South Queensland

“The heart of Church’s mission is prayer”

Presence

In April till May 1996, the first CFC Christian Life Program was conducted in a humble basement of a small three-bedroom home in the sleepy suburb of Sunnybank Hills which was led by a CFC couple who moved with their family from Sydney to Brisbane. With the help of another CFC couple leader from the Philippines and ably assisted by brethren from Sydney who were more than willing – excited even, to travel/drive every week to complete the CLP.  With God’s grace, there was a bountiful harvest and CFC Brisbane was born. 

To gain full support from the local parishes, CFC Brisbane sought the recognition of Bishop Bathersby, Archdiocese of Brisbane in 1995.   Couples for Christ was then officially recognized by the Archdiocese of Brisbane on the 26^th of September 1996.   The community continued to grow over the next decades and all the family ministries spread throughout Brisbane. 

In January 2009, the ramification of the split in the Philippines became evident in Brisbane and while sadly, many chose to become an independent group, four couples were led by the Lord to form a fraternal leadership and remained with the Global community, affirming their affiliation with the CFC Global Mission Inc. in the Philippines. 

The first CFC Brisbane household was created and together as a team, they conducted a series of successful Christian Life Programs at our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Sunnybank.  Through this initiative, the fraternal leadership formed guided the community to where it is today. 

From four couples, we then had over 100 couples not including our family ministries and have since changed to chapter leadership as opposed to fraternal.  Two years on, CFC (Australia) Oceania Mission Ltd., South Queensland Chapter has expanded to the northern and central regions of Brisbane and in the Gold Coast.  

With CFC Brisbane empowered, they then went on further mission to Far North Queensland.  On 11 June 2011, a mission trip to Cairns was done. This formally established CFC Cairns with CFC couples who migrated to Cairns from overseas.  August 2011 was when they had their first CLP with a bountiful harvest including family ministries.  This was conducted with Bishop James Foley’s full support, welcoming the members and participants at St Monica’s Cathedral Hall in Cairns.   

Spreading like wildfire, in Feb 16, 2013, led by a CFC couple from Cairns and joined by CFC couples from different countries who migrated to Townsville, their first household meeting was held.   A 4-hour drive from Cairns did not stop our Cairns couples to conduct their first household in Townsville joined by CFC couples from Kuala Lampur, and PNG.  They then conducted CLPs since and now is a thriving community.  

Emboldened by God’s grace, CFC Brisbane then went further to a mission in Mackay, another regional area in Far North Queensland.  With a few CFC couples from the Philippines currently living in Mackay, the first CLP was conducted in Nov 23, 2013 and Mackay has grown since, conducting CLPs and growing in number and spirit, along with its family ministries.  

It was then quite appropriate to refer to the chapter as CFC Queensland because of the areas out of Brisbane that are now part of the chapter.  The Lord has indeed guided us and brought us to where we are now. 

Because of the continuous rapid growth of the CFC Queensland community and the vast distance it encompasses, on January 2020, CFC Queensland was then split up and became separate Chapters – South Qld composed of Brisbane, Gold Coast, Ipswich and its regional areas and Far North Qld composed of Cairns, Townsville and Mackay. Both chapters are looking at evangelization missions to neighbouring regional areas, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  

Our loving God gave Couples for Christ South QLD the experience to grow in Christ and continually move forward to grow more in number and in spirit.  It’s not an easy way for the task ahead, as we will be encountering tough times.  It is then that we must be strong to face the storms that lie ahead and we must “put on the full armour of God”.   

And today, guided by the Holy Spirit, South Qld is expanding its reach to regional areas in Kingaroy, and looking at Toowoomba and adjacent areas to be part of the community.

All for God’s glory.