Background and History
What is Couples for Christ?
Couples for Christ (CFC) is a movement intended for the
renewal and strengthening of Christian family life. It is
an association of Christian couples who have committed themselves
to the Lord and to one another, so that they may grow into
maturity as men and women of God and fulfill their primary
vocation of raising up their families under the Lordship
of Jesus Christ and for the service of the Kingdom of God
Couples for Christ is a work of Christ which raises up
Christian couples and establishes Christian families committed
to the work of evangelization and winning the world for
Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit.
It grows mainly through the establishment of localized Units
in different parishes.
Where and how did CFC begin?
CFC began in June 1981 in Manila, Philippines when a local
Christian community tried out a new approach in evangelizing
married couples. The method used consisted of bringing together
a small group of prospective couples in a private home.
There they were brought to a living relationship with Jesus
Christ and to renewal of the power of the Holy Spirit through
a series of weekly informal discussions of the gospel in
a social meeting.
Soon, CFC became a Christian family life renewal program
made available to parishes and groups of married couples
who wish to live out their Christian life in an active supportive
relationship with one another. Though the years, CFC has
blossomed into a worldwide ministry, becoming a major force
for the renewal of Christian family life and also of the
church.
Celebrating its 20th anniversary CFC is now in 88 countries
around the globe with over 1.2 million members. The cluster
for Vancouver, British Columbia registered 2, 500 members.
Why is such a ministry necessary?
It is God’s plan that the family be the basic unit of society,
such that the condition of society. However, there are many
forces in the world today that would, wittingly or unwittingly,
destroy the very foundations of the family. CFC want to
bring God’s strength and light to those who are struggling
to be truly Christian families in the modern world.
How does Couples for Christ intend to work for Christian
family renewal?
CFC intends to carry out its work by focusing on three
specific objectives.
1. Individual renewal
Before one can even consider the whole family, the husband
and wife first need to renew their commitment to God. CFC
takes the basic message of Christianity and proclaims it
anew commitment to God in a way which will allow them to
receive a fuller experience of the work of the Holy Spirit
in their lives.
2. Family renewal.
As couples renew their commitment to God, They also renew
their commitment to one another and to their Christian family
life. Gradually, the new life that they find in the Lord
filters down to all their family relationships.
3. Church renewal
As individual families are renewed, they form a network
of equally committed Christian families which not only support
one another but also strengthen the Church of which they
are members.
Vision, Mission and Statement Philosophy of CFC
STATEMENT OF MISSION
We are living in a time of rapid change. Everything is
changing – social values, relationships, economic systems,
Ideologies and many other things that affect life in general.
Caught in this tide of change is the family no longer operates
like it used to. We see this as a matter of serious importance.
In the modern world, man has learned to band together for
mutual protection. There is certain artisan guilds, trade
unions, various business associations, all organized to
protect and uphold common interest. But the preservation
and strengthening of the family does not seem to be a matter
of priority to many people. The family is left exposed and
unprotected against the forces that tend to destroy it.
Now a spiritual revival has touched the earth. Christian
families are feeling the need to be truly Christian. In
a modern world, families are reaching out, crying for help,
but they have nowhere to go. The help they are seeking is
not normally available in the average parish. Whatever traditional
help is available in some parishes is usually inadequate.
They hear strange voices leading them into strange paths,
all promising fulfillment yet all causing confusion.
We believe that God wants us to rise in defense of his
work. We believe that the family is a creation of God and
no else has any right to change it, its structure and its
purpose. We believe that God’s plan for all creation continues
to operate, namely: “to bring all things in the heavens
and on earth into one under Christ’s headship”
(Eph 1:10)
Couples for Christ is a creation of God distinctly called
to bring families back to plan of God. Couples for Christ
is called to bring the Lord’s strength and light to those
who are struggling to be truly Christian families in the
modern world.
In submission to god’s will, Couples for Christ commits
itself to this mission. Couples for Christ will serve wherever
to God brings it to serve, trusting only in his guidance
and his power.
STATEMENT OF PHILOSPHY
The following embodies the beliefs and ideals of the Couples
for Christ (CFC) as a movement from which flows its Christian
attitudes, values and behavior, as well as its programs,
teaching and approaches to Christian renewal within the
context of family relationships.
1. WE BELIEVE marriage as an indissoluble institution as
taught by our Lord Jesus Christ (Mt 19:6). That God created
marriage primarily for lobe between man and woman, and for
the procreation and proper rearing of children.
2. WE BELIEVE that God created man and wife with equal
personal worth and dignity. That God ordained order in the
family by giving the man the role of the family and the
woman as helpmate and support, which best expresses their
complementarily.
3. WE BELIEVE in the inalienable and irreplaceable right
and responsibility of parents to educate their children.
That children need to be educated in essential human and
Christian values for them to become responsible and mature
members of society.
4. WE BELIEVE that the family in practicing the gospel
message shares in the life and mission of the church - -
through prayer, evangelization and service to me. We uphold
and depend the rights of the family as proclaimed in the
chapter of family right (Familiaris Consorto).
And lastly,
5. WE BELIEVE that Christian family renewal can best be
achieved by inviting Jesus to be the Lord our homes and
by allowing the power of the Holy Spirit to lead our family
lives and through the full use of all charismatic gifts
at our disposal.
Who can become members of Couples for Christ?
Any married Catholic couple can become members of CFC.
CFC draw it membership from all sectors of society, young
and old, rich and poor, etc. CFC transcends all cultural,
economic, educational, social and other distinctions.
How does a couple become members of Couples for Christ?
Those who want to join CFC go through a seminar which is
called Christian Life Program (CLP). The CLP starts with
an orientation session, the goes through 12 weekly meetings,
thus involving a total time pried of 3 months. The weekly
meetings are usually held in the evenings and last about
2.5 hours per session. What is the nature of the Christian
Life Program?
The Christian Life Program (CLP) is an integrated course
leading into a renewed understanding of God’s call to us
as Christian couples. It is divided into 3 modules of 4
session each. Each session consist of a talk, group discussion,
and some time for fellowship.
The different topics of the talks are as follows:
1. God’s Love
2. Who is Jesus Christ?
3. What I means to be a Christian
4. Repentance and Faith
5. The Christian Ideal: Loving God
6. Loving your Neighbor
7. The Christian Family
8. Life in the Holy Spirit
9. Receiving the Power of the Holy Spirit
10. Growing in the Spirit
11. The Life & Mission of Couples for Christ
12. Transformation in Christ (and dedication)
The first module (first 4 talks) presents the kind of life
that God calls to us: it spells out the personal response
involved in receiving Jesus as Lord and Savior and helps
couples to make a reorientation of their lives around Jesus.
The third module (last 4 talks) helps the couples to commit
their lives in a serious way to Jesus. It helps the appropriate
for their lives the power of the Holy Spirit. It provides
the basic for continuing spiritual growth.
Is there any cost involves?
There are no fees or any monetary expenses required of
participants. The only investment required is their time
and their openness.
St. Joseph’s Parish conducted three CLP s’ for the past
three year
What happens after the Christian Life Program?
After the CLP, those who finish are invited to join CC.
When they do, they are made part of a small cell croup called
a household. The household is composed of 5 to 7 couples
who meet weekly for mutual support and encouragement in
the Christian life, under the direction of a household leader.
What is the nature of this household?
The purpose of the household group is to build an environment
for the support of the Christian life of couples, and to
provide a means for encouraging and hastening spiritual
growth. It provides obstacle to growth in the Christian
life.
The household meeting is held in the homes of the group
members, on a rotation basis. A typical meeting would involve
some time for prayer, a time for sharing or discussion,
and finally some time for fellowship. It would normally
last about 2.5 hours.
How about Christian formation?
Finishing the CLP is just the beginning of a long process
of growth and transformation in Christ. As such, CFC provides
a continuing program of formation, which includes teachings,
recollections, retreats, etc.
How is Couples for Christ different from other movements
or organizations?
CFC differs in number of ways but the most significant
are the following:
1. It fosters deep spiritual renewal which involves personal
conversion, developing personal relations with Jesus, and
living in the power of the Holy Spirit.
2. It focuses on the couple, with emphasis on the husband
and wife growing together in their Christian lives.
3. It provides continuing support and formation, recognizing
that programs can only plant a seed, but that growth is
a long a difficult process.
4. It concentrates on evangelization, reaching out to more
and more couples, in line with the Church’s call for lay
people to participate actively in the building of God’s
kingdom on earth.
Is Couples for Christ recognized by the Catholic Church?
There are a number of benefits:
1. Couples are renewed and strengthened in their Christian
lives. Strong couples makes for strong families, which makes
for strong parish.
2. A basic CFC objective is to be relevant to the life
of the Church, specifically in the parish, CFC members are
expected to support their parish priest and be available
for parish services.
3. CFC can be effectively used in the strategic evangelization
of parishioners who are potentially strong servants and
workers for the parish.
4. CFC has proven to be an effective tool for fostering
unity among mandated organizations and other parish groups,
by redirecting leaders to focus on the Lord rather than
on their service.
5. CFC can be conduit for social action. In the parish,
one of our objectives being the economic and spiritual upliftment
of our less fortunate brethren.
6. CFC can hasten the formation of a strong, vibrant Christian
community.
The Couples for Christ in British Columbia is headed by
Nick and Norma Borja as Cluster head. The cluster for Vancouver
and Lower Mainland comprise of 6 chapters (Vancouver, Richmond,
Surrey, Tri-city, Coquitlam/Port Coquitlam/Port Moody and
Victoria).
Couples for Christ for St. Joseph’s Parish-Vancouver are:
Dante and Chet Serion- Unit Head/ Rod and Marilyn Trigo
– Household Head. Household members are Noel and Luz Bucad,
Rey and Vangie David, Freddie and Malyn Panti, Phil and
Helen Ceralde, Cesar and Leony Cajigas. Other members of
other household are Ben and Beth Francisco and Arcie and
Matilde Lim. There is also the presence of family ministries.
Ms. Elsa Dizon- Household head for the CFC Handmaids of
the Lord. Members of CFC are servants of the Lord and growing
number of CFC Youth for Christ.
THE FAMILY MINISTRIES
For the first 12 years of the life of CFC, the single focus
was on evangelizing and renewing married couples. Even though
many non-couples were asking about how they could also be
a part of the CFC community, the mandate of the Lord extended
only to the work with couples. It has since become cleat
that the Lord simple wanted to assure a solid foundation,
one based on the renewal of Christian couples and their
families, for the large work that was to come.
And it came in June of 1993 on CFC’s 12th anniversary.
At the time the CFC Family ministries were launched.
The family ministries (church of the home) of Couples for
Christ are:
CFC Kids for Christ
CFC Youth for Christ
CFC Singles for Christ
CFC Handmaid of the Lord
CFC Servants of the Lord.
THE SOCIAL MINISTRIES
The social ministries (church of the poor) are:
FLAME Ministries Inc. (CFC Social communications ministry)
Books and publications. Media (print, radio, and TV)
CFC Educational Foundation, Inc. (children education ministry)
Pre-school/Day care facility and formal Primary School.
CFC ANGKOP Foundation Inc. (CFC ministry for sustainable
community development in depressed areas) – work with the
poor in areas in the Philippines like Bagong Siland-Navotas/Payatas-Quezon
City and other areas in Bacolod, Cebu and Davao.
CFC Medical Mission Foundation, Inc. (CFC volunteer doctor,
nurse and medical practitioner and provider of free or rate-discounted
medical services for poor brethren.
The Sword of Gideon (CFC ministry to the military and police
organization)
Isaiah 61:1 (CFC prison ministry volunteers, includes para-legal)
CFC Family Enrichment and Education (FEED) provides marriages
counseling/ Pre-cana / Marriages Tribunal/ Responsible parenthood/
Pro-Life being procreative and discourage the use of contraceptive
and support the practice of natural Family planning approved
by the Catholic church, active campaign to stop abortion
and mercy killing (euthanasia).
TEODORA, In defense of the Authentic Woman, Inc. (empowerment
of women) – women issues such as motherhood, authentic womanhood,
woman in development, woman in the workplace, mothers of
special children, etc.
St. Thomas More and Associates - (CFC socio-political renewal
ministry) – lawyers providing free legal assistance and
government officials.
CFC Office on Women (a group of women heads of CFC Ministries)
“Jacobs Well” (CFC’s special ministry for those in Irregular
Unions)
Co-ops for Christ (Building a community of Stewards).
CFC ADDRESS:
Couples for Christ Global Mission Foundation, Inc.
Website: http: www.cfcglobal.com
Email: cfcglobal@info.com.ph
Head Office: 349 Ortigas Avenue, 1554 Mandaluyong City,
Philippines
Telephone: +63(2) 727-0681
Fax: +63(2) 727-5777
Vancouver Office:
Website: http: www.familynet.bc.ca/cfc/main.html
Office: No. 238- 2981 Simpson Road, Richmond, BC V6X 2R2
Telephone: (604) 270-9463
Fax: (604) 270-6855
The Church speaks
Adam Exner, OMI Archbishop of Vancouver, BC, Canada
“You have dedicated your lives to Christ in a special way
through this organization, witnessing to the fact that Christ
must truly be the cornerstone of your marriages and families.”
(1996 15th Anniversary of CFC)
Rev. Christian More ofm conv, M. Div, D. Min. of the Community
of St. Padua, Loraine, Ohio, USA
“ I have been involved in and studies the Cursillo, Marriage
Encounter, Charismatic Renewal, Beginning group and have
some knowledge of Retrouville. Each movement, which I have
studied and been part of, has special gifts and strengths
that recommended them. However, I believe that Couples for
Christ ranks among the best that I have experienced.”
Fr. Edmund Dunne cssr, JCD, President of the Family Live
Society, Singapore
“We see bright future for this truly spiritual movement
toward a global community under the Lordship of Christ.”
Rev. David Baugh, Pastor of St. William’s Church, Euclid,
Ohio, USA
“I have seen how parishioners have been strengthened spiritually
and how they have given that spiritually and support back
to the parish.”
Jaime Cardinal Sin, Archbishop of Manila, Phils.
“Every time I kneel down to pray to thank the Lord for the
many blessing he has given me and the Church, I always remember
the marvels He has done through Couples for Christ, I am
convinced that you will save the world. Your loyalty to
the Church is an example for many other lay organizations.”
