His Biography

“I have a longing for the monastery! And perhaps if I had not had this calling, I would not have been a priest concerned with daily prayer, and perhaps my priestly life would not have had great fruitfulness. I truly attribute everything to prayer in my life!”

Henri Caffarel, Radioscopie, 1973

Henri Caffarel

His Life in Three Periods

The Founding Years (1939 - 1949)

Henri Caffarel answered the call of couples who wished to live out the sacrament of marriage, “The call to holiness applies to you. To answer it, you have a sacrament of your own: the sacrament of marriage.”

The number of couples’ groups grew. A spiritual direction emerged—one that became increasingly clear as the discovery of the grace of marriage deepened.

Publications in French such as Lettre à des jeunes foyers (1942) and L’Anneau d’Or (1945) profoundly influenced countless couples, and their impact extended far beyond the Teams of Our Lady movement itself. Father Henri Caffarel wanted to be understood by everyone, so that the grace of God’s love could be active and operational in everyone. He wanted everyone to grasp the greatness of marriage. This remains a vital issue today.

A decisive moment in Father Henri Caffarel’s work was the drafting and implementation, in 1947, of the Charter of Teams of Our Lady. The steps set forth in the Charter are demanding. The Endeavours—notably the “Sit Down” (a time for dialogue)—are hallmarks of couples’ daily lives. “Once you have grasped the spirit of Teams, you will have no trouble accepting their discipline,” said Father Henri Caffarel. Living out the Gospel within married life—that is “the path to holiness.”

During this same period, two new movements came into being: the Groupement Spirituel des Veuves (Spiritual Group for Widows), which became Espérance et Vie (Hope and Life), and the Fraternité Notre-Dame de la Résurrection (Fraternity of Our Lady of the Resurrection), a secular institution for widows. As always, the “idea” for these foundations did not originate with Father Caffarel; people would come to see him and express their desire for a holy life, and he would then discern, encourage, and accompany them.

A Time of Growth (1950–1973)

The Teams of Our Lady movement expanded, and a formal structure was established. Major gatherings took place—such as in Lourdes in 1965 and Rome in 1970—offering opportunities to deepen the understanding of the grace and grandeur of marriage. Father Henri Caffarel also emphasised the mutual enrichment of the sacraments of Holy Orders and Matrimony: two “complementary” sacraments in response to the vocation of love.

Significant debates emerged at this time regarding the nature of the Teams of Our Lady movement: was it a movement of initiation or of spiritual perfection? A balance between these two aspects had to be struck. Objections arose that challenged the Movement’s unity, its unique character and identity as well as the freedom of the laity. Throughout this process, Father Henri Caffarel remained aligned with the Church, at times displaying exemplary courage. He encouraged all Team members to become involved with their parishes and dioceses, and to carry out their apostolate within their professions and the wider world.

At the age of 70, having ensured a smooth succession, he voluntarily stepped down from his leadership role within Teams.

The Final Years (1973–1996)

In 1966, he was offered a house at Troussures, which he transformed into a “House of Prayer.” Until 1995, he organised “Prayer Weeks” there, during which participants spent six days in total silence, driven by a deep longing to encounter God. Countless people found the Lord at the Troussures “House of Prayer.” The spiritual fruitfulness of Father Henri Caffarel is inscribed in people’s hearts and in each individual’s unique relationship with God. His deepest desire was to share the revelation he had experienced at the age of twenty. His final years at Troussures revealed the source from which everything within him flowed.

Father Henri Caffarel, a Man of Faith

The Complete Conference in PDF

Learn more about Father Henri Caffarel?

  • FATHERS CAFFAREL’S FRIENDS, Conjugal Love, A path to God, ‘‘Lightning source’’, September 2020