Family Impact on Vocation Discernment among De La Salle Brothers in Lwanga District, Kenya
Abstract
This study explored family impact on vocation discernment among De La Salle Brothers in Lwanga District, Kenya. Though family impact on vocation discernment can be both positive and negative, the researcher dwelt more in exploring the negative impact. The objectives of the study include exploring the impact of parents on the vocation discernment of aspirants to the Religious Life among the De La Salle Brothers; to study the impact of pressure for financial family support on temporary professed Brothers. The study was carried out among 90 targeted population and 90 sampling population, in Lwanga District of Africa, an Anglophone Province of the De La Salle Brothers Congregation in the Catholic Church. The Province comprises of six countries: Ethiopia, Eritrea, Mozambique, South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya, with the headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. The study has been able to find out the impact of family pressure on professed Brothers and young men aspiring to join the congregation. This impact could be negative or positive. When the family plays its role of good family upbringing, family prayers and bible reading, family devotion, unity and love in the family, parents’ faithfulness to each other, and participation in religious activities in the parish, there is positive impact on the child. All these prepare fertile ground for the child later in life to choose Religious Life of the Brothers. However, when the family fails in its role of proper upbringing, it has negative impact on the child. The research used a mixed method design comprised both qualitative and quantitative methods. The data was collected by the use of questionnaires and interview guide. The quantitative data was analyzed and presented in percentages and numbers while the qualitative data was analyzed according to the emerging themes in line with the research objectives. The study suggested some intervention strategies for addressing family impact on vocation to religious life among the Brothers.
Keywords: Religious Community, African Community, Affective Love, Religious life/Consecrated Life, Initial Formation, Lwanga District.
References
Azevedo, M. D. C. (1995). The consecrated life: crossroads and directions. Orbis Books.
Brickston, A., & Baskaran, A. (2004). The Historical Analysis of the First Arrival of De La Salle Brothers and their Educational Impact in India.
Fowler, J. W. (2001). Weaving the new creation: Stages of faith and the public church. Wipf and Stock Publishers.
Gegielka, Francis (1969). All Things New: Radical Reform and the Religious Life, New York: Sheed and Ward.
Hostie R. (1963). The Discernment of Vocations, translated by Michael Berry,New York: Sheed and Ward.
Hostie, R. (1912). The discernment of vocations. Geoffrey Chapman.
John Padberg, S. J. (1989). The Crisis in Religious Vocations: an inside view. New York: Paulist: Laurie Felknor Ed.
Kakeeto, R. (2021). Factors Influencing Vocation to Brotherhood in Holy Cross Congregation District of East Africa (Doctoral dissertation, Tangaza University College).
Keller, B. K. (2004). Parental behaviours that influence adolescents ‘career development. University of Washington, USA.
Kilbride, P. L., & Kilbride, J. C. (1989). Changing family life in East Africa: Women and children at risk.
Kirwen, M. C. (Ed.). (2010). African Cultural Domains: Cycle of Family and Interpersonal Relationships. MIAS books.
Mbiti, J. S. (1991). Introduction to African Religion, 2nd. Nairobi: EAEP.
Mwaura, John E. (2017). Vocations Ministry: Journeying together, in Symposium, Young People, The Faith and Vocational Discernment, ed, Giuseppe Caramazza and Eleanor Gibson, Nairobi: Institute of Youth Studies.
Ng'weshemi, A. M. (1998). MAGESA, Laurent, African Religion: The Moral Traditions of Abundant Life, Maryknoll, New York, Orbis, 1997. xvi+ 296 pp. Journal of Religion in Africa, 28(4), 499-501.
Otto, L. B. (1989). How to help your child choose a Career, Florida: State Department of Education. ERIC Document Reproduction Service.
Owor, J. M. (2019). In Loving We Are Reborn: For the Life of the Family, Nairobi: Paulines Publications Africa.
Parrott, L. & Les, P. (1995). The Career Counselor: Contemporary Christian Counseling, Dallas: Word Publishing.
Poage &Treacy (1959). Parents’ Role in Vocations, Milwaukee: The Bruce Publishing Company.
Poage, G. (1961). Secrets of Successful Recruiting: The Principles of Religious Vocational Guidance and Tested Techniques of America’s Most Successful Religious Recruiters, Maryland: The Newman Press.
Pope John Paul II (1986). A Year with Mary, New York: Catholic Book Publishing Co.
Salm, L. (1989). The Work Is Yours: The Life of Saint John Baptist de La Salle, Illinois: Christian Brothers Publications.
Vita Consecrata (1996). The Consecrated Life, Nairobi: Paulines Publications Africa.
