The Salary of the Soul: A Human Resource Stewardship Model for Forming Gen-Z Catechists, Inspired by the Witness of the Vietnamese Martyrs

The Catholic Church in Vietnam’s largest diocese (Ho Chi Minh City) relies on Generation Z volunteer catechists (lay faith instructors) but faces a crisis in how these young leaders are trained and supported. Despite their strong intrinsic motivation, often described as a “salary of the soul” or deep spiritual fulfilment, many Gen Z catechists feel unprepared by current training, leading to frustration and burnout that threaten the future of this lay ministry. This study addresses that gap by proposing a new Human Resource Stewardship (HRS) model for catechist formation. Using a mixed-methods design, the study first conducted 33 in-depth interviews with key stakeholders and then surveyed 305 catechists to gather quantitative data. Key findings highlight that intrinsic spiritual rewards drive commitment: feeling aligned with the Church’s mission was the strongest predictor of volunteer happiness (p < 0.001), while external factors like training and leadership offered only secondary support. In response, the HRS model holistically supports volunteers by combining stewardship-based pastoral care, servant leadership principles, intrinsic motivation theory, and a narrative pedagogy inspired by stories of the Vietnamese Martyrs. This evidence-based framework reframes volunteer management as a form of pastoral care, provides practical strategies to nurture and retain young catechists, and offers the Church in Vietnam and beyond a sustainable path to a resilient and flourishing lay ministry.