MARRIAGE FAMILY ENRICHMENT PROGRAM Diocese of San Diego
MARRIAGE FAMILY ENRICHMENT PROGRAM (MFEP)
The Marriage Family Enrichment Program (MFEP) or the “Song Nguyen” Program is an apostolic activity among Catholic couples. While similar to Marriage Encounter in its goal of helping couples improve their family life by acquiring better and effective communication skills to express their love for one another.
It emphasizes not only the relationship between husband and wife, also between parents and children, as well as grandparents and grandchildren.
Furthermore, the program uses scriptures as its foundation to bring about conversion of heart, transform and augment the relationship between spouses, family members, and extended family.
THE ORGANIZATION
The Marriage Family Enrichment Program in the Diocese of San Diego is part of the World-Wide MFEP, which includes over 45,000 couples across many countries.
MFEP founder is Father Peter Minh Quang Chu, a member of the Society of Jesus, who holds a Doctorate in Psychology and Educational Counseling and Religion.
At each diocesan level, the MFEP operates under the guidance of the Chaplain and a Board of Directors. Each MFEP follows the Rules and Regulations set by the headquarters and adheres to the Manual provided by the program.
Our Purpose
The purpose of the MFEP is to foster couples to recognize the value and sanctity of the marriage life, improved the communication skills for conflict resolution between husband and wife, and parents and children. This purpose is centered on the following key points:
- Deepening Personal Contact with the Lord: Strengthening one’s relationship with God through self- discovery
- Mastering Communication Skills: Showing compassion for one another and embracing the cross.
- Improving Parental Insight and Family Education: Providing parents with a greater skills of understanding their children and enhancing family formation.
- Do Apostolic Work as Couples: Encouraging couples to engage in parish ministry together.
The Foundation
The foundation of virtue of MFEP is a heart of humility, which contain the five attributes.
- Recognizing One’s Faults: Acknowledging mistakes rather than denying them.
- Admitting One’s Faults: Confessing errors instead of evading responsibility.
- Being Sorry for One’s Faults: Taking responsibility rather than blaming others.
- Make Amends for One’s Faults: Correcting wrong-doings without accusing others.
- Forgiving to Be Forgiven:
Offering and receiving forgiveness.
The Method
The method of the MFEP is centered on “acquiring felt experience to change one’s life, by humbly pouring out one weakness one struggles with.” It is helpful to highlight “differences between practical will and abstract knowledge”
Furthermore, participants in the Heart Conversion Course (HCC) should share their thoughts, feelings, and decisions by concretely showing “love expressed in deeds.”
How To Register
- By attending the Heart Conversion Course (HCC) or “Song Nguyen” Course: The HCC course is a three-day weekend course that begins from Friday evening and ends on Sunday evening.
- By joining the Family Prayer Group and attend monthly meetings: Couples will have opportunities to learn and practice the various charisms of MFEP. Which will enhance spousal relationship to bring about the positive effects of a Christ-center morals and mental health for the family.
- By attending Quarterly “Song Nguyen” Meetings: These gatherings include all members of the MFEP.
- By doing Apostolic Work as a Couple: Support each other to manifest the “deeply personal love expressed in deeds” charism of the MFEP.