The vision of kuriakose elias chavara on family wellbeing and its actualization in the family apostolate of congregation of the mother of carmel

Abstract

Family is the abode where the society takes birth and it is the pillar where the nation finds its strength. Kuriakose Elias Chavara a man of immense astuteness and novel thoughts had lofty apparition and great concern for the families. He was born on 10th February 1805, in the village of Kainakary in Kerala, India. At the age of 24 he was ordained as a religious priest. His being was highly committed for people and for the welfare of the society. He believed that strengthening of the individual can lead to formation of stable families which in turn can empower the society. He was a social reformer who stood for the marginalized, an innovative educationist who opened the school for low caste, an eminent spiritual leader who renewed the face of the church, popularized the press, media and founded two religious congregations for men and women. At the age of 66, 1871 January 3rd he left for his heavenly abode. On 23rd November 2014 he was canonized as saint by the Catholic Church. The present study The vision of Kuriakose Elias Chavara on family wellbeing and its actualization in the family apostolate of Congregation of the Mother of Carmel is an attempt to explore the vision of Chavara on family wellbeing and its relevance in the present era. Qualitative approach is employed and the data is collected through key informant interview and interview methods. The different aspect of Chavara s family wellbeing is explored mainly by reviewing the literature. Hermeneutic approach is used to interpret the literature. By analyzing the official documents of the congregation the actualization of his vision in the family apostolate is explored. The relevance of his views is explored through an interview with nine families from three different parts of Kerala. The influence of Chavara vision on family apostolate of Chavara and its implementation are investigated through the document analysis and key informant interview with members of the congregation.