Roman Catholic Church Response to the Challenges Faced by Her Christian Single-fathers - a Case Study of St. Benedict Roman Catholic Parish, Thika Road - Nairobi County

Abstract

Single-parenthood is another type of family that is in existence today other than the traditional African extended family and Christian nuclear family. Single-parenthood is the state of one person having a child or children and s/he alone is responsible for child/children upbringing. Due to the highest number of single mothers, and the presumption that women can nurture their children better than men, many studies have focused on single mother families. Despite their limited number, single-father family is another type of family that encounters similar and diverse challenges to single mothers. Widowed single-fathers are highly accommodated in the Church and the society, unlike the divorced, separated, and single by circumstance fathers. This study explored the challenges experienced by Roman Catholic Christian single-fathers who are divorced, separated, and circumstantial/situational single-fathers. The Roman Catholic Church concept of inclusivity, advanced by Pope Francis in “Amoris Laetitia” (The Joy of Love), guided the study. Pope Francis calls adherents to be more welcoming and less judgmental. The study thus evaluated the role played by St. Benedict Roman Catholic Church to support Christian single-fathers in their Church. Resilience Theory guided the study. When people face a difficult situation, resilience helps them return to their normal state of life and even grow. The study employed a case study research design to collect information from single-fathers. Qualitative methods of data collection, mostly targeted interviews characterized by open-ended questions, were used. The findings show that fathers experience stress as the sole caregivers of their children. The greatest challenge which was identified was that of childcare. Other stress factors included financial constraints, social stigma, and religious segregation. It was also found that the impact of covid- 19 is more distressing for single-father families, adding to financial strain, emotional stress and burden of care which was overwhelming. Most single-fathers felt that embracing Christianity positively impacted their parenting. As Christians, they believed in God’s plan and purpose in their lives. Trusting in God’s plan kept them on a straight and narrow path and helped them endure obstacles for God is always there to guide and comfort them. Most fathers identified guidance and counseling services, the formation of single-fathers’ ministries in their Church as well as provision of reliable and affordable childcare services as practical tools which improved their parenting. From the findings, the Church ought to redefine its programs to accommodate single-fathers if positive social change is to be realized. This is recommended as the Church implements the Papal call in Amoris Laetitia; being welcoming and supporting to all, including single-fathers, especially those in their parenting journey.