We are Demy and Sylvia Chavez, a couple serving together in the Family and Life Ministry. We have been married for over 31 years and are blessed with four children. One of the things that we are grateful for as a married couple is the gift of serving in the Family & Life Ministry. Our journey in advocating for the defense of Family and the protection of Life began when we were invited to join CFC (now Missionary Families of Christ) in February 1996.
Being members of this Catholic community strengthened our faith in God and taught us many valuable lessons about family and life.
One remarkable moment was when we attended a 2-day Family Enrichment and Education (FEED) seminar in August 1998. The seminar, conducted by Bro. Rene & Sis. Lily Perez, who became our mentors in this advocacy, radically changed our perspective regarding the value and meaning of life. We were taught essential lessons on Responsible Parenthood & Natural Family Planning (RP-NFP) based on the prophetic encyclical of Pope Paul VI, Humanae Vitae. Through the community, we had the opportunity to meet pioneers of NFP methods, including Drs. John & Evelyn Billings, Mercedes Arzu Wilson, and Nanay Feling Porsuelo, who taught us the importance of marital intimacy through RP-NFP.
In 2007, Bro Frank Padilla directed CFC FFL (now MFC) to serve in our parishes in response to the Church’s call for New Evangelization. Around that time, Bro Don & Sis Gin Lee, who were CFC FFL leaders in NCR North Area, became the Family and Life Ministry Heads of St. Peter Vicariate (SPV) under Fr. Joe Casas. In 2010, Bro Abay & Sis Betty Lesaca introduced us to Bro. Dong & Sis Gie Bajan, the pre-cana head of SPV, and we became regular speakers on RPNFP for Pre-Cana seminars of SPV.
In 2013, Bro Don & Sis Gin asked us to serve with them as vicariate representatives of RPNFP, together with other FLM couples Tony & Cynthia Santos (St. Peter), Ed & Len Lucena (San Antonio De Padua), Abet & Miner Lopez-Dee (St Michael the Archangel), Junie & Gigi Dela Cruz (Nuestra Senora del Buenviaje), and Dong & Gie Bajan (Presentation of Our Lord Parish). Later on, Bro Wayne & Sis Baby Belizar (FLC Nova Couple Director) invited us to head the RP-ANFP of the Diocese of Novaliches, and eventually, we were recommended by Fr Jun Estrella (Asst Director of Fr Allan Samonte) to be the Assistant Couple Coordinators of Family and Life Commission (FLC) of Novaliches.
The Family and Life Ministry of Nova, headed by dedicated couples, offers six programs – Pre-Cana, Marriage Enrichment, Parenting, RPANFP, Advocacy & Communication, and Counselling. Recently, two ministries, PAMINOVA (Pastoral Care for Migrants of Novaliches) and Pastoral Care for the Elderly, have been added to Nova FLC, under the guidance of Fr. Leonides T. Laguilles and Fr. Albert Mecaydor.
All the programs and ministries are equally important to the mission of FLC, which is to actively promote the development, deepening, and strengthening of the family and preserve the sanctity of life through integrated and holistic family values formation programs.
Normal families go through difficulties, typical of our time, and so the mission of FLC is crucial in the strengthening of families. Being servants of FLC, under the guidance of our present Spiritual Director, Fr. Danny Pajarillaga, and Asst. Spiritual Director, Fr. Jun Estrella, is a great privilege and our own little way of giving back to God the many blessings we have received by sharing our God-given time, treasures, and talents with others, and we will continue to do so until the end. As stated in Humanae Vitae, “faithfulness to God’s design is important”; hence, we hope that all families will defend and protect Family & Life from conception to natural death.
May God be praised!
Demy & Sylvia Chavez
Asst. Couple Coordinator, FLC Nova