SOURCE:

Faculty: Arts
Department: Religion And Human Relations

CONTRIBUTORS:

Udeolisa, U.E;
Uche, O.O.C;

ABSTRACT:

The thrust of this study is on the historical discourse of social welfare services of the Catholic Church in Owerri Ecclesiastical Province, Nigeria, 1968 – 2016.Social welfare service has been an embodiment of the Church Apostolate from inception. The economic recession of the contemporary time preceded by the devastating effect of the Nigeria- Biafra war has left the society predominantly burdened with needy of various degrees. The Catholic Church in Owerri Ecclesiastical Province has displayed poised interest in providing the social welfare services to the needy. The thrust of the study is to make a historical discourse of the social welfare services provided by Catholic Church in Owerri Ecclesiastical Province from 1968 to 2016, to ensure its proper articulation which is hitherto lacking. This makes it imperative for the study of the nature to X-ray the true position of the social welfare services offered by Catholic Church in Owerri Ecclesiastical Province. The study adopts interview and observation as sources of primary data collection. Textbooks, journals, magazines, dailies and internet materials form secondary data collection. The data to this quantitative study were analyzed using a culture area approach and complimented by description, historical and phenomenal approach. Human Relations Theory by Mary Parker Follett in 1918 and Relative Deprivation and Equity Theory by Gurr in 1970 served the treatise the research anchored on. The empirical studies reviewed indicate that though some related studies have been carried out, scholarly documentation of the social welfare services provided by Catholic Church in Owerri Ecclesiastical Province is yet to be done. The study found out that the Catholic Church in Owerri Ecclesiastical Province has made some significant landmark achievements such as establishment of orphanages, motherless babies home, schools apostolate, old people’s homes, medical services, relief materials, prison apostolate, poverty alleviation and other skill acquisition programmes. They engage in laudableprogrammes to put smile on the faces of the vulnerable and give them sense of belonging. In their efforts to cater for the welfare of the poor and the needy, they encounter some challenges which create some difficulties in the provision of adequate social welfare services in the Ecclesiastical Province. This calls for possible and viable strategies to ensure fortified and efficient social welfare services in Owerri Ecclesiastical Province.