Serviço social e a ação sócio-pastoral da Igreja Católica: assistência, promoção humana e emancipação social

Abstract

The Catholic Church has had a fundamental importance in Brazilian society from its arrival with the Portuguese colonization to the present day. In addition to religious matters, it provides countless assistance actions and services to individuals or families in situation of social vulnerability. The relationship between the Catholic Church and Social Work begins in the 1930‟s with the establishment of the Center for Studies and Social Action CEAS, followed by the creation of the Social Work course and the foundation of the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo PUC-SP and many social and pastoral initiatives. The ecclesiastical social action is revealed in actions, services, programs, campaigns and projects concentrated on dimensions such as social assistance, human promotion and social emancipation. It involves a series of institutional actors and social subjects dedicated to promoting and guaranteeing human dignity and the fundamental rights to life. Those issues are addressed from the perspective of the Charity Seminar sponsored by the Archdiocese of São Paulo since the year 2000. The actions analyzed correspond to data from Ipiranga Episcopal Region