CATHEDRAL FRIENDSHIP CENTRE (CFC)
BECAUSE WE CARE
Who are we?
St. Paul’s Cathedral, Kolkata, consecrated in 1847, is the Mother Church of the Diocese of Calcutta (CNI). The Cathedral community seeks to welcome and embrace all God’s people through the ministry of the Cathedral Friendship Centre (CFC), offering love, hope, peace, and healing.
About Us
VISION
That all who enter St. Paul’s Cathedral and the Cathedral Friendship Centre (CFC) may experience peace, healing, restoration, and renewed hope in life.
MISSION
To set up a Friendship Centre with a mission to extend a friendly and supportive atmosphere to visitors who experience emotional or spiritual distress, through free and frank listening and conversation.
What we do?
The Cathedral sees many visitors each day, including those who are troubled and come to the Church seeking comfort, hope, and peace. While the Church has always been a place of prayer and pilgrimage, it became evident that there was a need for a ministry that actively engaged with people seeking more than quiet reflection.
In 2012, recognising the growing emotional and pastoral needs of the city, the Cathedral congregation felt called to respond—to be more than an architectural landmark, and instead, a living, compassionate presence in the heart of Kolkata.
Who we are serving?
CFC welcomes everybody irrespective of caste, creed and background for counselling needs.
CFC offers free counselling, primarily in the form of pastoral care and mentorship, or lay counselling, to congregants and sometimes the public. These sessions focus on spiritual guidance, grief, or life struggles. While free, these services are typically not provided by licensed mental health professionals and are best suited for spiritual, emotional, or life-related struggles rather than severe, long-term mental health disorders.
Experienced volunteers are present at CFC who will lend their ear to problems ranging from an individual going through stress, low self-esteem, grief and bereavement, relationship and family problems, dealing with chronic illness, job-related issues, life transitions, marriage counselling, parenting issues, dysfunctional family patterns, addiction, gender identity concerns, self-discovery or sexuality issues.
Counsellors reach out to such people who seek their help, willing to accompany them on their journey of life, helping them understand themselves and overcome their agony and pain. CFC also provides referrals to licensed, faith-based counselling professionals where they feel required. Counselling provided is free of cost from 11 am to 5 pm on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.