The Six Departments of the Diocesan Family Service Centre

Building Happy, Healthy and Holy Families

The Diocesan Family Service Centre (DFSC), Goa has been conducting programmes with the motto “building happy, healthy and holy families” for the last 37 years. Its programmes are open to people of all castes and creeds.

The DFSC works through six departments, mentioned below, each coordinated by a person appointed by the Archbishop.

1. FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION (FLE): This department has a special module for schools (Std V to Std X) and Higher Secondaries. A trained team of resource persons goes to various schools all over Goa, on request, to conduct the sessions. Each session has three main topics, which are covered in a day: family values, the value of life and human sexuality, and case studies/question-answer session. For colleges there is a programme to form Purity Groups (abstinence groups) to help students stay away from all forms of unwanted behaviour.
2. MARRIAGE FORMATION PROGRAMMES (MFP): This department runs marriage formation courses for engaged couples. The courses are held on practically all weekends, at times even during the week. The two days duration programme exposes the engaged couple to the teachings of the Church on marriage, marital communication, medical topics related to marriage, the first session on Natural Family Planning, among others. This department also has half/one day sessions (marriage enrichment programme) for married couples in parishes (on invitation) to help them in their journey.
3. RESPONSIBLE PARENTHOOD AWARENESS (RPA): This department conducts classes in Natural Family Planning (NFP) and Breastfeeding in three hospitals as well as for parishes. It also conducts the same on individual basis for those who come to the Centre (on appointment).
4. PASTORAL COUNSELLING SERVICES (PCS): This department has three counsellors at the moment and helps counsel individuals, spouses and families besides running psycho-educational programmes for counsellors in schools and colleges.
5. FAMILY SOCIAL ISSUES (FSI): This department mainly deals with social issues facing the family. At the moment, collaborating with the Goa Psychiatric Society, it runs alcohol and drug addiction awareness programmes in various villages in Goa. In collaboration with the GMC/other doctors, it also conducts breastcancer awareness campaigns and talks on misuse and safe use of mobiles. This department has also been given the task of setting up Parish Family Service Cells in all parishes in Goa for which the process has already started with a questionnaire sent to all parishes.
6. PRO-LIFE DEPARTMENT (PLD): This department conducts a session for the MFP, besides having yearly seminars for teachers/students on pro-life issues viz. emerging demographic profile, benefits of having a large family, adverse effects of contraception, awareness of the culture of death and embracing the culture of life etc.

Contact DFSC office Panaji (2224140) or Margao (2713497) for running these programmes in your Village/Parish/School

 Email: dfscgoa@gmail.com