A Brief History of FWC

The Family Welfare Centre, located on #5, Nandi Durg Road, Bangalore-560046, was officially started in 1971 under the patronage of the then Archbishop of Bangalore, The Most Rev. Dr Lourdeswamy.

The idea of FWC was in response to a need felt at Bangalore. A place that would cater to the emotional and spiritual needs of the family through the services of professional and dedicated individuals.

It was Fr. Oswald Dijkstra, OFM who conceptualised and established the Centre with the able assistance of a committed team. The Marriage Preparation Course started as the first programme of the Centre and has now become the thrust area of the Family Welfare Centre. The efforts of the FWC are reflected in the growing popularity of this Course.
By 1975 the Family Welfare Centre had gained the attention of the WHO, as one of the organisations to conduct a five Country Research Programme. A similar research programme was taken up by Misereor, Germany through the Centre.

Over the years, a programme in Family Life Education was evolved and offered in most schools, colleges and Novitiates. Family Life Education became the first such programme in the City of Bangalore.

In the 48 years of existence, the Family Welfare Centre has grown from a small mustard seed to a big tree. It has grown from the Vision of a few individuals to the mission of a multitude.

At the General Body meeting of the Family Welfare Centre of the Archdiocese, it was unanimously decided that the Archdiocesan Family Welfare Centre is to be henceforth considered as Archdiocesan Commission for Family from 01. 07. 2005. Mr George Bankien, Director of Family Welfare Centre is appointed as Secretary of the Family Commission of the Archdiocese.

As you are aware, the Family Welfare Centre is regularly conducting the Marriage Preparation Course in Kannada, Tamil and English for couples planning for marriage. Of late, it has also started to conduct programmes at deanery and parish levels. As marriage preparation is one of the important requirements of the administration of the Sacrament of Marriage, parish priests are requested to encourage the would-be couples to attend the Marriage Preparation Courses and also to utilize the facilities and expertise of the Centre.
(Archbishop’s Circular of July 2005 No. II, Para 8).

The FWC is an apostolate, a ministry and a mission. It belongs to the Church, more specifically to the Archdiocese of Bangalore.

The Archbishop is the Ecclesiastical Superior and Local Ordinary under whose governance the Centre functions. The Centre is a registered Society to enable it to function under civil law as well. The Archbishop is the President of the Society.

The Centre has a comfortable air-conditioned venue, which can accommodate seventy, equipped with state of the art technology for classroom communication and a good reference library.

Our Logo

The Family Welfare Centre Logo depicts a man, woman, and child – the family or the smallest unit of society.

Our Theme

A school of deeper humanity. The line has been taken from the document of Vatican II, “The Church in the Modern World No. 52”. A school is a place of education. The FWC is a partner to this process.

Objectives of the Society

a) To promote and conduct family life and welfare schemes in the state of Karnataka and elsewhere in the union of India, irrespective of caste, creed, and community.

b) To promote and conduct educational services and training to marriage and family life of all, irrespective of caste, creed, and community.

c) To train teachers, parents and social workers to conduct programs for family welfare centre particularly for the poor and rural people, irrespective of caste, creed, and community.

d) To print and disseminate literature on family life and social welfare schemes to be distributed or sold at a nominal cost, irrespective of caste, creed, and community.

e) To promote and assist in health education including nutrition, hygiene, and personal welfare.

f) To provide support and administer social, medical centers and other charitable and social works for the advancement of family life.

g) And generally to do or engage any other acts or take steps to achieve the aforesaid aims and objects of the society and intend to apply its profit, if any, or other income in promoting the after said objects, and prohibit the payment of any dividends or distribution of any income or profits among its members.