MANILA, Philippines - Today, we start what we envision to be an enduring partnership between The Philippine STAR and Couples for Christ.
Couples for Christ (CFC) is a Catholic family renewal movement dedicated to living a holistic Christian way of life, pursuing evangelization, renewal of families, and caring for the poor in an integrated approach. This is expressed in its vision statement of “Families in the Holy Spirit Renewing the Face of the Earth” and its accompanying mission statement of “Building the Church of the Home and Building the Church of the Poor.”
CFC started in Manila in 1981, established by the charismatic community Ang Ligaya ng Panginoon (Joy in the Lord). Blessed by an evangelistic and missionary zeal to share God’s love with others, CFC increased in number and territorial reach. As it celebrated its pearl anniversary last year, June 2011, CFC’s presence has been established in all Philippine provinces and in more than 100 countries around the world.
CFC has sent out volunteer lay missionaries, mostly young missionaries, in various Philippine provinces and in some countries in Africa, Asia, Oceania, Middle East, Europe and the Americas.
The CFC story began with a program for married couples, husband and wife together, committed to strengthening their married life. It was only a matter of time in God’s plan that programs for all the members of the family were also established. Thus, in 1993, CFC established its Family Ministries, namely: Kids for Christ (KFC), Youth for Christ (YFC), Singles for Christ (SFC), Handmaids of the Lord (HOLD), and Servants of the Lord (SOLD).
CFC is thankful to the Lord for its holistic programs that cover all members of the family, and is especially inspired that their children and other young people have embraced the Christian way of life, amid many challenges and contrary cultures around them. We praise God for His blessings being poured out from generation to generation.
Over the years, CFC has further metamorphosed from simply a family renewal movement into a force for societal renewal. Once couples and their respective families become grounded in faith and steeped in the Word of God, there is a natural progression, a commitment not just to love the Lord but to love neighbor as well. Faith becomes alive when matched with action.
This work for social transformation found its beginnings with the establishment of the various Social Ministries that reach out to different sectors of society.
This work continues and has expanded in ANCOP (Answering the Cry of the Poor), CFC’s work that addresses the needs of the poor in our midst, addressing shelter and community development, health, livelihood, and child scholarships.
More recently, CFC is also piloting a project called Cornerstone, in partnership with Ateneo de Manila University (particularly its Ateneo Center for Educational Development), which is a focused approach in helping public schools. This project is being pursued in coordination with the Department of Education, specifically its division superintendents and school principals in the area concerned.
In some schools, CFC and Ateneo have also partnered with Jollibee, particularly its Busog, Lusog, Talino program.
CFC is thus currently involved in proclaiming the good news of God’s love in word and in action to the larger society – to those in government, business, schools, the health sector, armed services, to those in prisons, migrant workers and their families, to the abandoned, the destitute, the lost and the hungry. CFC is also doing its share in caring for our environment.
Though CFC’s reach is wide and its work varied and comprehensive, the emphasis is still personal transformation and the renewal and strengthening of families. And always, the focus is Christ. CFC is centered on Christ and all the glory goes to God. CFC’s work for others, therefore, is always anchored on values formation, so that the needy and those who may not know Christ may be fed not just in body, but more importantly, also in spirit.
CFC members are actively serving in the dioceses and the parishes, in pastoral councils, and in an increasing number of parishes, in the Basic Ecclesial Communities (BECs). It is also contributing to the Catholic Church’s call for vocation – many of its Youth for Christ and Singles for Christ members are now priests, seminarians, and religious sisters, not only in the Philippines but also in some countries abroad.
CFC works together with other groups, and is presently represented in the Board of Trustees in the Sangguniang Laiko ng Pilipinas (Council of the Laity of the Philippines), the Philippine Bible Society, Simbahang Lingkod Bayan, and the Bahay ng Diyos Foundation.
In 1995, CFC was approved by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) as a national private association of the lay faithful, and in the year 2000, was recognized by the Pontifical Council of the Laity of the Vatican as a private international association of the lay faithful of pontifical right, which recognition became permanent in 2005.
The global family of Couples for Christ is governed by its International Council, currently composed of Ricky Cuenca as chairman, Melo Villaroman Jr. as executive director, and Nonoy Dalman, Manny Garcia, Mannix Ocampo, Rouquel Ponte, Joe Tale, Jun Uriarte and Joe Yamamoto, as members.
As CFC starts its journey from Pearl to Gold to the year 2031, it is honored and privileged to be associated with The Philippine STAR under the leadership of Miguel Belmonte, as its print media partner. This is most timely and providential happening this year, 2012, when CFC’s theme is “Proclaiming the Greatness of the Lord.” Through this partnership, we look forward to sharing many insights and stories of God’s love, of wholesome family life, and of loving the poor, to The Philippine STAR’s wide readership base here and internationally.
Indeed, to God be the glory!