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.
CFC began in 1981 in Manila 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 setting.
Soon, CFC became a Christian family life renewal program made available to parishes and groups of married couples who wished to live out their Christian life in an active, supportive relationship with one another.
It is God’s plan that the family is the basic unit of society, such that the families determine 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 wants to rise up in defense of the family which is God’s work. CFC wants to bring God’s strength and light to those who are struggling to be truly Christian families in the modern world.
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 so that those who hear it can make a renewed 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.
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. Some futurists predict that the time is coming when the family shall be totally irrelevant and unnecessary in a world that is dominated by technological change. In some parts of the world, the family no longer operates like it used to. We see this as a matter of serious importance.
We believe that God wants us to rise up in defense of His work. We believe that the family is a creation of God and no one 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 the 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 God brings it to serve, trusting only in His guidance and His power.
WE BELIEVE that the family in practicing the gospel message shares in the life and mission of the Church — through prayers, evangelization and service to men. We uphold and defend the rights of the family as proclaimed in the chapter on family rights (Familiaris Consortio).
Any validly married Christian couple can become members of CFC. CFC draws its membership from all sectors of society, young and old, rich and poor, etc. CFC transcends all cultural, economic, educational, social and other distinctions.
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 consists of a talk, group discussion, and some time for fellowship.
The Household meeting is held in the homes of the group members, on rotation basis. A typical meeting would involve some time for prayers, a time for sharing or discussion, and finally some time for fellowship. It would normally last for about 2.5 hours.
How is Couples for Christ different from other movements or organization?
1. It fosters deep spiritual renewal which involves personal conversion, developing a personal relationship with Jesus, and living in the power of the Holy Spirit.
2. It focuses on the couple, with emphasis on 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 and 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?
Yes, CFC is a servant and lay arm of the Roman Catholic Church in the work of family renewal and evangelization, and has a number of bishops as its Spiritual Directors. The Catholic Bishop’s Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has granted Couples for Christ recognition as a PRIVATE ASSOCIATION OF THE LAY FAITHFUL in accordance to Canons 321-329 of the Code of Canon Law. Furthermore, CFC operates under the auspices of the Family Life and/or Evangelization Offices of parishes and dioceses throughout the world.
1. Couples are renewed and strengthened in their Christian lives. Strong couples make strong families, which make 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 a 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.