Page 52 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 5

Church Traditions for a Christian Psychology

fests in its own way that depth which is proper to some extent, the ages, stages, tasks, and do-
to man, and in its own way surpasses it. Suffe- mains of maturation and maturity across the
ring seems to belong to man‘s transcendence: it lifespan. Catholic psychology attends to the
is one of those points in which man is in a cer- personal narrative, extends the limits of the
tain sense „destined“ to go beyond himself, and lifespan, and contemplates the distinctive for-
he is called to this in a mysterious way. (John mation of persons in relationship with God
Paul II, 1984, n. 2) and others, via nature and grace, involving in-
In the discovery of “the salvific meaning of tegration within and transcendence beyond the
suffering” one may become a “completely new person. “And Jesus increased in wisdom and in
person” (John Paul II, 1984, n. 26). Crucifixion stature, and in favor with God and man” (Luke
may become transfiguration; wounds of suffe- 2:52, RSV).
ring may become marks of splendor.
Catholic psychology is a psychology of flou- Personal History
rishing, a psychology of beatitude. It invol- Catholic psychology is an existential narra-
ves more than the mere pursuit of happiness; tive psychology which recognizes the drama
persons are made for pursuit of unity, truth, of human existence, the interior story of each
goodness, and beauty (Wojtyła 1969/1979, pp. person’s life and soul, the saga of each person’s
155-156; John Paul II, 1979, 14). One might experience of nature and grace: Each man in all
consider the senses (particularly vision and the unrepeatable reality of what he is and what
hearing) as oriented toward beauty, the intellect he does, of his intellect and will, of his consci-
as oriented toward truth, and the will as orien- ence and heart. Man who in his reality has, be-
ted toward goodness. Persons are most properly cause he is a “person,” a history of his life that
oriented toward “felicity” rather than “happi- is his own, and most important, a history of his
ness”: “The personal foundation of felicity im- soul that is his own. Man who, in keeping with
plies that it may be experienced only by beings the openness of his spirit within and also with
who are also persons” (Wojtyła, 1969/1979, pp. the many diverse needs of his body and his exi-
174, 176). Felicity is related to self- fulfillment, stence in time, writes this personal history of
realized through the action of the person in be- his through numerous bonds, contacts, situa-
coming and being good: In the notion of “felici- tions, and social structures linking him with
ty” there is something akin to fulfillment, to the other men, beginning to do so from the first
fulfillment of the self through action. To fulfill moment of his existence on earth, from the mo-
oneself is almost synonymous with felicity, with ment of his conception and birth. (John Paul II,
being happy. But to fulfill oneself is the same 1979, n. 14)
thing as to realize the good whereby man as the Each person is an actor amidst the “dramatis
person becomes and is good himself. (Wojtyła, personae” (John Paul II, 1984/2006, 4:2), a prot-
1969/1979, p. 174). agonist within the human drama, “this remar-
Felicity as fulfillment of the person thus invol- kable drama of human innerness, the drama
ves “the fulfillment of freedom through truth” of good and evil enacted on the inner stage of
(Wojtyła, 1969/1979, p. 175). Allers (1943) pro- the human person by and among his actions”
vided a similar insight: “The purpose of an ac- (Wojtyla, 1969/1979, p. 49). This is recognized
tion is the realization of a value, and not of a as a “drama of the will,” as “a battle of motives,
pleasure” (p. 41). The experience of this “perso- felt very definitely as an interior struggle” (Woj-
nal structure of felicity” takes place in relation tyla, 1974/1976, p. 275; Schmitz, 1993, p 77).
to nature, in relationship with other persons, It involves “the relation between what he or
and, ultimately, through “eternal beatitude” in she is to what he or she is [meant] to become”
communion with God (Wojtyła, (Wojtyła,1957/1981, p. 412; as cited in Schmitz,
1969/1979, pp. 175-176). 1993, p. 53; cf. John Paul II, 1984/2006, 7:2).
Catholic psychology is a psychology of fal-
The Formation of Persons lenness and a psychology of redemption. It re-
Any theory of human development addresses, cognizes and embraces the human story of ago-

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