MANILA — Pope Leo XIV called members of Couples for Christ to become “joyful witnesses” of selfless and life-giving love, in a message marking the organization’s 45th anniversary.
The message was read during a Mass on June 20 at New Clark City Stadium in Capas, Tarlac that drew more than 25,000 members and guests of Couples for Christ, one of the largest gatherings in its four-decade history.
In the Vatican message, the pope also noted the group’s more than 20 years as an association of pontifical right, underscoring its formal recognition within the Catholic Church.
“I was pleased to be informed of the 45th anniversary of the foundation of Couples for Christ,” Pope Leo said, adding that he sends “a warm greeting to all present” and assures them of his “spiritual closeness.”
Reflecting on the theme “In the One, we are one,” he said it should help couples “further deepen your receptivity of the sacramental grace of matrimony,” which flows from the life of the Trinity.
“By giving of oneself and receiving the other in the intimate and sacrificial love of married life,” the pope said, “married couples will become joyful witnesses to the selfless and life-giving love of the Trinity, which leads to the true fulfilment of the human heart.”
He described marriage as a reflection of divine communion, saying sacramental matrimony becomes “a human image of that communion when a man and woman are joined together as one flesh.”
Warning against modern pressures, he said, “In a world driven by individualism and a desire for instant gratification,” it is increasingly difficult to sustain lifelong marital commitment.
Pope Leo urged couples to remain grounded in prayer, asking that they “unite themselves ever more closely to Our Lord,” so grace may strengthen unity, forgiveness and openness “to the gift of new life.”
Founded in the Philippines in 1981, Couples for Christ has grown from a small Catholic renewal community into a global movement now present in more than 100 countries, with over one million members serving families and parishes worldwide. Photos: CFC
