Our History
We in FCJC (Servant Leaders, Members, and future members) believe, that our work is God’s work, but more importantly, we know and understand why we are here, and what God is doing in His Church – The Roman Catholic Church and in our community - to properly align FCJC with His plan, as individuals and as a community that He put together!
We in FCJC (Servant Leaders, Members, and future members) are totally convinced, that our FCJ community is very much a part of God’s specific plan. To better understand and appreciate the events leading to the establishment of FCJ community, we need to revisit or review the development of the Charismatic Movement worldwide. That is where FCJC came from and that is what and who we are - Roman Catholic Christians whose spirituality is Charismatic!
God's Establishment of FCJC
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In the Early Sixties.
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At the end of the 2nd Vatican Council, Pope St. John XXIII – now St. Pope John XXIII, said a prayer that went like this…
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“Lord, after all these years and after all you’ve done for us, the world is still in a mess. You need to do something Lord. You need to send us the Holy Spirit, once more, in a powerful way. Yes Lord, give us, a New Pentecost!”
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That prayer started a powerful revival that came forth with several movements of the Holy Spirit. Two of these great movements are: the Cursillo Movement, and the Charismatic Movement. In fact, most leaders of the Charismatic Movement today, came from the Cursillo Movement.
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In 1965, College Students from Michigan went on a retreat at Duquesne University (established in October 1878 as Duquesne University of the Holy Ghost) in Pittsburgh and were Baptized in the Holy Spirit by a group of Pentecostal Christians who were invited to help conduct that retreat. During the retreat, they started Praising God aloud, with shouts of joy, with songs, and with clapping. People prayed in tongues, spoke in tongues, and prophesied. The Holy Spirit came down upon the retreat participants in a very powerful way! They really experienced a New Pentecost!
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Four college students played an especially important role in the spread of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal in the USA and in the world. From Duquesne, they tried to establish a Prayer Group/Meeting at Michigan State University, but the university (students/faculty/staff) were not yet ready for something like that at that time!
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By 1967, these same four men, led by the Holy Spirit, started a Prayer Meeting at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor where it all begun. Two very prominent names that supported or started the Catholic Charismatic Movement here in the USA are – Bishop Sam Jacobs (who became the head of the movement here in the US) and Patti Mansfield of New Orleans (an original member of the retreat participants and now also a national leader – who later became the National Service Committee President). She recently became the head of the International Service committee of the Charismatic Renewal based in Rome.
In the Early Seventies:
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From the already established Ann Arbor Prayer Meetings, the Holy Spirit caused the establishment of the Word of God Community. Led by the Holy Spirit, Christian men and women from all over the world started going to Ann Arbor, to experience the New Pentecost that everyone was talking about. Led by the Holy Spirit, some American and foreign students who, after graduation from college, went back to their own homes and established communities in their own States, as well as in their own Countries.
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Charismatic Communities Established
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​People of Hope Community was established in New Jersey.
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​People of God Community in Pittsburgh, PA
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​Christ the King Community in Steubenville, Ohio
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Bread of Life Community in Ohio.
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The same Holy Spirit brought about the establishment of foreign charismatic communities in Ireland, Scotland, Austria, South Africa and even as far as in the Philippines where – The JOY OF THE LORD (“Ang Ligaya Ng Panginoon” - LNP) flourished and has also established many other communities. All these communities numbering about 50 or more were established during the 60’s and 70’s. Only the Holy Spirit could have done that!
In the Late Seventies/Early Eighties
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The different communities worldwide, with the leading of the holy Spirit, decided to form a federation called The Sword of the Spirit. In this federation, experiences, teachings, and technologies were freely exchanged and shared. (i.e., Life in the Spirit Seminar – LSS and the Christian Life Program – CLP). This brought about the establishment and growth of more communities. One of them is COUPLES FOR CHRIST (CFC) which was established in the Philippines in 1981 as an outreach of Joy of the Lord or LNP for the purpose of recruiting more men into the community and later on, the Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen & Professionals (BCBP)!
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In 1987 – CFC, was started in Ohio after the visit of some members of the Bread of Life Community of Ohio to the Philippines. In 1990 Filipino members of Joy of the Lord (LNP) migrated to the US and started CFC in Los Angeles.
Since the Federation of The Sword of the Spirit was composed of both Catholic and Protestant based communities, the Catholic groups decided to set up a predominantly Catholic group called the Federation of Christ the King!
Early Nineties and beyond
June 1992, top leaders of CFC (all of whom were from LNP), after prayers and discernment, decided to concentrate their life and service in CFC. The CFC Council agreed and decided that Teachings & Programs had to be developed – (Lito Urgino together with his wife Edith, was appointed to full time status as Head of the CFC Pastoral Formation Office PFO).
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In April 1993 – A couple was sent to the USA to establish firmly CFC in the United States starting with the CA and Ohio chapters. More chapters were established. In just five (5) years, by 1998, CFC grew to twenty-four (24) areas. They were Washington, Oregon, Northern California, Southern California, Nevada, Arizona, Northern Texas, Southern Texas, Nebraska, Illinois, Northern Florida, Central Florida, Southern Florida, District of Columbia, Maryland, Northern Virginia, Southern Virginia, Philadelphia, Delaware, Hawaii, Indiana, New Jersey, New York and Ohio.
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October 2002 - After much prayer and discernment, several top leaders and elders from eight (8) US areas (Ohio, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, South Carolina, Texas, Northern California, and Southern California), felt and heard the CALL of the HOLY SPIRIT and met in Cleveland, Ohio to discern God’s direction. After much prayer and discernment, this led to the establishment of a new community – Families in Christ Jesus Community (FCJC).
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A month later, the chosen top leaders of FCJC met in Virginia to officially and legally establish (FCJC) as a community and in that same meeting, the Federation of Families in Christ Jesus Communities (FFCC) was organized.
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FCJC, was officially made a Catholic, Apostolic, Charismatic, Evangelistic and Family Focus Community in the Diocese of Arlington Virginia and was placed under the auspices of the Office of Family Life by then - His Eminence Bishop Paul S. Loverde, DD who is now FCJC's Episcopal Patron.
At the same meeting, the following initial agreements were made:
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FCJC areas will all carry the same name: Families in Christ Jesus Community (FCJ or FCJC)
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Entry point to membership in FCJC will be through a Life in Christ Series (LCS) Seminar – which is an expanded LSS Seminar.
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FCJC areas will all have the same Basic Teaching Programs.
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FCJC will be Catholic, Apostolic, Charismatic, Evangelistic and Family Focused.
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FCJC will adhere to all the teachings of the Magisterium of the Roman Catholic Church.
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FCJC will be governed according to size and/or population, by Area Councils composed of 3, 5, or 7 top area servant leaders led by an Area Presiding Elders.
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Presiding Elders of each area will be representatives to the FFCC.
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Other policies and procedures will be created and/or established during official meetings of the FFCC.
CO-Founders/FIRST NATIONAL cOUNCIL
From Left to Right 1st Row: Tonichi Fructuoso, VA • Alan Catuncan, NJ • Lito Urgino, VA • Joe Mayo, No. CA • Arch Tunnell, OH. 2nd Row: Ken Esper, NC • Juancho Sonza, So.CA • Nards Sapalicio, NJ • Edwin Delmoro, MD • Tony Castillo, MD • Reggie Gatuslao, So. CA; • Bill Tirona, No.CA • Mark Erickson, OH • Cecil Briceno, TX.
About our Main Co-Founders
Lito and Edith Moore Urgino
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Lito Cuyugan Urgino and Edith Moore were both born and raised in the Philippines. They have 9 children. This couple are truly inspiring both in their service to the Lord and their desire to bring other families to Christ.
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In 1982 Lito Urgino, retired from the Corporate World. Together, Lito and Edith served as the Couple Director of the Manila Archdiocesan Family Life Education Program (MAFLEP) under the direction of Msgr. Cesar B. Pagulayan from 1982 to 1987. The couple was called to a different service by becoming the Executive Director Couple of Commission on Marriage & Family Life Ministries of the Archdiocese of Manila under Bishop Teodoro C. Bacani, D.D. from 1987 to 1994. As a couple, they conducted retreats, recollections, seminars on Marriage & Family Life, Men’s & Women’s retreats, and other Catholic Christian teachings all over North America, the Caribbean, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia.
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As an individual, Lito Cuyugan Urgino held many positions in Service to Our Lord and the Catholic Church.
​He served as a member of Special Committee on Lay Organizations, Episcopal Commission on the Laity, Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines from 1984 to 1992 under Ms.Herietta T. De Villa/Archbishop Angel N. Lagdameo, D.D. He became an Executive Director Couple for the National Training Center for Catholic Evangelists (Layforce), San Carlos Pastoral Formation Complex under his Direct Superior Bishop Ramon C. Arguelles, D.D. from 1987 to 1994. As part of Couples for Christ Global Mission Foundation (CFC) from 1993-2002 he was the Coordinator of the CFC National Pastoral Formation Office, a member of the CFC International Council, Cluster Head for CFC West Metro Manila, Provincial Area Head for CFC Samar Province, Region Head for CFC Mindanao Provinces, Country Coordinator, for CFC USA & the Caribbean and Regional Head, for CFC North America. As part of Families in Christ Jesus Community (FCJC - USA) he served as the National Presiding Elder from 2002 to 2008 and National Executive Director for the Federation of Families in Christ Communities (FFCC) from 2002 to present.