Young couples

[dhgray]

There is an international Vatican approved Catholic Family Ministry called Couples For Christ (CFC).
Couples for Christ (CFC) is a ministry 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.

The CFC has branches which reaches all aspects of the Catholic-Christian family.

CFC-Kids For Christ (KFC) 4-12 years old
CFC-Youth For Christ (YFC) 13 - 21 years old (now in all 50 states)
CFC-Singles for Christ (SFC) 22 - 40ish for single professionals (and amateurs)
Couples for Christ (CFC) Valid married couples growing in the faith.
CFC-Handmaids of the Lord (HOLD) Mature single women, divorced or widowed or separated or whose spouse is unable to attend.
CFC-Servants of the Lord (SOLD) Mature single men, divorced or separated or widowed or whose spouse is unable to attend.

Currently the CFC is 1.4 million members strong in 118 countries.

PM or e-mail me if you would like to know more or find a CFC group in your area.

God Bless,
Davis Gray
CFC-Chicago

 

[asquared]

My younger daughter has a 2 month old boy, she is struggling with colic, breastfeeding, trying to manage–he cries a lot, doesn’t sleep etc. and most of her friends are single working gals, or couples with no plans to have kids. Her husband is great, but they both are feeling isolated in their new neighborhood and parish. I feel for all of you. What has hurt the most is the criticism, overt or silent from coworkers and friends over the fact that she had a baby in the first place, and is not back at work yet. She works for a foster care/adoption agency, and they are so anti-family in their maternity and family leave policies. Her boss is constantly nagging her to get back to work. Unfortunately, most of the young marrieds they know at church have the same outlook. She feels very isolated.

My older daughter is married 10 yrs, 4 kids, stay at home mom who enjoys the support of her husband and his family with that decision. They maintained some college friendships and interests, have couple friends. She started a pre-school at her former parish when her oldest was 3, which is still going strong, and that gave her intro to most of the women with kids who became her good friends and support group, right on up through brownies, soccer, T-ball etc. They started play groups, swapped baby-sitting etc.

Their priority on where to move was finding a kid-friendly, family friendly neighborhood. Now in her new parish, she advised a group starting a pre-school, is active in the Catholic school, girl scouts etc. her husband coaches soccer. Their friends are now the parents of their kids’ friends.

Get active in some way founding or helping with a group that serves young families in some way. Be sure to welcome single parents and families that don’t fit the mold, too. Young families can minister to each other.