SOURCE:

Faculty: Arts
Department: Religion And Human Relations

CONTRIBUTORS:

Nwodo, J.N;
Uche, O.O.C;

ABSTRACT:

Abstract
This dissertation is on Women Religious and Pastoral Development in Onitsha Archdiocese 1967-2015: A study of Immaculate Heart Sisters. The human person across generations has the ontological problems of scarcity, of contingency and of powerlessness. This immediate yearning propelled him to seek advancement and betterment of his species. Fraught with all those limitations, he recourses to any agency or organisation that has the potency of alleviating his conditions. One of such coperate entities capable of lifting humanity from the quagmire of economic recession and poor social atmosphere is the Church which was insituted by Jesus Christ for the well- being of her members, which is anchored on the pastoral development that entails the advancement in all ramification of the pastoral activities. Pastoral development is a tool used by any pastoral agent in a given Church locality in the process of evaluation, imagining and planning to help the community stay in touch with the changing circumstance of life and faith. The Women Religious who through the profession of evangelical counsels of chastity, poverty and obedience consecrated themselves to God and set apart for the service of God and humanity is a very indispensable organ through which the Church realizes this pastoral mandate. It is on this premise that this research x-rayed the pastoral developments of the Immaculate Heart Sisters in Onitsha Archdiocese from 1967- 2015. Data were collected from primary and secondary sources. Data were analyzed using deductive and historical approach. For the critical examination of the study, Blumer’s interactionist theory, Durkheim’s functionalist theory, Mary Parker Follet’s theory of human relations and theory of African historiography were used. Using the functionalist, interactionist, and human relations theories, the work has succeeded in bringing the positive aspect of the pastoral contributions of the Women Religious (Immaculate Heart Sisters), which had been overlooked over the years in Onitsha Archdiocese. The activities of Immaculate Heart Sisters have cleared the perceived vagueness and ambiguity that surround the concept “Women Religious”. The findings also have put to rest the wanton skepticism that has accompanied the identity of Women Religious and their work in the society. The study concluded that all Women Religious primarily through prayer and penance as stated in Canon 673 advance their apostolate as a witness of their consecrated life. They employed in full mention their feminine qualities which aided their pastoral acumen in these functions. Immaculate Heart Sisters therefore have made remarkable contributions to the pastoral development of Onitsha Archdiocese, but needed to be more pragmatic to the present challenges and employ all avenues in developing the present society pastorally in line with information communication technology appliances devoid of the influence of materialism in the world today.