The Catholic Church and the fishery crisis of 1986--1992 in Newfoundland and Labrador: Seeking pastoral insight in a time of changing ocean resources

This thesis consists of four chapters and a concluding chapter. It is divided into two sections. The first part examines the relation of the Catholic Church to the Newfoundland and Labrador fishery crisis: 1986-92. The second part aims to determine what aspects of this relationship help furnish insight for a pastoral approach to the current management of the province's ocean resources.; Chapters One and Two provide a case study of the historic controversy. The first chapter chronicles the years leading up to the crisis and actual fishery catastrophe, itself. Chapter Two probes the range and level of responses of the major participants, governments, unions, and the leadership of the Catholic Church and faith community to this ecological, social and economic disaster.; Building on the ecclesiology of Joseph Komonchak and the papal documents on social justice, Chapter Three examines the relation the Catholic Church had or could have had with the fishery, as the crisis unfolded into a catastrophe. Chapter Four searches for alternatives as to how the Church in Newfoundland and Labrador may reconstitute itself as a gift of God's grace by being vigilant to changing ocean resources. Informed by its response to the fishery, and given the prospect of offshore petroleum and other tapped and untapped natural resources stabilizing the economy I claim the Church in Newfoundland and Labrador has another opportunity to renew its pastoral ministry to the people, themselves.; The Conclusion calls for a more mature Church uniting its needs and hopes with the needs and hopes of the maritime constituency it serves.