The first association on behalf of a married priesthood in the USA was founded in 1968 as the Society of Priests for a Free Ministry. In 1973 after agreat debate the name was changed to Fellowship of Christian Ministries and again in 1981 to Federation of Christian Ministries (FCM). The purpose was to advocate for the ordination of women and for lay ministry and to develop ecumenical ministries. So, today the FCM professionally certifies competent women and men to act on its behalf. These women and men preach the Good News, preside at liturgies, design rituals, witness marriages, conduct funerals and provide pastoral and spiritual care as chaplains. CORPUS, the American association for a married priesthood, emerged in 1974 in response to these initiatives with a single focus on optional celibacy. Many members of CORPUS are also members of FCM because FCM created a Ministerial Certification Program in 1974 which allows members to witness marriages legally and to exercise ministries as representatives of FCM which is recognized as a Religious Society by civil law.

Over the past half dozen years in FCM there has been a strong movement among the Circle of Directors to not be involved in Roman Catholic issues. Their priority is the encouragement of non-denominational ministry. There was an effort to drop the word 'Christian' from the organization's name and substitute for it 'Community'. The general membership rejected that effort.

FCM joined the International Federation of Married Catholic Priests while it was still predominantly an alternative base for the exercise of ministry by married priests. With emergence of CITI and its development of a Credentialing Program for its members and the continuing and increasing emphasis in FCM on women in ministry a sense of relatedness to the Federation waned.

William Manseau was asked to rejoin the FCM Circle of Directors several years ago to assist in the development of an Ecclesiastical Endorsement Program which would enable its members to find ministerial employment in hospitals and other institutions as chaplains, etc. This new involvement brought home to him the reality of the shift away from Roman Catholic concerns. In response to that he proposed that a Committee on Roman Catholic concerns be established for those in FCM who wished to continue such an involvement. The proposal succeeded and Manseau is the Committees Co-Chair at this time.

It is called the FCM Roman Catholic Faith Community Council.