作者 ｜
張世澤(北台科學技術學院通識教育中心)
摘要 ｜
梵蒂岡第二次大公會議曾經明確地鼓勵平信徒參與教會內的生活，隨後在羅馬教廷與主教團會議的文獻中，也不斷地倡導平信徒的各項權利與責任。其結果是造就了越來越多勇敢而聰穎的女性平信徒，在世界各地的天主教會當中成為領導人物，其中也包括了台灣的天主教會。這些目前任職於教會高層的女性平信徒，大都具有長期而豐富的教會事務經驗；儘管一般天主教徒不會太驚訝於女性在教區工作中所扮演的吃重角色，卻往往未能意識到她們在教區活動、社服工作與善會組織中，成員逐漸增加並掌握重要職務的意義。本文企圖解釋女性在台灣天主教傳教協進會中的地位，並針對新竹地區傳教協進會的個案情況從事質性分析，透過焦點訪談與制度分析的運用，讓我們能夠更深刻的理解這些女性的主觀經驗與制度性地位，以及其在個人宗教感知與教會公共規範之間的互動關係。
基此，本文針對活躍於教會活動的女性平信徒進行訪談工作，並據此指出：即便受到聖召減少與教友老化的雙重影響，而使教會整體出現衰微徵象，但台灣地區的許多女性教友，仍然十分重視她們的天主教身分，並藉此調和多重的角色扮演，同時也更為積極參與教會活動，並從事復振天主教信仰的實踐工作。透過這些議題的闡述，本文致力理解男性教階體系與女性平信徒領袖間辯證而緊張的關係，並討論其對於教會所加諸的可能影響。在這種意義之下，本文也希望揭示，在受到晚近歷史發展中，社會價值鼓勵個人脫離制度束縛的大潮流影響之下，天主教會如何適應來自於政治、經濟與社會方面的新發展。
關鍵字 ｜
天主教女性平信徒、傳教協進會、羅馬天主教會、梵蒂岡第二屆大公會議
Title ｜
Women’s Place in Taiwan Catholic Council of the Lay Apostolate: A Case Study from Hsinchu City
Author ｜
Shih-Tse Chang(Northern Taiwan Institute of Science and Technology General Education Center)
Abstract ｜
The Second Vatican Council has established that laities should be greatly encouraged to join the daily life and public affairs of churches. The documents, issued shortly after by the Holy See and Bishops’ Conference, have also been continuously advocating the laities’ rights and responsibilities. Consequently, growing numbers of courageous and intelligent female laities have become leaders of catholic churches all over the world, including the Catholic Church in Taiwan. The majority of female laities, who currently hold senior posts in their churches, have rich and long experiences in church administration. Although most Catholics would not be surprised to learn that women have been playing crucial roles in parish work, they are not as much aware of the increasing numbers of female laities who serve as key administrators responsible for various church activities, in social service agencies, and alms deed-practicing organizations.
This study examines the position of lay women in Taiwan Catholic Council of the Lay Apostolate, while paying a close attention to the qualitative analysis of Hsinchu Catholic Council of the Laity. By conducting focal interviews and institutional analysis, we hope to better comprehend the lay women’s experiences, their institutional status, and interaction between their personal religious perceptions and the public norms of the church. Therefore, frequent visits were paid to the pastor of the parish, and a number of interviews were conducted with those female laities who were the most involved in the church activities. These interviews, among others, bring us to the discussion of workgroups on catechism, liturgy, pastoral work, and the image of Mother Mary, while also attempting to demonstrate the phenomena of the church decline, the hemorrhage of the priests, and the lack of parishioners’ commitment. Nevertheless, a great number of Taiwanese female parishioners continues to respect and retain their Catholic identity, and, moreover, uses it as a foundation for assuming multiple roles in the church. Consequently, female parishioners can become more aggressive in attending the church activities; and it is this devotion that molds their desire to revitalize Catholicism.
By examining these issues, this study also aims to understand the dialectic development and tension in the relationship between the male church hierarchy and female lay leaders, and investigate possible influences of this relationship on the church. Finally, in the light of the latest historical changes, including the encouragement of an individual’s escape from the constraints of social institutions, this study attempts to explore the ways in which Catholicism negotiates its roles in the newly developing economic, political, and social spheres.
Keywords ｜
Catholic Lay Woman, Council of the Lay Apostolate, Roman Catholic Church, The Second Vatican Council