한국 천주교회의 사제 지속 양성 계획을 위한 제언

Abstract

Based on The Gift of the priestly Vocation (2016) published by the Pontifical Ministry for the Clergy, the Korean Catholic Bishops’ Conference has issued the Guidelines for the Formation of Catholic Priests in Korea (2023). Chapter 9 of these guidelines deals with ongoing formation. The guidelines propose a comprehensive outline for a systematic and concrete system of ongoing formation within the Catholic Church in Korea. Since the Second Vatican Council, the Catholic Church set the ongoing formation of the clergy as a central agenda. Nevertheless, while it has concentrated on initial formation in preparation for the sacraments of holy orders, the practice of ongoing formation after the sacraments of holy orders is still in its infancy. This study seeks to lay the theological foundation for the establishment of a plan for the ongoing formation of priests at the bishops’ conference. First, it explores the ecclesiological meaning of the ministerial priesthood and presents the justification for the ongoing formation of priests. Then, in order to explore the methodology of ongoing formation, we refer to the methodology of contemporary adult continuing education and distinguish the horizontal and vertical fields of priestly ongoing formation. It is necessary to delicately design the horizontal field of formation from the single identity (existence) of the priest and the vertical field of formation from the various duties (roles) of the priest. Along with this, for the systematic and organized implementation of ongoing formation of priests, it is necessary to consider the reality of the Korean church. In order to inspect the current situation of priests in the Korean Church, this study analyzed a questionnaire of priests conducted by the Catholic Pastoral Institute of Korea in 2021. Based on this, it argued for five recommendations for a plan for the ongoing formation of priests in the dimension of the bishops’ conference. Ongoing formation of priests is closely related to initial formation in the dimension of a single journey of discipleship. However, it must be distinguished from initial formation in that, first, it must consist methodologically in the voluntary self-formation of the individual priest, and second, consequently, it must pursue the pride and satisfaction of the individual priest’s identity, and the communion and unity of the priestly community. This is emphasized in Church literature by the term ‘sacramental fraternity’.