TEAMS is not an end in itself, but a means that exists for the benefit of its members. It encourages its members to pray and share together, help one another grow in knowledge and love of the Lord; and to bear witness to that love. TEAMS does not impose a particular type of spirituality on its members. The Movement simply seeks to help its members advance, as a couple, along the path shown by Christ.
HOW DOES IT WORK? A key feature of the TEAMS method is the monthly meeting that consists of:
A simple meal
Community prayer
A time of sharing
A discussion on a study topic
To promote personal and couple spiritual growth, TEAMS proposes that its members undertake a number of specific practices called "endeavors". These endeavors aim to keep couples focused on growth in mutual love and love of God. The Team provides the support and encouragement needed to persevere. The six Endeavors are:
Regular reading of the Word of God
Daily personal prayer
Daily prayer as a couple
A monthly time for couple dialogue in an atmosphere of prayer
Personal effort for improvement
An annual retreat
The Origin Of Teams of Our Lady
In 1939 four young couples approached their parish priest, Father Henri Caffarel, and asked his help in exploring the richness and joy of their Sacrament of Matrimony. From these simple beginnings TEAMS has grown to a worldwide movement, present on all continents of the world and involving over 3,000 couples in the United States. The formal charter for the Movement was adopted on December 8, 1947. It is recognized by the
Holy See as an Association of Faithful of Private Right under the Pontifical Council for Laity. The Movement is guided by an International Responsible Team in concert with a College of Super-Regional Couples who serve their various countries.
Since its beginning the purpose of the Movement has remained the same: to help each couple discover, in and through their sacrament of Matrimony, the riches and joy of married love as a part of God's plan and a path to holiness.
In May 1970 Pope Paul VI addresses the International Congress of Teams of Our Lady. The address is called "Love, Marriage and the Church."
"The union of man and woman …constitutes a singular reality that is the couple, founded on the mutual gift of the one to the other …" (Art 5) … the gift is not a fusion, strictly speaking …. Love is, in fact, the cement that gives solidarity to this community life, and the driving spirit which leads it to ever more perfect fulfillment." (Art 6)
In January 2003 Pope John Paul II held a private audience with the International Leadership Couples gather in Rome, urging their continued work with married spirituality.