A Review of Don Bosco’s Stages of Life:
Imitating His Exemplar Facing Life Contingencies
in Response to the Divine Will
《聖若望・鮑思高人生歷程之回顧：
效法楷模，在天主聖意中面對人生挑戰》
作者: 何家輝
出版者: 何家輝（澳門教區准印）
出版日期: 2025年9月
【中文介紹】
作品概述
何家輝神父的這項著作是一項突破性的整合，結合了靈修神學和心理發展理論，通過艾瑞克·埃里克森（Erik Erikson）的心理社會發展階段深入分析聖若望·鮑思高的生命。書本的核心主題是鮑思高神父的靈性旅程如何反映了天主的神聖召叫與人在不同發展階段的響應，以及人際關係如何促進個人成長與靈性成長。
本書之所以卓越突出，是因其方法論的創新——宗教、神學、歷史及心理學視角的深思整合，使讀者不僅能了解鮑思高神父是一位聖人和神職人員，還是一位由天主引領及人性經驗塑造的動態人物。作者邀請讀者效法鮑思高神父的典範，在生命挑戰中培養信仰及美德。
結構與內容
本書分為十章，每章分析鮑思高神父生命的不同發展階段，這些階段對應於埃里克森的心理社會發展階段，從嬰兒期延伸至老年期：
1. 嬰兒期（0-2歲）： 探討透過母愛與無條件愛（storge）構建信任的基礎。
2. 幼童期（2-4歲）： 強調鮑思高神父早期的自主性及對自身的愛（philautia），並描繪家庭環境中的個人成長。
3. 初學齡期（4-6歲）： 檢視創造力及遊戲的形成（ludus），以及靈性接受力的開始。
4. 童年中期（6-12歲）： 深入探討以信仰為導向的行業精神，以及友誼（philia）與靈性指導的價值。
5. 青少年期（12-18歲）： 作為關鍵階段，解析鮑思高神父在身份與角色混淆之間的衝突，以及使命召喚的發現。
6. 成年早期（18-30歲）： 集中於親密關係（intimacy），以及早期投入幫助貧困青年人的承諾，受其異象和夢境的啟發。
7. 成年期（30-60歲）： 展示鮑思高神父透過教育牧民，衍生關顧青少年的精神（generativity），透過其終生使命及創立慈幼大家庭體現無條件博愛（agape）。
8. 老年期（60-73歲）： 反映精神智慧的晚年——以信仰、超越、及深層博愛（agape）為標誌。
最後一章以精神陪伴作為核心，強調人際關係是個人及靈性成長的基石，並突顯天主的召叫與人的回應，以及人際支持中持久的互動。
方法論與貢獻
何神父的跨學科方法無縫地融合了神學與心理學。他將埃里克森的心理發展階段作為結構框架，用以分析鮑思高神父的生平，顯示每個階段所反映的重要心理及靈性成長時刻。本書強調了信仰與心理學之間的互聯性，將人類發展視為本質上既有靈性，又有與天主及旁人的關係性。
此外，正如陳繼容教授在序言中所述，何神父的著作是對當代物質主義和個人主義的反思。該視角提供了令人耳目一新的垂直超越焦點——承認天主在塑造人類發展中的作用——而非追求橫向的物質利益及世俗目標。藉由將耶穌基督置於發展中心，何神父強化了人必須在天主旨意與責任之間忠誠互動的重要性。
批判性分析
優點:
1. 創新的學科整合： 何神父成功地將靈修神學與心理學理論創造性且嚴密地結合，突顯其跨學科專業技能。
2. 鮑思高神父的全面性視角： 本書將鮑思高神父人性化，為讀者提供一個既可參考又值得效法的典範，用以應對人生挑戰。
3. 合乎時宜的相關性： 在靈性價值逐漸衰退的文化背景下，本書提供了深刻的洞察，指出信仰和人際關係如何促進人類的靈性及人性的成長。
4. 突破性的學術性研究： 何神父突破了神學及心理學討論的傳統界限，為日後學術研究奠定基礎。
結論
本書不僅是一部聖若望‧鮑思高的生平探討，同時也是對讀者靈性及心理學成長的呼召。該書代表了神學、心理學、哲學及歷史的融合，挑戰現代讀者超越物質主義及個人主義，重拾人類發展的靈性維度。
此書的學術價值及靈性洞察使其成為神學家、心理學家、教育工作者，或任何希望將信仰融入人生旅程的人的重要資源。本書罕有地跨越各領域的界限，提供了深刻且振奮人心的個人及靈性轉化的課題，但願讀者能藉著效法鮑思高神父的芳表，加深與天主的關係。
撰寫：何家輝神父
【英文介紹】
A Review of Don Bosco’s Stages of Life:
Imitating His Exemplar Facing Life Contingencies
in Response to the Divine Will
Author: Ho Ka Fai
Publisher: Ho Ka Fai
(Macau Diocese Imprimatur)
Date of Publication: September 2025
Overview of the Work
Fr. Albert Ho Ka Fai’s work is a groundbreaking integration of spiritual theology and psychological development theory, presenting an in-depth analysis of St. John Bosco’s life through the lens of Erik Erikson’s psychosocial stages of development. The central premise of the book is that Don Bosco’s spiritual journey reflects the interaction between God’s divine calling and human responses at various developmental stages, alongside interpersonal relationships that support both personal and spiritual growth.
What sets A Review of Don Bosco’s Stages of Life apart is its methodological approach—a thoughtful synthesis of religious, theological, historical, and psychological perspectives to better understand Don Bosco not only as a saint and priest but as a dynamic human being shaped by divine guidance and human experiences. The author invites readers to imitate Don Bosco’s exemplar by cultivating faith and virtue across life contingencies.
Structure and Content
The book is divided into ten chapters, each analyzing one of the developmental stages of Don Bosco’s life. These stages correspond to Erikson’s psychosocial phases and extend from infancy to elderhood:
1. Infancy (0-2 years) explores the foundations of trust developed through maternal care and unconditional love (storge).
2. Toddlerhood (2-4 years) highlights Don Bosco’s early autonomy and self-love (philautia), shaped by his personal development within a family setting.
3. Early School Age (4-6 years) examines the formation of initiative, playfulness (ludus), and beginnings of spiritual receptiveness.
4. Middle Childhood (6-12 years) delves into the faith-guided industry and appreciation for philia (friendship) and divine mentorship.
5. Adolescence (12-18 years), a critical phase, aligns with Don Bosco’s conflict between identity and role confusion, formation of practical love (pragma), and discovery of his vocation.
6. Young Adulthood (18-30 years) focuses on intimacy, eros, and an early commitment to helping destitute youth, inspired by his visions and dreams.
7. Adulthood (30-60 years) demonstrates Don Bosco’s generativity, encompassing unconditional agape love through his lifelong mission and pioneering the Salesian charism.
8. Elderhood (60-73 years) reflects his later years of spiritual wisdom—marked by faith, transcendence, and deep compassion (agape).
The concluding chapter focuses on spiritual accompaniment, affirming relationships as central to human and spiritual growth. It emphasizes the enduring interaction between God’s call, human response, and interpersonal support.
Methodology and Contribution
Fr. Ho’s interdisciplinary approach merges theology and psychology seamlessly. He employs Erikson's stages of development as a scaffold to structure Don Bosco's biography, showcasing how each phase reflects critical moments of psychological and spiritual growth. This integration highlights the interconnection between faith and psychology, viewing human development as inherently spiritual and relational.
Furthermore, Fr. Ho’s work is a response to contemporary materialism and individualism, as highlighted in the preface by Prof. Chan Kai Yung Anna. This perspective offers a refreshing focus on vertical transcendence—the acknowledgment of God’s role in shaping human development—as opposed to the horizontal pursuits of material wealth and secular goals. By placing Jesus Christ at the center of development, Fr. Ho reinforces the need for faithful interaction between divine will and human responsibility.
Critical Analysis
Strengths:
1. Innovative Integration of Disciplines: The melding of spiritual theology and psychological theory is both creative and rigorous, underscoring Fr. Ho’s interdisciplinary expertise.
2. Holistic Perspective on Don Bosco: The book successfully humanizes Don Bosco, offering readers a relatable yet aspirational model for navigating life challenges.
3. Timely Relevance: Amid the cultural decline of spiritual values, the book provides profound insights into how faith and relationships foster human flourishing.
4. Groundbreaking Scholarship: Fr. Ho extends theological and psychological discussions beyond their traditional boundaries, setting a foundation for future studies.
Conclusion
Fr. Albert Ho Ka Fai’s A Review of Don Bosco’s Stages of Life is not only a biographical exploration of Don Bosco but also a call to spiritual and psychological growth for readers. Representing a fusion of theology, psychology, philosophy, and history, the book challenges modern readers to rise above materialism and individualism by rediscovering the sacred dimension of human development.
This work’s academic merit and spiritual insight render it a valuable resource for theologians, psychologists, educators, and anyone seeking to integrate faith into their life journey. It is rare to find a book that so elegantly bridges disparate fields; Fr. Ho’s work succeeds admirably in doing so, offering profound lessons for personal and spiritual transformation.
Written by: Fr. Albert Ka Fai Ho
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