Gujarat Province

Social work has always been an integral part of the province apostolate in terms of relief and welfare activities in rural as well as urban areas for a long time. However, social action as collective action, with people's participation, estab­lishing the root causes as outcomes of socio-economic and political structures and dynamics began in the early seventies.

The GC-32 decree 4 on Faith and Justice and Paulo Freire's pedagogy have definitely influenced our organized efforts in social action.

Some pioneers in various fields merit mention here ­ Joe Idiakunnel and Mathew Kalathil on the legal front, Erviti Ramiro in Urban development, Joseph Heredero in nonformal education, are a few names.

There are many, then, who have contributed towards making GC-32 decree a reality in the province. The attitude towards JESA in the province has evolved from opposition to tolerance and, acceptance and to some extent, integration in other apostolates.