CONSECRATED PERSONS AND PASTORAL CARE OF THE FAMILY

LUCY SAMAWE GIDADO

Abstract


The Christian family,  referred to as a domestic churchâ€, the first and vital cell of the society, the first school of life and formation house for all vocations has received  alot of attention from the church of recent because of the challenges she is facing in carrying out a very important role in the education, formation and evangelization of her members.  Consecrated persons who are part of the church share in the church’s concern for pastoral care for the family.  Since 2015, a year Pope Francis dedicated to consecrated Persons, the Religious have taken time to deliberate, reflect and make a conscientious’ effort towards providing a systematic and effective pastoral care  to families. In this paper we hope to articulate some key pastoral challenges the family is facing and practical ways in which Consecrated persons by virtue of the witness of their lives, charisms and life-transforming apostolates can offer pastoral care to families that is holistic, effective, God-centred, love – driven and value – based in our challenging and ever changing globalized world. Consecrated persons have all it takes to keep Christian families ‘alive’ in faith, hope and joy of love in marriage and family life.

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References


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Rev. Sr. Lucy Samawe Gidado, OLF, a native of Sugu in Ganye Local Government Area of Adamawa State, Nigeria, is a member of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Fatima. Haven obtained her grade II Teacher’s Certificate from Madonna Women’s Teachers college, Sugu, she subsequently obtained a degree in Theology from St. Patrick College, Maynooth, in Ireland. She is a teacher by profession and a trained formator and is passionate about formation. Highly gifted and experienced in Religious Life / Family life Formation Ministry, and she was a Formator of Postulants, and of Novices, in the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Fatima, Nigeria (for altogether 12 years). Sr Gidado was the Chairperson of Family Life Commission of the Catholic Archdiocese of Jos, and the former Director of Female Catechists Formation Centre Kwall – Jos, and Superior General of Sisters of Our Lady of Fatima (1999 - 2009). Sr. Gidado is a deeply spiritual woman, a motivational writer, a teacher, Retreat giver/ Conference speaker. Sr Gidado has been involved in Family Life ministry for many years and is currently the Coordinator of her Congregation’s Family Alive Centre, Sha’aka village, Jos, and the National Sister Adviser to the Ladies of St Mulumba, Nigeria.

Isidielu wenceslus CMF, Editor in Chief, the Insight ……. To bear witness to the earth . 2) Pope Francis, Post Synodal Apostolic Exhortation on the Family, Amoris Laetitia, 2016: 3

Kaitholil George, Consecrated life, challenges and opportunities, 172-173. 11 Pope Paul VI, Humane Vitae, 1968, No. 30 12 Gbuji, A.O. The Pastoral care of marriage and family life in Nigeria, Mumbai St. Paul’s, 2006


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