CBCP Monitor
C1
Vol. 17 No. 13
June 24 - July 7, 2013
The News Supplement of Couples for Christ
Top Leaders Gather for 1 Global Leaders Empowerment Convention st
By the CFC Com Docu Team The potential for greater evangelization is more apparent and there is excitement across the world because of this. The 1st CFC Global Leaders Empowerment Convention (GLEC) was a highlight of the week-long activities of the 32nd Anniversary celebration of Couples for Christ. The 3-day event which was held from June 18 to 20, 2013 at the One Esplanade, Pasay City, gathered over 300 leaders coming from different parts of the world. The GLEC sought to unite thrusts and approaches of all CFC leaders of all countries of the world. While the community believed in the preservation of its core thrusts there is still a need to be united in our
approaches in addressing major concerns of evangelization. The event also aimed to build the core of the CFC leadership, stressing the importance of working as one body, and to synergize the team in bringing down the programs and thrusts of the community. Furthermore, the convention also hoped to promote empowered leadership by inspiration. The GLEC was indeed a venue to share personal challenges in leading and shepherding God’s people, to fully embrace their calling as missionaries in their own countries and areas. Here are highlights of the 1st CFC Global Leaders Empowerment Convention:
Day 1 of the Global Leaders Empowerment Convention welcomed CFC leaders from Metro Manila, Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao, and from more than 30 countries at the One Esplanade, Pasay City. After the recitation of the Holy Rosary led by Irma Cuenca, wife of CFC Chairman Rikcy Cuenca, the convention officially began with a Holy Mass with Rev. Fr. Benedict Lagarde Jr. from the Missionaries of Jesus as main celebrant. Concelebrating the Mass were His Excellency Archbishop Boniface Lele of Mombasa, Kenya; Fr. Anthony Hou, Fr. Simon Jia, Fr. Joseph Duan, and Fr. Joseph Shen from China; and Fr. Pierre Faiquin from Mauritius. In the afternoon, GLEC participants were greeted by the unique shadow show of El Gamma Penumbra, which took the audience on a tour of the various famous landmarks of the Philippines. As the participants settled down, Mon Santiago, Regional Head for SouthAsia, facilitated the workshops. In the evening after Day 1 of the Global Leaders’ Empowerment Convention, CFC leaders donned the costumes of the countries they represent and spent time getting to know new friends and reconnecting with old ones through the CFC 32nd Anniversary Fellowship. The second day of the Global Leaders Empowerment Convention once again started with the recitation of the Rosary, led by Pat Villanueva of CFC USA. Hector Poppen, Country Head of CFC India, opened the convention with a powerful worship. International Council member and CFC Corporate Secretary Arnel Santos
WITNESS TO THE WORLD: Theme for the CFC 32nd Anniversary
Couples for Christ has expanded rapidly and massively over the past 32 years. We marvel at the vast and vibrant work of evangelization that the Lord has entrusted to our community, and essentially to the anointed and appointed leaders. Our leaders in over 120 countries serve as modern day witnesses of Christ’s love and active managers of our programs and thrusts. The call of the Church for “New Evangelization” affirms our vision to go and renew the face of the Earth through the power of the Holy Spirit, to grow in holiness and persevere in reevangelizing the faithful. The message is also clear that we are in this journey with the Blessed Virgin Mary, the “Star of the New Evangelization”. Since last year, the annual themes of the community reflect the role of our Blessed Mother in CFC, especially in our efforts in evangelization. Recognizing this blessing, the Lord continues to bring the community towards active renewal, as spoken volumes by lives transformed
through an inertial understanding of the life and mission of CFC across the world. Our communities spread throughout the world are thriving, but we must constantly be renewed in our zeal and knowledge to further sustain the formation of our harvest, to encourage stewardship, and to have continuous vibrancy in community life. To witness is also about empowered leadership by inspiration. It is to fully embrace our calling as missionaries in our own countries and areas. Finally, witnessing is to regard one another as co-servants in the vineyard of the Lord—as brothers and sisters in Christ—where we get to know one another better, along with our roles in the global mission of CFC. We believe that the Lord is pleased, and the work becomes even more meaningful, when His work is accomplished in synergy. The essence of synergy is to value differences—to appreciate and respect God’s personal imprint in each person, to build on one another ’s strengths, and to carry one another despite our weaknesses.
GLEC / C3
CFC goes to GLEC, counterclockwise from top left: ANCOP scholars welcome delegates; GLEC opens with a Mass; ABLAZE President Rommel Ancheta leading the worship; CFC Mongolia; participants breaking out into groups during workshop; CFC Timor Leste posing for the camera; GLEC participants playing the “Obey & Witness Bingo” during the morning team building activity. (GLEC photos courtesy of Caloy Rubio, Jerry Tanigue, Alma Alvarez & Romy Medina)
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