UGNAYAN March 5 - 15, 2015

CBCP Monitor

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March 2 - 15, 2015 Vol. 19 No. 5

The News Supplement of Couples for Christ

‘Prepare our eyes, ears and hearts to love more’

By CFC Global Comm

The members of the Metro Manila Mission Core and leaders from the various provinces and countries trooped to Baguio last February 6 to 8 for the much-awaited Love More Weekend retreat. More than 2,000 individuals filled the CAP-John Jay Convention Center.

The entire weekend was a time to behold God’s love and ponder how beloved the CFC really is, individually, as a family and as a community.

In his overview, CFC Chairman Joe Tale exhorted, “Be grateful for the grace, mercy and compassion showered on us

by our God.” He likewise encouraged the participants to be reminded that there are many things each person must do. He added, “Make sure we do not miss out on the most essential—to love God with all our hearts, minds, soul and strength, and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. The bottom line: it is love that moves the mission.”

Tale also encouraged everyone to make the most of the weekend by allowing it to be an experience to encounter God more deeply, and to gather enough memories, realizations, reflections that will make each person strong and with zeal, pursue the mission based on love for the Lord and with one another.

“In all of this, we will love more each time,” Tale concluded, and left the participants with an inspiration from St. John Paul the Great in 1979: “And so our fidelity to Jesus Christ urges us to do more, to pray more, to love more.”

The Love More Weekend Retreat

Session 1 titled It is too little, delivered by Jun Uriarte, emphasized the community’s littleness amidst the victories and accomplishments that CFC has been blessed with. Uriarte stressed that CFC ought not to boast of these accomplishments, but in the overall scheme of things, to realize that CFC has done too little and that more needs to be done. At the end of the session, everyone was encouraged to recount the deeds of the past, quiet down for an intensive examination of conscience, reviewing their personal participation in this journey of CFC. Session 2 (Come, have breakfast!), given by Joe Yamamoto, delved into the Lord’s invitation to start all over again.

When a Christian falls and stumbles, he must rise up and start afresh. This talk is a reflection on the graciousness, PREPARE OUR EYES / C2

Reflections for the 40 Days of Lent days of Lent.

Fr. Ogsimer began with reflection on the Gospel of the first Sunday of Lent, Mark 1:12-13 which reads: At once the Spirit drove him out into the desert, and he remained in the desert for forty days, tempted by Satan.

He was among wild beasts, and the angels ministered to him.

Fr. Ogsimer explained that the wilderness is symbolic of a crisis. Our own wilderness may include separation, death, marital problems, loss of job, problems with children. However, in the Biblical sense, wilderness means isolation, solitude, a place of prayer, a place with no protection.

Jesus fasted for 40 days in the desert, beset by temptation but fortified by prayer. He emerged strong and ready to face the greatest challenge of his life – persecution, suffering and death. Fr. Ogsimer suggester that “Perhaps, it would be good to start a Desert Day tradition for Couples for Christ. What is Desert Day? It is a day of complete silence, no gadgets, no food, a day to experience the wilderness.”

no instant change. The faithful should be patient towards one another, with themselves, and not lose sight of their goals.

Reflections on the Sundays of Lent

• …and the angels ministered to him.

Angels in the Bible are messengers from God. When God’s people have nothing, He fills the emptiness in their hearts by sending His angels in various forms.

The angels ministering to Jesus was the assurance that God had not abandoned Him. In the end, Jesus felt He was not abandoned or forsaken, and thus, he was able to push through with His public ministry because of such assurance.

For the second Sunday of Lent, whose Gospel reading was about the Transfiguration of Jesus, Fr. Ogsimer pointed out that the symbol of the transfiguration is the mountain. It gives the faithful a foretaste of God’s glory. Fr. Ogsimer reminded the MC that, “Suffering, misery, and problems are not permanent. But God’s love liberates us.”

The Gospel of the third Sunday of Lent tells about Jesus driving out the moneychangers from the temple.

Jesus was upset with what the people did in the temple because the temple is a holy place. “We enter the temple to ponder on the act Jesus performed in cleans-

Fr. Ogsimer emphasized each of the facets of the Gospel passage:

By The CFC Global Comm

CFC Metro Manila leaders, members of the Mission Core (MC) gathered last March 1, 2015 at the Mega Tent in Pasig City for the annual Lenten Recollection. Fr. Resty Ogsimer, CS, Executive Secretary of the Episcopal Commission on Migrants and Itinerants, was the retreat master.

The recollection, held after the celebration of the Mass, was an opportune time for the Metro Manila MC to quiet down and reflect on the 40

• …the Spirit drove him out into the desert Jesus was taken by the Spirit to the wilderness. What takes us to our wilderness? In every crises, there is a jolt in our hearts. The jolting is an opportunity for growth.

It is good to be jolted from time to time. The faithful must welcome it, as God’s Spirit guides his people through it. Jesus’ followers are always assured from the beginning until the end. The problem begins if people stray from the Lord, or react negatively.

An integral part of the 40-day journey towards the resurrection is carrying the cross. The wilderness experience changes people and becomes a spiritual experience of life and growth.

• …and he remained in the desert for forty days Forty days in the desert is a long time. But then true renewal takes time. There are no instant conversions,

• …tempted by Satan.

“We, like Jesus, are being put to the test when we are changing for the better,” Fr. Ogsimer reminded the leaders. He added, “We know from experience that our temptations are usually about succeeding in life, money, power, selfish pursuits and personal pleasure.”

• He was among wild beasts…

In times of crises, people may feel insecure, afraid, helpless, and seemingly think that the world is against them. What would give Christ’s followers consolation?

“It is the thought that although we may seem to have the heaviest burdens, there are other people who have far greater struggles than we do,” Fr. Ogsimer said.

“When you have a problem, listen to someone who has greater problems than you do, and comfort that person,” he emphasized.

ing the house of the Father,” Fr. Ogsimer stated. It is in believing in God that Christians have eternal life. He added, “By God’s power at work in us, the temple of our hearts is transformed into holiness as we commit to Him in faith and love.”

The fourth Sunday of Lent features Jesus and Nicodemus. The Gospel reading emphasizes mercy as its main symbol. Fr. Ogsimer pointed out that this particular passage shows that “God is rich in mercy. Because of His great love for us, He brought us to life with Christ even when we were dead to sin.” (Ephesians 2:4-5) According to Fr. Ogsimer, the Gospel for the fifth Sunday of Lent reminds the faithful that “Unless the grain dies and falls to the ground, it will not bear fruit. The main point of reflection here is dying to self.”

Holy Week and Beyond

On the 6th Sunday of Lent, which is Palm Sunday, Christians are asked to contemplate on the passion of the Lord. “By doing this, we discover that all our sufferings are nothing compared to His. Therefore we cannot accuse God of being unfair,” Fr. Ogsimer explained. Why? Because He has gone through so much suffering. Jesus has been tempted in every way. There is nothing that people are experiencing that Jesus has not experienced.

“We have a God who can relate to every human experience, except sin,” he added.

Fr. Ogsimer, in conclusion, outlined some concrete steps on how we can use the Lenten season to grow in love. “God’s love is best expressed in hospitality to strangers. Not people that you know, but people who are not lovable,” Fr. Ogsimer shared. He added, “No one is perfect, but we can all practice perfecting compassion. Like the saints, all of us should journey towards constant daily persistent renewal of faith commitment.”

As a final word, Fr. Ogsimer exhorted, “Acts of kindness, of goodness, of love that each person does now will come back in times least expected. Let us continue to be faithful.”

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March 2 - 15, 2015 Vol. 19 No. 5

CFC ANCOP Breaks ground at Pook Masagana

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“Masagana” is a Filipino word that means abundant. And true to its name, the latest ANCOP Community in Bgy. Bahay Toro in Quezon City is indeed masagana—in faith, in people, in love.

Last February 26, 2015, leaders of the Metro Manila West C Sector, together with ANCOP leaders and the family home partners gathered at Pook Masagana for the groundbreaking ceremonies, the start of a future full of hope for those whose homes will soon rise in the site.

The morning started with the breaking of the bread through the Mass celebrated by Fr. Sal Dumabuc, Chaplain of the Department of Justice, with Fr. CA Adan concelebrating. Before the final blessing, Fr. Dumabuc prayed over the time capsule and blessed it while it was being lowered into the ground. CFC ANCOP President and CFC International Council member Jimmy Ilagan and West C BCOP Head Joe Francia led the groundbreaking rites.

“Pope Francis, during his visit to the Philippines,

goodness and mercy of the Lord. Yamamoto pointed out that it is interesting to note the setting wherein all these took place—Jesus had just risen from the dead, and He initiates reconciliation and fellowship with the very persons who had abandoned Him, particularly Peter.

Bishop Wenceslao Padilla of Mongolia celebrated the Holy Eucharist of the Mass, a fitting complement to the penitent tone and joy engendered in the participants by the examination of conscience.

Session 3 titled Do you love Me more than these? was given by CFC Pastoral Formation Director Arnel Santos. During this session, the

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question Do you love Me more than these? was recast so that it is something that will pertain to each personally. Hopefully, it will recast CFC to who it is each individual loves most, bring people back to the fervor of their first love, and allow them to realize, as explained by Pope Francis, that the love the Lord wants from Peter (as bishop, priest and shepherd), is greater than the love he expects from others.

The couples were also given almost an hour to dialogue, examining their hearts on their various “loves” and how they can go back to the reasons they love as individuals and as a couple.

Before the end of Day 2, James Solano and wife Ella led the participants in the celebration of the Lord’s Day. After the Lord’s Day,

every couple present imposed on each other a necklace with the papal cross, symbolic of their resolve to love more.

On Sunday morning, CFC Family Ministries Director Mannix Ocampo delivered Session 4, titled Love more! In this session, the participants were led to ponder on the dialogue between Jesus and Peter. The talk led CFC leaders to hear Jesus in their own personal reflections, to prepare themselves for that encounter with the Lord, that special time when each person would be asked, “Do you love Me?” The reflective sessions were interspersed with creative production numbers from 29 AD Musicionaries as well as inspirational personal testimonies.

CFC Migrants Program Inks MOU with PASEI

CFC Albay, Cross Catholic, ANCOP & LGU Turnover 15 Ancop Homes

CFC Albay finished the construction of 16 houses at the Taysan Resettlement Site, Sitio Tognao, Barangay Taysan, Legazpi City. The houses, 15 of which were made possible through Cross Catholic Outreach and 1 from the family of Eric and Carina delos Reyes, were blessed and awarded to 16 families last February 28, 2015.

Officiating at the blessing was His Excellency Bishop Joel Z. Baylon, D.D. of the Diocese of Legazpi. Mayor Noel Rosal of the City Mayor of Legazpi; Provincial Administrator Jesap Salceda; and Lot Ortiz, Philippine Project Coordinator of Cross Catholic Outreach also graced the event. Elmer Cadiz, CFC ANCOP Operations Head; Vic Alvarez, CFC Bicol Regional Head; and Rudy and Sonia Lubis, CFC Albay Provincial Area Head, joined the CFC Albay Area Governance Team headed by Mon Verdejo and the leaders and members of CFC Albay together with its Family Ministries in welcoming the guests.

Bishop Baylon expressed his gratitude to CFC for being one with the Catholic Church in its concrete manifestation of the work with the poor in the Year of the Poor. He exhorted those present to learn from

The Philippine Association Of Service Exporters, Inc. (PASEI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation with the Couples For Christ Global Mission Foundation, Inc. last January 30, 2015. The MOU came into fruition through the initiative of PASEI's own Director Mr. Jesus M. Ferrer who is also the current Program Head of CFC Migrant Program.

PASEI President Elsa Villa represented PASEI in the MOU while Atty. Arnel M. Santos, Director for CFC Social Development Program & International Council Member signed for CFC. The MOU covers,

among others, the two organizations’ partnership in the delivery of the Moral Values Re-orientation Program (MVRP) for departing OFWs and their dependents. Although MVRP is already part of the Pre-departure Orientation Seminar or PDOS, its reach is limited only to the PDOS attendees. The MOU expands the MVRP to reach the dependents/ allottees of the overseas workers as well.

The PASEI Secretariat is now ready to assist service exporters to organize Moral Values Re-orientation sessions as an added service. PASEI can arrange a session for agencies with at least 20 OFWs for deployment, plus one dependent or allottee per OFW. If the number of overseas workers is below 15 but agencies are amenable to allowing them to accept MVRP attendees endorsed by other agencies, PASEI can organize a session based on an agreed date, time and venue, as well as resources sharing arrangement.

stated that the future of our humanity passes through the family. And we believe that this holds true for all the families who will be living in this ANCOP Community,” Ilagan said. He added, “The unity that will be the benchmark of this community will be reflected not only in the various institutions that will work together to build this community like CFC and our donor, DMC Urban Property Development Inc., but through every member of the families who will be living here.”

Ilagan urged the home partners and volunteers not to lose the capacity to dream, as the groundbreaking rites will just be the beginning of the countless dreams that will be fulfilled in Pook Masagana.

Jose Merin, president of donor institution DMC UPDI in turn thanked CFC and ANCOP for living out the Holy Father’s love for the poor, and for making them a part of the project. He pledged to help the program in whatever capacity will be available to them.

The short program ended with more breaking of the bread among home partners, CFC, ANCOP and DMC UPDI through the feast prepared by the residents of Pook Masagana. (A. Alvarez)

the experience of poverty, as the poor is where Christ is. Bishop Baylon also mentioned the Diocese of Legazpi’s project, “TADA”, meaning, “TANGANING ANG DUKHA ATAMANON”, which means, “SO THAT THE POOR MAY BE HELPED”. Through this, he hopes that CFC and the Diocese of Legazpi may sustain their collaborative work in order to alleviate the sufferings of the poor.

Lot Ortiz, representing Cross Catholic Outreach, the donor for this ANCOP shelter project, expressed her group’s conviction that the houses represent the transformed lives of the home partners. “These home partners will now be living with dignity,” Ortiz said.

The City Government of Legazpi, represented by Mayor Noel Rosal, showed its unfailing support to CFC Albay through the city’s partnership with shelter project. Mayor Rosal assured the community of his support as there are still a lot more families needing houses in the City. He likewise promised to support whatever livelihood project CFC Albay may launch for the benefit of the home partners.

Jesap Salceda, the Provincial Administrator of the Government of Albay, representing his brother Governor Joey Salceda delivered the governor’s message of gratitude to CFC Albay for initiating this noble project for the less privileged families of Albay.

(Ludy Verdejo)

The News Supplement of Couples for Christ

George B. Campos IC Oversight

Zenaida A. Gimenez Editor-in-Chief

Deomar P. Oliveria Layout Artist

Alma M. Alvarez Associate Editor

Evangeline C. Mecedilla Circulation Staff

The Ugnayan News Supplement is published by the Couples for Christ Global Mission Foundation, Inc., with editorial offices at 156 20th Avenue, 1109 Cubao, Quezon City.

Editorial trunk line: (+63 2) 709-4868 local 23 Direct line : (+63 2) 709-4856 www.couplesforchristglobal.org cfcglobalcommunications@gmail.com

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March 2 - 15, 2015 Vol. 19 No. 5

Co-ops Fed Holds 10th Annual GA and Elections

By Mely Verano

Twenty-two (22) active primary cooperative-affiliate members of the CFC Cooperatives Federation (CCF) represented by 44 delegates convened last February 21, 2015 at the Tekton Entre Multipurpose Cooperative Center, Cebu for the 10th General Assembly of the Federation.

The guest speaker at the assembly was Ellen Limocon, General Manager of Lamac Multipurpose Cooperative, considered one of the pillars of cooperativism. Limocon shared how she was able to “move mountains”, so to speak, with the various agricultural and industrial ventures that their coop has implemented in its 23 branches all over the Visayas regions. LMPC is a multi-awarded cooperative in the local, national and international level. Ms. Limocon stressed that “to be successful in all our dealings with the members of our coop, it is important that we put God at the center.”

Ms. Limocon, unit leader of the CFC South Sector in Cebu, also shared her strategy for winning the hearts of delinquent member-borrowers. Instead of pushing a co-op case against a delinquent member, she relies on the power of prayer

and worship. This act of piety has succeeded. Delinquent members, more often than not, choose to activate their coop account rather than go through the hassle of going to court, an unattractive proposition because these often result in severance of personal relationships.

At the same assembly, the CCF board and officers reported their 2014 accomplishments, among them: a) the transfer of office to the CFC Global Mission Center in Cubao, QC; b) launch of the CCF website (www.cfc-ccf.org) and the Facebook page (www.facebook. com/coopsfed); c) conduct of training on the following topics: Conflict Management, Strategic Planning, Basic Cooperative Course, Gender & Development and Trainor’s Training. d) the first Regional Conference open to non-CCF members held in Davao City last April 3-5, 2014, attended by 54 participants from different Mindanao cooperatives; e) CCF partnership with MB Life Insurance Co. Inc. for life insurance coverage resulting in 16 families being provided with a total of P950,000.000 in death benefits in 2014; f ) CCF became a member of the Philippine Cooperative Center and Metro South Cooperative Bank; g) CCF and its member-primaries participated in the different CFC Building the Church of the

Poor (BCOP) activities.

Victor Hizon of CoFC Manila presented the 2015 plans and program including the budget and the same were ratified by the General Assembly, giving emphasis on the following programs: a) Customer Satisfaction - enhance / improve stakeholders, client and member satisfaction, develop social benefit and participate in the social programs of CFC. b) Learning and Growth - enhance the capability of CCF leaders and staff and member-primary BOD, officers and members. c) CFC Relationship - increase presence/knowledge about cooperatives as a component of the Social Development program under BCOP. d) Finance Perspective - attain financial stability. e) Internal Business Process - active participation of member primaries in the Federation.

The election of the new set of officers was conducted during the assembly. The officers once more elected Victor Hizon of CoFC Manila to lead the federation for another two years. Elected with him were the remaining members of the Board of Directors, namely Edwin Chavez, Tekton Entre MPC; Tessie Arela, Cebu; Zos Tayaban, Laguna; Rudy Lubis, CFC ANCOP-Tekton Foundation; Pol Pinera, Quezon; Jorge Asensi, Southern Leyte; Bong Bautista and Julie Lao, Agusan del Norte.

CCF Lakbay Aral Presents Models of Stability

MM West B Conducts Feeding Day and Kids Camp for Cornerstone

By Acel Badilla

Metro Manila West B conducted a feeding program last February 28, 2015 in observance of National Feeding Day. The activity was one of those declared official CFC BCOP events at the recent Couples for Christ BCOP Summit 2015 held at the SMX Convention Center.

It was a day of clean fun, laughter and learning for both the young ones and the young-at-heart. It also marked a day of pure love and faith-in-action at its best as 96 kids/Cornerstone tutees received physical nourishment through the nutritious food. More than that though, the children were also spiritually fed in the Kids’ Camp for CFC-Kids for Christ.

Five elementary schools under the tutelage of Metro Manila West B Sector, namely Cubao Elementary School (CES), Diosdado Macapagal Elementary School (DMES), Eulogio Rodriquez Sr. Elementary School (ERSES), San Francisco Elementary School (SFES) and the host-school, Ramon Magsaysay Elementary School (RMES) in Apo Street, Quezon City participated in the Kids Camp/ Feeding Program. The children assembled in their respective schools at 8 AM, before trooping to the RMES together with their parents, guardians, ates and kuyas.

The program formally started at 10 AM with an opening prayer led by Rocky Tamalayan, SFC Volunteer Cornerstone Core Team Member. Kid’s Camp Session 1 was given by Mildred Reyes, an SFC teacher. The talk, titled God Made Me Special Because He Loves Me had the children divided into groups for a hand-painting activity. CFC Kids for Christ fulltime worker Jonathan Lloyd Polinar facilitated and processed the session.

Session 2, titled Jesus is My Best Friend and facilitated by Allelu de Jesus, highlighted an animated story-telling activity and rosary bracelet making.

The goal of the session was to introduce the children to a loving relationship with Jesus Christ by making them experience His love and allowing them to respond in a personal way.

Session 3 (Jesus Wants to Make Others Happy) saw Erika Ramilo, an SFC teacher by profession, facilitating the bubble-making and card-making activities. The artsy cards and love letters the children crafted earlier were later on handed to their respective parents, guardians, titos/ titas, ates/ kuyas after the Parents’ Orientation.

The closing session was led by Josh Rosario, a KFC volunteer, who also led the parents in praying over their kids and vice versa. Medals of merit were also awarded to deserving participants who were most behaved, most cooperative and most creative among each group.

Highly-nutritious and organic food like tinolang manok with generous portions of malunggay leaves and sayote were served to encourage the children to eat vegetables. Food served for snacks were also as healthy and nutritious—organic chicken macaroni soup with malunggay, pancit bihon and malunggay pandesal.

More than 80 volunteers and Cornerstone advocates served during the day-long event. They helped either in the preparation of materials needed and logistics, food preparation and distribution, as program facilitators, song and dance performers, etc. The success of this activity would also not be possible without the untiring love and support of CFC and Family Ministries’ Leaders headed by Alvin and Mariz Ricafort, Cornerstone West B Sector Couple Coordinators; Leo and Tess Macaraeg, CFC Kids for Christ West B Couple Coordinators; Jun and Alet Garcia, Chapter Leaders of CFC-Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Retiro; Jane Lucena, KFC National Coordinator; West B KFC Chapter Coordinators, and the other Chapter Leaders, volunteers and advocates from the Family Ministries of SFC, YFC, KFC, among others, who generously shared their valuable time, talent and resources to serve God’s little children.

These two activities in one event were made possible through the financial assistance provided by Tahanang Filipino and SFC Kuala Lumpur who chose MM West B Sector ANCOP—Cornerstone as beneficiary of their Pinoy Ako Documentary Concert held last November 30, 2014 in KL, Malaysia.

CFC Migrants Program and CBCP ECMI forge Partnership

Last February 20, 2015, 29 delegates of the CFC Co-operatives Federation from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao went on a visitation tour of eight successful primary cooperatives and a Co-op Financial Federation.

Dubbed “Lakbay Aral”, the tour included the Cebu Vendors Credit Cooperative; Cebu People’s Multipurpose Cooperative; Guadalupe Community Multipurpose Cooperative; and Philippine Cooperative Financial Federation, all from the City of Cebu; Taiyo Yuden Employees Cooperative (TAYEMCO) together with its subsidiaries—Tri-CVentures Consumers Cooperative and TAYEMCO Power Youth Laboratory Coop in Lapu-lapu City; Cordova Multipurpose Cooperative and its sister coop, the Cordova Cooperative Catholic School in the municipality of Cordova.

The CCF delegation also toured the four-storey building of the host coop, the Tekton Entre Multipurpose Cooperative and the Coops for Christ-Cebu.

The delegates all expressed delight at being part of the tour. As they put it, for a very minimal registration fee of P850.00, they were able to gain insights a thousand-fold on how to improve the growth of their own Coops for Christ primaries.

The delegates cited one particular program -- the initiative of the Guadalupe MPC on utilizing the members’ contribution of P200.00 per year per member for their building fund. Thus, with the accumulation of the building fund generated from its more than 6,000 members, the cooperative was able to construct its own four-storey coop building, valued at P30M and located in a prime location in Guadalupe, Cebu City, without any external financing.

The CFC Cooperatives Federation is comprised of all Co-ops for Christ primary cooperatives from all over the Philippines. Its main objective is to organize cooperatives within Couples for Christ into one strong body that will support the CFC undertakings, especially in community development and livelihood. (Mely Verano)

The Couples for Christ Migrants Program headed by Jess and Mercy Ferrer signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the CBCP Episcopal Commission on Migrants and Itinerants that will ensure better coordination and cooperation in implementing the Migrants Ministry Formation in the dioceses and the Parishes.

The partnership aims to undertake special projects for the upliftment of migrants and their families. The MOU was signed last Nov.11, 2014 at the CBCP ECMI office in Intramuros Manila. Signing for and in behalf of the CBCP ECMI was its Chairman Bishop Ruperto Santos, D.D., with counterpart CFC Chairman Joe Tale. The event was witnessed by Rev Fr. Restituto Ogsimer, CS, Secretary General of the ECMI, and Jess Ferrer, CFC Migrants Program Head. The MOU signing was followed by a joint planning session attended by ECMI and CFC MP volunteers last January 6, 2015 at the CFC Global Mission Center in Cubao Q.C.

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CBCP Monitor

Do You Love Me? Feed My Sheep The 2015 CFC Canada Leaders Assembly

By Wilfredo Estolas

Almost 400 Couples for Christ (CFC) and Family Ministries leaders from across Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Hamilton, St. Catharine’s and Windsor gathered last January 31st at the Fr. Henry Carr Catholic Secondary School in Etobicoke for the annual Leaders Assembly. This gathering is usually held at the beginning of the year to rally leaders for the work ahead, and echoes the annual gathering of leaders in Metro Manila.

The assembly was centered on the CFC theme for 2015, Love More, inspired by John 21:15-17. In the first talk, “Do You Love Me?”, Rico Tingin, Pastoral and Spiritual Formation (PSF) Coordinator for GTA, cited some important milestones in the life of CFC. Just recently, from October 5-19, 2014, CFC was appointed one of the official auditors in the Extraordinary Synod on the Family in the presence of the Holy Father and the Synod delegates. It was fitting as the theme of the synod focused on pastoral challenges to the family in the context of evangelization.

The Synod is an assembly of bishops, lay people and organizations around the world who advise the Pope on the present challenges and issues facing families around the globe. CFC Executive Director George Campos with wife Cynthia were privileged to be invited to speak about their CFC journey in that gathering. No less than Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, Archbishop of Manila, who was also appointed by the Pope as one of three Delegate Presidents, introduced CFC in that assembly. Cardinal Tagle in his message during the Extra

Ordinary Synod of Bishops said, “Couples for Christ is the gift of the Filipinos to the world and to the Church.”

Another important milestone for CFC last year was The Church Universal interview at EWTN, the biggest Catholic cable television program in the world. Ricky Cuenca, former Chairman and member of the International Council, and now President of ANCOP International (Canada), and wife Irma spoke about CFC as a lay organization, its beginnings, its vision and mission. They were joined by Len and Marie Solomon in the same interview who gave witness to their own faith walk and growth while with CFC.

Last year, the global CFC celebrated its 33rd anniversary in Manila while CFC Canada marked its 20th locally. In Toronto, August was filled with remarkable celebrations commencing on the first weekend with a Mass celebrated by Thomas Cardinal Collins, Archbishop of Toronto, at the historic St. Michael’s Cathedral and culminating with a memorable gala dinner-dance on the fourth weekend.

The first sharer, the Gonzales family (Edwin and Tess with daughter Erin, a mission volunteer) of CFC Hamilton/ St. Catharine’s region, provided powerful testimony of their challenges when Erin was sent on a mission to Israel at the height

Defining Your Family Vision

By Danielle Flores

The young couples of CFC, mindful of the messages imparted by Pope Francis during his recent papal visit, gathered at the St. Paul Pasig Convention Center on February 28, 2015 to learn how their growing family can indeed nurture the capacity to dream.

Young couples eager to take part in the mission of CFC started the evening with a heartfelt worship led by Geoff Galias, from Metro Manila West B. Aldy and Joy Katigbak of Metro Manila South B, started off the evening session with the talk titled “Defining Your Family Vision”.

Aldy started off the discussion with a question: “Why not have a vision for the family?”

Joy stressed that families are surrounded by different influences today that threaten not only its values but even its essence in building a good society. The role of families is definitely vital in shaping today’s society. “Effective family life does not just happen.

It is a product of three things, (1) deliberate intention; (2) determination; and (3) practice. But most of all, we need God’s Grace”, Joy stated.

Joy added, “Husband and wife need to sit down together, mentally and spiritually creating their own future. To lead our families well, we are called to have a compass, a flight plan, and lastly a clear destination—all manifested through having a family vision.”

What Is A Family Vision?

Aldy stated, “A vision is the result of dreams together with actions.” Thus, a family vision is

“a clearly articulated, compelling statement of your family’s desires or future state. It has values and principles that guide and shape your family life. It is the desired ideal future state of the couple and the family’s relationship with God“.

Joy then emphasized the importance of having a family vision in shaping the growth of families.

She said families must have “a deep sense of purpose, through having direction and proper focus.

It (the vision) serves as a moral compass for each individual, aligning the lifestyle of each family member towards the vision, and further towards being a family for God. It provides the parents a moral authority, and the ability to measure the actions of their children. Fostering parent and child involvement, it inspires, creates passion, and excites the family with something to reach for and attain”.

“This visioning session should come from us,” Aldy affirmed, stressing the importance of parental headship.

Aldy went further by describing how to create a family vision.

According to him, a Family Vision should be comprehensive, detailed, positive and inspiring, shared and supported by each family member.

The first step in writing the vision is to have a “Family Dreamstorming” an activity for the family to bond. Each family member is asked to take part by stating their dreams, with one family member tasked to collate all the dreams.

After a free-flowing discussion, parents are encouraged to lead in drafting the family vision.

“We are family evangelizers” is the heading statement of the Katigbak family vision. However, Joy reminded the young couples, “Your vision is a living vision.

It can change as your family dynamics change”. Because the life of a family is both dynamic

of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Arnold Rodriguez followed with a testimony of not letting go of his service to the community despite the many difficulties he and his wife faced as a young couple with very young children.

Tingin concluded his talk by posing the same question that Jesus asked Peter, “Do you love me?” In response, the assembly was expected to give the same answer as Peter gave Jesus: “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

In a nutshell, CFC Canada is exhorted to grow and to echo Jesus’ words in the families, with friends, in the community and in the workplace.

Reuel Robrigado, Area PFO for GTA, presided over a lively workshop building up the subject of the first talk.

Greg Parillas, National Director of CFC Canada, delivered Talk 2, titled “Feed my Sheep”. Parillas encouraged leaders to be committed to the spiritual well-being of members. He stated, “As leaders we are entrusted with the life of the brethren. We serve as shepherds to care for the sheep entrusted to us. Like Jesus, we have to know, to serve and to love the sheep or our members.”

According to Parillas, the 2014 Synod of Bishops on the Family at the Vatican recognized CFC’s work loud and clear; as a community, CFC was able to evangelize and present “The Love Story of God and Neighbor” to the world.

CFC Canada is playing an important role in worldwide evangelization by sending missionaries to several countries in Africa and to India. “We may not all be able to go to other countries to serve but we are all missionaries in our own respective localities,” Parillas shared.

Francis Almeida touched the hearts of those present by sharing his successful, Spirit-filled mission in India. In just over a year, CFC is now in 3 dioceses in India with more than a thousand members. The last two CLPs alone brought in a total of 501 new members. The first ever ANCOP walk India was also held last year.

Jojo and Rosa Dizon shared their perseverance in conducting CLPs, one after the other, despite limited resources. The Lord blessed their perseverance as CFC Downtown continues to grow to this day.

After the talk, Alex Ascano, Toti Quijano, Ohmar Rivera, Area Heads for GTA East/ West and Hamilton/ St. Catharine’s respectively, led the presentation of the new leaders for 2015 by area and by sector.

Tingin also announced that Francis Yap, CFC Area Director for Toronto, who was undergoing training in Manila at that time, is now a full time pastoral worker for CFC and will be assigned to oversee the whole of Ontario province.

The CFC Seniors Program: Fostering Faith and Fun Beyond the Golden Years

and vibrant, each parent must remember and be prepared to adjust the family vision from time to time.

After having a clear family vision, what comes next? The greater challenge is in living it out. How do young parents of CFC take on the challenge of upholding the vision that has been set?

Clearly, as explained by the Katigbak couple, the key is in consistency, through having a creative planning session, regular assessment and updating of what has been set. Such consistency is needed to continuously foster the spirit of unity in achieving the vision together by doing things together.

Hands On The Mission, Steps Towards The Vision

The young couples present took up the challenge immediately. Guided by Aldy and Joy, the young CFCs excitedly engaged in a heartfelt discussion, applying what they had learned on creating a family vision.

Each couple received a Family Vision Worksheet, a quick, simple, and user-friendly guide to shaping their dreams and creating a future for their loved ones. Though unsure and mostly first-timers, the couples started each discussion by lifting their plans to God, hoping to receive the grace to be sensitive to His leading.

All dreams often seem difficult to achieve upon desiring them. The dream to have a family that is not only happy, but also holy may seem to be a farfetched these days. However, as the Katigbaks pointed out, the call of the Lord is to start early, and to start now.

It was clear, as the participants left for home, that it was a call they were eager to heed.

Age is an issue of mind over matter. As Mark Twain said, “If you don't mind, it doesn't matter.”

Last February 21, this was proven true during the post-Valentine’s Day Love More dance party of the Metro Manila CFC Seniors. The event was organized by the Seniors Program Core Group and attended by senior members from all the sectors of Metro Manila.

The Brothers Band played music from the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s, enticing everyone to try out their dancing skills and to indeed prove that age does not matter when it comes to service, fun and fellowship.

The party is another advocacy activity of the Seniors Program Core to drum up awareness, participation, and support to recognize the importance of senior members to the mission of CFC, and to continue to give life, purpose and foster spiritual growth among those growing in years. The family of CFC, now on its 34th year, recognizes that many of the leaders who nurtured CFC in the earlier years are now the CFC “grandparents” whom everyone should love, respect and honor.

In May 2015, the Seniors Program Core will conduct the Senior Couples Retreat. This is expected to be downloaded to all the CFC areas after the first run in Metro Manila. The Seniors Program Manual has also been released and the Program Core Group is ready to assist areas that are ready to start the program.

Boy and Lida Granados who arranged the use of the venue in Manansala Tower and the excellent band.

(Bernie Cuevas)