By Father Peter Choy Wai-man
After Easter this year, parishes began to resume public Mass, and while the number of participants is still limited, it is gradually returning to normal. Although many catechumen classes have been opened, the number of applicants is significantly lower than expected, with some parishes even recording single-digit numbers. The situations were reflected in the deanery meetings and the reports. What are the reasons for the loss of catechists or catechumens? I believe many people will think of political prospects and the emigration wave.
I was expecting the same situation for the new year’s laity formation programmes and was preparing for the worst. Surprisingly, the result was unexpectedly good. Despite still having more than a week until classes begin in September, the number of students enrolled in courses in catechism, religion, and ethics as well as two- to four-year programmes in theology, philosophy, religious studies, Biblical studies, etc. have not only remained stable, but have even increased.
It is encouraging to see that, although the emigration wave has indeed resulted in a loss of human resources in the Church, at the same time, many aspiring people are willing to equip themselves and actively serve the Church.
Last week, the Diocesan Consultation Committee for the 16th Synod of Bishops on Synodality submitted the analytical report of the survey, and the results made me understand the more fundamental reasons for the decline in the number of catechumens. The report focuses on two main areas: first, the rigidity and “bureaucracy” of the present parish structure, which has hindered parishes from developing with the times; and second, the failure of parish life to meet the aspirations of the faithful for deeper faith and spiritual growth. The picture that emerges from the two points is that our parishes have not become places where the faith life of the laity can be continuously nurtured and grow.
Firstly, many respondents expressed that there are many unwritten “traditions” in the parish held by some “senior” parishioners. The transfer of priests from one parish to another can easily lead to a loss of continuity in the pastoral direction or even to a reversion of the pastoral direction, which are reasons for parishioners to feel discouraged and hesitate to participate. Therefore, in the absence of new thinking or a sense of belonging, the parish naturally fails to keep pace with the constant changes in society.
According to the report, many Catholics think that parishes generally do not make good use of social media as a platform to strengthen the links among Catholics or to share successful pastoral experiences; some also point out that parishes only focus on sacramental life and lack contact with, or care for the marginalised in the community.
On the other hand, the questionnaire showed that many parishioners want to find mutual trust, communication, support and sharing within the structure of the parish, such as through small faith communities, spiritual and biblical sharing meetings, and even prayer and liturgy services for different age groups or as a family unit, so that their faith can be internalised and grow continuously. When these expectations are not met in the parish, parishioners, especially young people who have completed Sunday school or new parishioners after baptism, would naturally leave.
Therefore, the emigration wave is probably only one of many reasons for a decline in catechumens, but the deeper cause is the long-standing problems in the parish. We are grateful to the lay people who participated in this survey and hope that we can listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit through synodality and continue to “walk together” in the Holy Spirit, and be jointly responsible for the renewal of the diocese.
