Modern Korean society enjoys high economic position than ever, but low-birth and aging problems become gradually serious. In addition, reduction in the number of students is interlocked with decreasing of Priestly Vocation in seminary school nationwid...
Modern Korean society enjoys high economic position than ever, but low-birth and aging problems become gradually serious. In addition, reduction in the number of students is interlocked with decreasing of Priestly Vocation in seminary school nationwide, then sense of crisis is raised in the Church. This study investigates the problem of Priestly Vocation through previous proclaimed documents on priest formation, verifies the role and the vocation of family, and how to find the Vocation in family community.
The Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Francis, Amoris Laetitia concentrated on the encouragement and comfort to Christians, who cannot enjoy the grace and joy from family, while not changed the teaching of the Church but interprets and adopts concretely to detailed situations.
This Apostolic Exhortation emphasized that family is as the most fundamental cell phase in the society, and is the place where learns love, and reveals lively Triune God’s friendship from love in the reality.
In the following Exhortation, Christus Vivit, Pope Francis emphasized the necessity of wide pastoral Vocation, recalls the meaning of family vocation, which family is called to witness love. These two Exhortations suggest in common the meaning of self-giving which is contained the vocation of love in family.
From the documents of the 2nd Vatican Council to “The Present of Priestly Vocation”, documents on priest formation said that the important meaning of Vocation is ‘self-giving’, this is the same context that mentioned as an important topic in the vocation of family.
The most important education for those who aspires priesthood is that to make them perceive properly the identity of a priest and to keep altruistic, self-sacrifice life, not settled for self-satisfaction and easement.
This identity means that to transfer from not remaining on the question of ‘who am I’ but to ‘who am I existing for’. Also, the ceaseless contemplating topic among the Church teachings on Vocation is ‘communion’. Priest who is called to accomplish communion is to make a new relationship with God through unilateral and unique acquaintance with Christ, then can be possible to make this communal life of service and self-giving.
‘Communio Personarum’ means ‘personal communion’, looks at ‘self-giving as the core element for the unity. To reproduce this ‘self-giving’, to find ‘Caritas’ which started from ‘love as friendship’. Pope Francis defined that ‘Caritas’ is ‘as love with friendship, love to understand other person’s high value and to care for them’. Eventually, Jesus’ saying that “Giving is happier than Receiving” should be well embodied through pastoral love (caritas pastoralis), which is mentioned in the priest formation documents.
In conclusion, to be a person who preaches God’s influence is to fulfill communion and to lead the life as a disciple who gives ‘pastoral love’ in the pastoral field.
Since the answer to this life can learn well from the family. Family community should suggests the ‘way of love (via caritatis)’, which is possible for ‘self-giving’ and ‘Caritas’.