Couples for Christ
Foundation for Family and Life
District Governance

In our pastoral structure, districts are the territorial areas conforming to a diocese. A district is governed by a District Servant (DS). The DSs are extensions of the Servant General (SG) and operate under his authority.

In particular, the responsibilities of the DS are as follows:

1)		Governs the district.
2)		Forms a core team to assist him.
3)		Promotes and oversees the establishment of CFC-FFL in new places within his district.
4)		Oversees the work of Chapter Servants in his district, with the assistance of Cluster Servants.
5)		Ensures the proper contribution of the district to the financial health of the community.
6)		Maintains good relationship with the bishop.

Overseeing the DSs are the Mission Coordinators for NCR, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, assisted by Region Coordinators and Area Coordinators.¹ The responsibilities of these seniors are as follows:

1)		Governs the territory.2
		Pushes our evangelization work. Directs the work of those under him. Monitors financial contributions and acts to promote generosity and faithfulness in financial giving.
2)		Approves appointments to the district core team, ensuring their competence and relevance.
3)		Integrates the various family and social ministries in the territorial work.
4)		Ensures that mission teams are developed and sustained, and fosters a missionary spirit among all members especially leaders.
5)		Establishes new districts as appropriate, subject to approval of the SG.
6)		Ensures good relationships with the Church hierarchy.

The DS is crucial to the life and mission of CFC-FFL. He is in effect the person who connects the top leadership and the general membership. He is the person on the ground who ensures that the life and mission of CFC-FFL and the policies of the top leadership are vigorously pursued.

As such, selection of DSs is a critical task. It must be done with much prayer and discernment.

Qualifications of DSs:

1)		A man of God who is continually walking on the path of holiness.
2)		A man of integrity who lives in Spirit and truth.
3)		Marriage and family life in good order.
4)		Held in good esteem by his peers.
5)		Has displayed solid pastoral leadership through the years (preferably one who has been in community for five years and who has served as a Chapter Servant).
6)		Has a servant heart.
7)		A resident within the diocese.3

Process of appointment:

1)		The NCR/Luzon/Visayas/Mindanao Mission Coordinator, in consultation with the Area Coordinator and Region Coordinator, determines that a Mission Area is now qualified to be a district (see below).
2)		The NCR/Luzon/Visayas/Mindanao Mission Coordinator consults with top leaders of the area as to who would be the appropriate DS. This can involve a private and confidential “vote” among the top leaders.4
3)		The NCR/Luzon/Visayas/Mindanao Mission Coordinator makes his recommendation to the SG. Such recommendation may be for just one person or for a number of persons, ranked according to preference.
4)		The SG consults with the Body of Counselors if he deems this necessary.
5)		The SG issues a formal appointment of the new DS.

Term of service:

1)		The DS has an indefinite term, subject to annual reviews.
2)		He may be removed from service at any time for just cause and after due process.

Qualifications for a Mission Area to become a district:

1)		When CFC-FFL in the area has grown to two clusters;5 OR
2)		When CFC-FFL in an area, despite not growing to two clusters,6 is deemed mature enough to qualify as a district. Such maturity is manifested by:
		CFC-FFL in the area has been faithful to its life and mission for a number of years. Leadership is stable.

(SG. Dec 23, 2010)

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¹This is for the Philippines. For CFC-FFL communities in other countries, this would be the role of the Country Coordinator, Regional Coordinator and Int’l Mission Coordinator. The Region Coordinators and Area Coordinators of a particular country are under the Country Servant.
²This is authority delegated by the SG.
³There can be exceptions to this, specifically when there is no one in the district who is seemingly qualified to take on this position.
⁴ This should be just a simple process. The leaders to be consulted are limited to seniors (Chapter Servants and up), and can be a small group of just top seniors or as many seniors as would be practicable to consult. It must be emphasized that this is just consultation and not a democratic vote. After discussing the merits of each “candidate,” those consulted can be asked to submit their choice confidentially. Such can be just one name or a number of names as instructed. If the latter, the names should be submitted according to priority. The one doing the consulting should not divulge the details of the “vote” to the seniors. This can only be divulged to the SG and the BoC.
⁵A cluster is a group of chapters.
⁶There will be areas, especially in certain countries in the world, where growth will be constrained by things such as the limited number of Christians or Catholics, or by the lack of religious freedom, or just by the general hardness of the soil.