Prince Goddy G. Tan
Bernardina G. Yalong
Ateneo de Manila University
MA in Religious Education
A Theological Understanding of the Family as the Seed-bed of Vocations
Statement of the Problem
“The grace of vocations needs good soil in which to be planted, and the proper conditions to
develop under God's supernatural care. There is no soil more necessary and no conditions are
more important than a good family life.” 1
- Fr. John A. Hardon, SJ
What is a vocation? According to Merriam-Webster it comes from the Latin word
“vocare” to call. It is a noun which means a strong desire to spend your life doing a certain kind
of work. “The word “vocation” in today’s usage often means a person’s occupation, profession,
or trade, in brief, how a living is made.”2 Many of us think of a vocation as a calling in life.
Vocation is beyond a call, it is not just an occupation, profession or trade. Our vocation is not the
same as our career or profession. However, there can be an overlap between a vocation and a
profession. A person has a job to earn a living, a career may be chosen for the sense of selffulfillment but a vocation is aspiring for a higher good; as a service for others and for God. For
example, you may choose your job as a teacher and you study further for a higher learning, for
this reason, you teach effectively because you believe that it is a sign of following your calling to
be of service to your students.
“A job corresponds to work extrinsically understood. Career
traces the progress of the peoples’ work. Work understood as a calling (or vocation) connects
1
John A. Hardon SJ, The Survival of the Catholic Family, © 1984. Institute on Religious Life.
http:/catholiceducation.org/articles/religion/www.lifeeternal.org accessed April 22, 2014.
Kendig Brubaker Cully and Iris V. Cully. Harper’s Encyclopedia of Religious Education. (Harper and
Row, Publishers, Inc., 10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022. Copyright 1990), p. 683.
2
1
work’s purpose with the proximate and ultimate end of a person’s life.”3 A vocation is a gift of
call from God. It is important to realize that the primary and most vital call from God is a call to
live a holy life.
…All are called to a union of love with God and with one
another. In other words, all- without exception-are called to
holiness, the perfection of charity, though not all do pursue the
same path to holiness…4
The family is important in developing the vocation of each individual member. Since, it
has a vital and specific role in the society, in view of its foundation. The family has a role of
service to life because it is from the family where the society grows community. When there is a
better community, there is a better family; when there is a better family, there is a better person.
That’s why we should choose the better vocation for ourselves.
As what Fr. John A. Hardon, SJ had said:
Where the Catholic family is strong, the Catholic Church
is strong. Where the family is weak, the Church is weak. Where
the family is struggling for survival, the Church is struggling for
survival. Where the Catholic family is dying, the Catholic Church
in those cultures and countries is dying.5
What we will be trying to do is to show in a more practical sense the value of being a
Catholic family. The central idea of this paper is that the Catholic family is the seed-bed of
vocations. In this regard, the families are the living signs of the Church; we are the living signs
3
Michael Naughton and Gene R. Laczniak, A Theological Context of Work from the Catholic Social
Encyclical Tradition, Journal of Business Ethics, Vol. 12 No. 12 pp.982-983, http://www.jstor.org/stable/25072493
Accessed May 16, 2014
4
Paul VI, “Lumen Gentium” no.32 in Vatican Council II: The Conciliar and Post Conciliar Documents,
ed. Austin Flannery (Pasay City: Daughters of St. Paul , 1994).
5
John A. Hardon SJ, The Survival of the Catholic Family, © 1984. Institute on Religious Life.
http:/catholiceducation.org/articles/religion/www.lifeeternal.org
2
of God’s undisputed reign. What would become of the family may be reflected in what they are
doing in their chosen call.
By “family” I mean all sustaining networks of domestic
life. Since there are many one-and two-parent families, blended
and extended families, traditional and postmodern families, this
definition seems broad enough to include them all. Also are
family-like domestic communities that may not be headed by a
legal parent.6
Each family has different contexts and experiences, from this point of view; they are
confronted with questions such as: who has the right to choose the career, profession and
vocation for their children? What are the factors affecting their choices? What is the significance
of following one’s vocation? Do we really have the vocations? So, we came up with the
question: “How can we understand the family as the seed-bed of vocation in the Catholic
Church?” We would like to use this broaden meaning to signify how important is the role of the
family in growing and deepening the vocation of a person. When the family is growing their true
vocation they are sharing already in building the Kingdom of God here on earth. The reign of
God is radiating in each every member of the family.
SCOPE AND LIMITATION
In this paper, we will focus on the understanding of the family as the seed-bed of
vocations in the Catholic Church; this is an exposition on going back the basics of vocation
especially with regards to the thesis statement:
6
Thomas H. Groome, Will There Be Faith? A New Vision For Educating and Growing Disciple (New
York, Harper One, 2011) Chapter Six It’s (Almost) All in the Family-with Help Faith Formation in Households of
Faith. pp. 202-203.
3
24. The sacraments of vocation (Marriage and Orders) bring
Christ’s vivifying, sanctifying, and strengthening presence in the
Spirit to the Christian members’ state of life with in and service of,
the Christian community. [CFC 1881-1992].7
This topic is relevant and timely because there is a great challenge facing the family. We
will not discuss the broader aspect of its mission and the psychological difficulty and personal
issues and problems in today’s perspective of a family.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROBLEM
Objective Significance
“In the light of this horizon of divine grace and human responsibility, the family can be
considered a “garden” … in which the seeds of vocation, which God sows generously, are able to
blossom and grow to a full maturity (cf. Optatam totius, n.2)”.8
The family is like a garden that needs to be nourished. How do we grow seeds in the
garden and make it blossom and grow? The gardener prepares the seed-bed to make sure the
seeds will be planted properly. The gardeners water and cultivate the soil. As we can see in the
family, it has a vital role in influencing and guiding the children in choosing their own vocation.
The environment in the home which the family provides is a very important factor which affects
the choice of one’s vocation.
In light with the need of more priestly vocation and the growing number of
dysfunctional/broken marriages, this paper in its modest attempt to give an exposition in the
responsibility of the family as great influence in nurturing one’s vocation. “The family is meant
7
Formation Institute for Religious Educators (FIRE) Thesis Statement. 2004. Ateneo de Manila University,
Quezon City.
8
http://www.cultura.va/content/dam/cultura/image/Collegamenti/accademie/teologia/path/11.1.pdf
Optatam totius, n.2. accessed May 5, 2014
4
by God to be the first school of discipleship where the parents are first catechist of their children,
and where all the members mutually evangelize each other.
It is also the first school of
evangelization where the members learn to share with others the grace and light of Christ. It
“ought to be a place where the Gospel is transmitted and from which the Gospel radiates.”9
Subjective Significance
This paper is valuable because it has a practical significance to the families, this study
can be use as a baseline data for other religion teacher who would like to use this as a source for
vocation awareness seminar.
This paper would be valuable specifically to the Religion Teacher and to the parents of
St. Francis Xavier Catholic School. The setting would be in a rural Catholic School where most
of them are “nominal Catholics”. Their being “nominal Catholics” means that as family they just
attend only during the celebration of First Communion, Confirmation and when necessary for
them to attend mass in school. Our school is providing quarterly seminar and workshop to give
them on-going formation in the faith. This paper would be addressing and discussing the
significant role of the family as meant by God to be the first school of discipleship or being the
seed-bed of vocations. This paper will not discuss about the vocation of families without
children.
“Whatever the structure or leadership of the household, the key is that it be one of faith.”10
- Thomas H. Groome
9
Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, Acts and Decrees of the Second Plenary Council of the
Philippines (Manila: Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, 1992, 576.
10
Thomas H. Groome, Will There Be Faith? A New Vision For Educating and Growing Disciple (New
York, Harper One, 2011) p.203.
5
METHODOLOGY
Through the challenges post by the Formation Institute for Religious Educators (FIRE)
with regards to writing, this paper was completed. To be able to gather the necessary
information, the researchers utilized the descriptive method, using expositions of different
Church documents, authors and journal. Herein, the chosen ideas are to support on clarifying and
giving new insights on the family as the seed-bed of vocations.
Then, towards the completion of this paper the context of the Catholic family specifically
the parents of St. Francis Xavier Catholic School is also considered. Moreover, we used the
Vatican II Lumen Gentium, Familiaris Consortio, Christifideles Laici and Pastores Dabo Vobis
of John Paul II to deepen our understanding on the family’s role in choosing one’s vocation. We
also focused on the new ideas and context of the Acts and Decrees of the Second Plenary
Council of the Philippines, the National Catechetical Directory for the Philippines and Catechism
for Filipino Catholics.
We also consulted Harper’s Encyclopedia of Religious Education, Catholicism Volume
Two by Richard P. McBrien and The Teaching of Christ, A Catholic Catechism for Adults for
the broader definition and meaning of vocation in regards with the family.
The implementation of this paper is also included to give a framework to the religion
teacher who may want to use to apply this in their own school.
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II. CONTENT
Discovering One’s Vocation
How do you choose your vocation? A lot of factors may influence or affect one’s answer
to this question. Mass media for example trivialize some of the profession. Some people just go
with the flow and choose what is trendy. Some are persuaded by their friends. Some follow the
pattern they have in the family. Moreover, some say they do not have a choice. “The Christian
sense of “vocation” relies heavily on the etymology of vocare (Lat., “to call”), and sees it as the
call to everyone to become members in the Church. This is the sense of Ephesians 4:1: “…lead a
life worthy of the calling which you have been called.”11 As members of the Church, we are
called to be sharers and to be of service to one another. This is lived-out in the different
vocations that we are called upon.
THE DIFFERENT VOCATIONS
Everyone has a vocation but living out the chosen vocation differs to some particular way
of carrying it out. The calling of God for us “to be holy” in our specific vocation is also a call
for us to be closer to Him. “Within this one universal vocation to fulfill the one mission of the
Church, the various “vocations” in the one people of God have each particular role.”12 Our
different role helps us to nourish the vocation that we choose in life. The following specific
vocations are:
11
Kendig Brubaker Cully and Iris V. Cully. Harper’s Encyclopedia of Religious Education. (Harper and
Row, Publishers, Inc., 10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022. Copyright 1990), p.684.
Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, Acts and Decrees of the Second Plenary Council of the
Philippines (Manila: Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, 1992, 403.hereafter referred to as PCP II.
12
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A. CONSECRATED LIFE
For some individuals who had chosen the consecrated life, their pathway of following
Christ is through their dedication and promise of chastity, poverty and obedience, they are called
to live the life as Christ lived, to form their living on the life of Jesus as chaste, poor and
obedient, building their hearts more open and free for prayer and service for others.
B. ORDAINED MINISTRY
For some individuals who have chosen the ordained ministry through sacramental
ordination, they share in the priesthood of Christ more profoundly in a special way. Their very
beings as ordained person are transfigured so that they can embody Christ the Good Shepherd
and Christ as the Head of the Church. They just not simply offer their own lives to the Father, as
what other Christians do, they are obedient minister to the faithful as Christ in person. Therefore,
when they preach with the power of the Church then we experience Christ teaching, when they
forgive sins in the sacrament of Penance then we can feel Christ forgiving, when they offer the
Sacrifice of the Mass then Christ offering that Sacrifice, when they love, give support and offer
care for God's people then Christ is present with his people.
The priest’s vocation is likewise grounded in the Trinity: “by virtue of consecration he
receives in the Sacrament of Orders, the priest is sent forth by the Father, through the
mediatorship of Jesus Christ…in order to live and work by the power of the Holy Spirit in the
service of the Church”13
Episcopal Commission on Catechesis and Catholic Education (ECCE), Catholic Bishops’ Conference of
the Philippines, Catechism for Filipino Catholics (Manila: ECCE and Word and Life Publications, 1997), 1947.
13
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C. LAITY
“The world becomes the place and the means for the lay faithful to fulfill their Christian
vocation.”14 Those who are single and married persons use their talents and capabilities in the
different fields that they are in. Some of them are practicing their professions as teachers,
doctors, engineers and lawyers. Others are in the field of social welfare and development and
non-government agencies. Others are in agriculture, business and among any other line or work.
“It is in the world that they are to grow in holiness. It is there especially-in the family, work and
recreation, in the vast fields of economics, politics and culture-that they are to evangelize
others.”15
The state of life of the laity in particular are the:
SINGLE BLESSEDNESS
Those people who committed themselves to the service of others in their work and life of
prayer. In this particular vocation of single life, the person is called to strive to follow Jesus in
their daily lives though they did not formally take the vows of religious people such as poverty,
chastity and obedience.
MARRIED LIFE
Those married couples follow Jesus by their covenantal and conjugal love. Through their
vows, they promise to show their love to each other faithfully for the rest of their lives, even
though some circumstances in life would bring joys and trials to them. They express their love
ultimately through the marital act, which brings them to a more intimate and opens them to the
14
15
PCP II 406
Ibid.
9
gift of new life through their off springs. Together, they bring themselves in establishing their
own family.
[Paragraph removed.]
THE FAMILY: SEED-BED OF VOCATIONS
The family is like a garden that needs to be nourished. How do we grow seeds in the
garden and make it blossom and grow? The gardener prepares the seed-bed to make sure the
seeds will be planted properly. The gardeners water and cultivate the soil. As we can see in the
family, it has a vital role in influencing and guiding the children in choosing their own vocation.
The environment in the home which the family provides is a very important factor which affects
the choice of one’s vocation. Like in the family, nurturing our children by means of directing
them in a right way of life, providing them the holistic environment and that in everyday
activities, they may decide on their own.
The family should see the potential of each child; from there, parents may actually
nourish and guide their children in choosing what he/she is capable of, in the intention that their
potentiality may be put in actuality. That’s why in the end, the child and the parent may agree
on making their choices.
The family can help in the discernment of their children to deepen their capacity to fully
understand himself/herself. It is in their habit of family prayer and worship that strengthens this
relationship with God; which in the end is the goal of our life, the whole point, purpose and joy
of our existence. This process of discernment will help the children to the certainty of their
choices in the future. In light with this, the family becomes the true seed-bed which prepares the
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members in choosing the right vocations for them, even if it is religious, priesthood, single or
married.
The Holy Family is an image of a family which supports each other in discovering and
nurturing their call from God. Like them, our family is challenged to follow their examples.
“The family is the Church in the home. It is the primary
community of Christ’s disciples whose members are bound
together not only by ties of flesh and blood but by the grace and
obedience to the Father’s will. Jesus began his work of salvation
within a family, the Holy Family of Joseph, Mary and Jesus
himself. Thus, family life in the Lord is of greatest concern to the
Church.”16
Christ calls us in some special way, whatever our vocation in life. The family is like a
Church where we are united in love with each other. The members are in a journey towards
God. Like Jesus, who grows in wisdom and obedience within His family with Joseph and Mary.
Like them, our family should guide us in our maturity and growth, especially in helping us
become closer to God. We establish our relationship with God through the constant faith
practices within our family.
In the family the various ministries in the Church are
awakened and cultivated. There are spirituality of the Christian is
nurtured and rooted in the Word of God and finds its Filipino
expression. As Pope John Paul II observes: “It is through the
family that the history of salvation of the Church is wrought.” And
again, he points out, “The future of evangelization rests in great
part on this Church in the home.”(Familiaris Consortio 49) Called
to reach out to its neighborhood and beyond, the family becomes a
true foundation for Basic Ecclesial Communities.17
Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, Acts and Decrees of the Second Plenary Council of the
Philippines (Manila: Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, 1992, 421.
17
Ibid.
16
11
The progress of the society comes from the spring which the family is founded. That’s
why the family is challenged to be true to its calling. Yes, the family has a great influence in
every individual choice. Hence, this influence should be prepared from the beginning, because
the family as a seed-bed for vocation really matters. The effects of our present choice really
matters to what the future would be. Therefore, be the good seed planted in the seed-bed where
you will flourish and be fruitful.
III. Conclusion
Family: fundamental in discerning one’s vocation
Some people have the tendency to think and relate “vocation” simply to the ministerial
priesthood or the consecrated life; we also do appropriately speak of the “lay vocation” because
indeed, that is true for a lot of people. All are called without exception in sharing the saving plan
12
of God and in establishing the Kingdom of God. It is within this one universal calling that each
person fulfills the various vocations they have. Whatever vocation a person chooses, he or she
should live it as a witness to God and His love.
The Church recognizes and gives honor to the married vocation because of its sacredness.
Jesus gave a definitive and salvific status to it that marriage becomes a sacred sign, a sacrament
to remind us of God’s love for us through human love capable of being lasting, fruitful and
faithful like His own love for the Church.
The family is one of the major influences and channel of one’s commitment to choose
vocation but the decision is always made by themselves, not by the family. The family all the
while is guided by the same theological principles which must guide the one who is determined
to discern God’s will and to enter more deeply into a relationship with God. Indeed, the family
in striving to know God’s will and to determine the best way to fulfill their common vocation.
Topic:
A Theological Understanding of the Family as the Seed-bed of Vocations
Target Audience:
Parents of our students in St. Francis Xavier Catholic School
50-80 parents
Allotted Time:
2 hours in the morning
Number of days:
1 day
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Objectives:
A. To be able to understand the family as the seed-bed of vocations.
B. To guide them to see their appropriate vocation.
FIRST PART: What is Vocation and the Different Kinds of Vocations
(This part is located in pages7-10 of the mini-thesis)
I. Opening Prayer: (The assembly will sing prayerfully the song Prayer of Rupert Mayer)
Prayer of Rupert Mayer (Himig Heswita)
Lord, what You will let it be so
Where You will there we will go
What is Your will help us to know
Lord, when You will the time is right
In You there's joy in strife
For Your will I'll give my life
To ease Your burden brings no pain
To forego all for You is gain
As long as I in You remain
REFRAIN:
Because You will it, it is best
Because You will it, we are blest
Till in Your hands our hearts find rest
Till in Your hands our hearts find rest
II. Activity:
Small Group Sharing (4-5 members for each group)
Direction:
For 30mins, let them share their thoughts on the question: Who makes the
decision in choosing your chosen career/vocation? (Then, the facilitator will just
call 3-5 volunteers to share in front their answers to the questions.)
III. Talk:
Discuss what is vocation and the different kinds of vocations.
14
Discovering One’s Vocation
“The Christian sense of “vocation” relies heavily on the etymology of vocare (Lat., “to
call”), and sees it as the call to everyone to become members in the Church. This is the sense of
Ephesians 4:1: “…lead a life worthy of the calling which you have been called.” How do you
choose your vocation? A lot of factors may influence or affect one’s answer to this question.
Mass media for example trivialize some of the profession. Some people just go with the flow and
choose what is trendy. Some are persuaded by their friends. Some follow the pattern they have in
the family. Moreover, some say they do not have a choice.
The Different Vocations
Everyone has a vocation but living out the chosen vocation we differs to some particular
way of carrying it out. The calling of God for us “to be holy” in our specific vocation is also a
call for us to be closer to Him. The following specific vocations are:
A. Consecrated Life
B. Ordained
C. Laity
-Single Blessedness -Married Life
SECOND PART: Family: Seed-bed of Vocations
(This part is located in pages 11-13 of the mini-thesis)
IV. Ice Breaker
V. Talk: Family: Seed-bed of Vocations
The family is like a garden that needs to be nourished. How do we grow seeds in the
garden and make it blossom and grow? The gardener prepares the seed-bed to make sure the
15
seeds will be planted properly. The gardeners water and cultivate the soil. As we can see in the
family, it has a vital role in influencing and guiding the children in choosing their own vocation.
The environment in the home which the family provides is a very important factor which affects
the choice of one’s vocation. Like in the family, nurturing our children by means of directing
them in a right way of life, providing them the holistic environment and that in everyday
activities, they may decide on their own.
The family is one of the major influences and channel of one’s commitment to choose
vocation but the decision is always made by the individuals themselves, not by the family. The
family all the while is guided by the same theological principles which must guide the one who
is determined to discern God’s will and to enter more deeply into a relationship with God.
Indeed, the family in striving to know God’s will and to determine the best way to fulfill their
common vocation.
VI. Closing Prayer: Prayer for Discernment
God our Father,
You have a plan for each one of us,
You hold out to us a future full of hope.
Give us the wisdom of your Spirit
so that we can see the shape
of your plan in the gifts
you have given us,
and in the circumstances
of our daily lives.
Give us the freedom of your Spirit,
to seek you with all our hearts,
and to choose Your Will above all else.
We make this prayer through Christ our Lord.
Prayer of St. Ignatius
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