are categorised into five groups: family and schools; church communities (DHK, parishes and DVC); religious personnel and religious institutes; youngsters; and social media. Each party in the group has its own responsibilities to participate in fostering a religious vocation in their corner of the world. The results of all the findings were integrated into an overall explanation, consisting of three clusters: cultivation cluster (comprising DHK, parishes and DVC); nurture cluster (comprising family, schools and youngsters); and inspiration cluster (comprising religious institutes, religious personnel and social media). The three clusters have respective roles to play by means of cultivating favourable soil for the growth of vocation seeds; nurturing the Christian faith with a view to seeking God's will in life; and inspiring the vocation seeds to open and respond to God's calling with courage and generosity. Through the dynamics of inter-cluster coordination and cross-cluster interaction, these parties can make a concerted effort to foster a religious vocation while attempting to address the issue of the declining population of religious personnel, despite an expansion of the Catholic lay population in Hong Kong. The study contributes to an in-depth understanding of a religious vocation as it enriches the elements/interpretation of a religious vocation (Rulla, 1971) and the dimensions of callings (Dik & Duffy, 2009; Hunter et al., 2010); unfolds the processes of discernment (Hankle, 2009) and the selection of religious institutes; and provides new insights into the aspects of supports, barriers and coping strategies associated with the religious vocation journey (Lent et al., 2002; Stark & Finke, 2000; Sunardi, 2014). Through an exploration of the possible reasons for the declining trend of responses to a religious vocation and the suggested measures to foster a religious vocation, the study offers valuable references to the parties engaged in the cultivation, nurturing as well as the promotion of a religious vocation. In the study journey, the researcher experienced spiritual enlightenment, which is illustrated with a metaphor of a BIKE-FIT Cross. It reminds the researcher that in leading a Christian life, one has to maintain Balance of oneself and keep moving, uphold one's Identity, be Kind when interacting with others and Entrust to God after one has put all his/her efforts into the assignments. In all circumstances, one should have Faith in God, be the Image of God and express Thanksgiving to God

LG51.H43 Dr 2021eb Makyc

https://educoll.lib.eduhk.hk/records/aX5nvw3K