Couples for Christ is an organized movement intended for the renewal and strengthening of Christian family life. It brings together Christian couples who have committed themselves to the Lord and to each other, so that they may grow in maturity as husband and wife, as brothers and sisters and as children of God to fulfill their primary vocation of raising up families under the Lordship of Jesus Christ and for the service of the Kingdom of God.
Couples for Christ began in Goa in 1987 and has spread to over 52 parishes in the North and the South. Couples for Christ took its roots in Porvorim in the year 1995, through a Christian Life Program (CLP), during the tenure of the late Fr. Cromancio Mascarenhas, who was then the Chaplain of the Holy Family Chapel.
Again, with the assistance of our CFC brothers and sisters from the Panjim Chapter the different family ministeries i.e. CFC Handmaids of the Lord (HOLD), a ministry for widows and single women, CFC Youth for Christ (YFC), and CFC Kids for Christ (KFC) were established in Porvorim. Recently the CFC Singles for Christ (SFC) has also been established in Porvorim.
CFC-KFC members are aged 0 – 12 years old. CFC – YFC caters to youth aged 13 – 21 years old and CFC -SFC focuses on the evangelization of single men and women aged 21 – 40 years old.
The community of Couples for Christ meet once a month, on the Tuesday after the third Sunday of every month, in the Holy Family Church premises for a Chapter Assembly – a time of fellowship, worship and testifying/sharing of God’s goodness in the life of its members. The CFC also meet for a Teaching Nite on the Tuesday after the first Sunday of every month.
Besides the CFC Youth for Christ meet three times a month and CFC Kids for Christ meet once a month, under the watchful eye of the respected Couple-co-ordinators/formators. The purpose of these meetings is to help our children and the youth to build their Christian Faith that gives them freedom to have fun with their Friends and build their Family.
Couples for Christ organises regular retreats and seminars for its members. Some of these are Marriage Enrichment Retreats I and II, Responsible Parenthood, Natural Family Planning Training and many more. For the youth and kids, camps and other activities are held on a regular basis besides their weekly meetings.
Though a very small community, its members are actively involved in serving the parish as PPC members, Catechists, Eucharistic ministers, coordinators of associations in the parish, liturgy animators, choir members and on various parish committees.
The present servant leaders of the community from Porvorim are:
Orlando & Sandra Mascarenhas | Chapter Servants |
Leo & Teresa Soares | CFC HH Servants |
Fatima Rodrigues | HOLD HH Servant |
Ehrlich & Suzette Souza | SFC Formators |
Christopher & Shelia D’Souza | YFC Formators |
Herwin & Difa Furtado | KFC Formators |