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The History of the AFLC

 

The Archdiocesan Family Life Commission (AFLC) was established in 1980 by the late Archbishop Anthony Pantin.

Its mandate was renewed and enhanced following a Synod of the Catholic Church in January 2003 under Archbishop Edward J. Gilbert, C.S.S.R.
The resolutions at the Synod, as amended at the Second Synod in 2005 stated that such a Commission be mandated to develop, promote and co ordinate Marriage and Family Life Programmes for the Archdiocese of Port of Spain.

It was envisaged that the AFLC would proclaim to all people the plan of God for marriage and family life and thus contribute to the renewal of Church and Nation.  This would require, among other things, bringing together the resources of the Catholic Church in Trinidad and Tobago, and strengthening and developing the Church’s role in providing pastoral care for Marriage and Family.

MISSION

 

To proclaim to all people the plan of God for marriage and family life and thus promote the renewal of family, Church and Nature

VISION

 

Families everywhere becoming life giving communities, where each memeber can realize his/her full potential for wholeness as God’s child reflecting the Kingdom of God.

OBJECTIVE

 

Bringing together the resources of the Catholic Church in Trinidad and Tobago and applying them to the renewal of family life via our ministries to individuals, families and communities.

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OUR PLAN FOR FAMILY LIFE

Developing, promoting and co-ordinating Marriage and Family Life programmes.

Developing a comprehensive pastoral plan for Marriage and Family Life.

Developing faith-based services for family life.

A Definition of a Christian Marriage

 

Marriage is a union by which a man and woman establish between themselves an intimate partnership for their whole lives, and which of its own nature is ordered to the well being of the spouses and to the procreation and upbringing of children.

Christian marriage finds its origin in the story of Genesis where man and woman are created for one another and where their love is intended to be fruitful and realised in the common work of watching over creation.

Since God, who is himself love, created man and woman in his own image and likeness, the couples mutual love becomes an image of the absolute and unfailing love with which God loves mankind.

Because it is the consequence of a commitment to love, the union in marriage is established by free consent where the spouses mutually give and receive one another.  Christ the Lord himself raised marriage between the baptized to the dignity of a sacrament (Mt 19:3-6) and declared it indissoluble.

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Family Life: A Definition

 

By its very nature the marriage covenant is ordered to the good of the couple, as well as the generation and education of children.  The family therefore is formed by the natural consequence of this covenant love made fruitful and has as its primary task to be at the service of life.

The result is a community of persons whose unique relationship of love is intended to bring forth the fruits of a moral, spiritual and supernatural life.  It is here that individuals are meant to grow and develop into life giving persons as they experience the joy of work, fraternal love, forgiveness, discipline, divine worship in prayer and the offering of one’s life.

Parents are the primary teachers by example of their own lives and the life of their relationships with God and each other.

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