"Matyti mane kunigu" : katalikų dvasininko karjera: motyvai pasirinkti ir galimybės realizuoti XIX a. antroje pusėje

ENThis article seeks to analyze the possible incentives for which persons choose the social class of the Roman Catholic clergy in the second half of the 19th century in Lithuania and the influences of the socio-political context on the decisions. The opportunities to realize the priest vocation after the 1863–1864 revolt, after the repressions against the Catholic Church in its aftermath are discussed. The study also seeks to comment about the religiosity of society at that time and its expression. It is indicated that the analysis of the incentives for individuals of all social classes to choose the career of a clergyman needs to evaluate a number of political, social and economic circumstances and the processes in society related to them, however, no less significant and important are the individual motives of the person encouraging/not encouraging such a decision. The latter motives are especially difficult to fix, but it is essential that they be named, evaluated, because the choosing of the social class of a clergyman is concerned with a vocation. The latter component is not often reflected in the academic narrative. The study highlights a group of sources – published and unpublished clergy ego-documents (letters, diaries, memoirs). They are revealing for the public evaluation of religiosity, they also often capture and highlight various incentives for choosing the career of a clergyman, the social posture.The conclusions affirm that a condition for the vocation of a clergyman, although defined in a complex way, however, must be evaluated by analyzing the formation of the social class of the clergy. It allows one to see the analyzed problem in a more complex manner. The religiosity of the lower social strata experiencing transformations, the authority of a priest had an impact on the positive selection of the social class of the clergy. The selection of the social class of the clergy for the peasant meant the acquisition of a higher social status, departure from the taxable social class, exemption from military conscription. However, for persons of all castes, all social considerations are evaluated in the context of public religiosity. [From the publication]