08/05/2017 CouplesforChristWikipedia

CouplesforChrist
FromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

TheCouplesforChrist(abbreviatedasCFC)isaninternationalCatholiclayecclesialmovement[1]whose
goalistorenewandstrengthenChristianvalues.[2]Itisoneof122InternationalAssociationsofthe
Faithful.[3][4]TheorganizationisaffiliatedwiththeVaticanrecognitionfromthePontificalCouncilforthe
Laity.ItisledbyanInternationalCouncil,whichoperatesinthePhilippinesundertheCatholicBishops'
ConferenceofthePhilippinesandcanreportdirectlytotheVatican.Thecommunityismadeupoffamily
ministries,socialarms,andaprolifeministry.

Contents
1 History
2 MembershipandCommunityLife
2.1 ChristianLifeProgram
2.2 HouseholdGroups
3 Divisions
3.1 CFCandFFL
3.2 CFCandGawadKalinga
4 EvangelizationApproaches
4.1 ChristianLifeProgramRevised
4.2 ANCOP OfficialSymbolof
4.3 AblazeCommunications CouplesForChrist
5 TheInternetasPastoralTool
5.1 CouplesforChristLocalWebsites
5.2 OneGlobalDatabase
5.3 CFCinFilipinoLanguage
6 Seealso
7 References
8 Externallinks

History
CouplesforChrist(CFC)tracesitsorigintoManila,Philippines.Itwasestablishedin1981bythecharismatic
communityAngLigayangPanginoon(LNPFilipinofor"TheJoyoftheLord")asitsoutreachtoevangelize
marriedcouples.

Theapproachandstrategyweretoinviteprospectivecouplestoaprivatehomeandbringthemtoapersonal
relationshipwithJesusChristthroughaseriesofweeklyinformaldiscussionsofthegospelinasocial
environment.

Beginningwiththefirst16coupleswhojoinedtheweeklygathering,CFCbecameaChristianfamilylife
renewalprogramwhichwaslatermadeavailabletoparishesandgroupsofmarriedcoupleswhowishedtolive
outtheirChristianlifeinanactive,supportiverelationshipwithoneanother.

ThegrowthofCFCstemmedfromitsheartformissionandevangelizationanditscommitmenttosharing
Godslovewithothers,beginningfromthebasicunitthefamily.ItdidnottakelongforCFCtorealizethat
whilecouplerenewalwasessential,itwouldbeincompletewithoutfamilyrestoration.

Since1993,CFCestablishedthefamilyministries,namely:

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KidsforChrist(http://cfckidsforchrist.com/)
YouthforChrist(http://cfcyouthforchrist.net/)
SinglesforChrist(http://www.sfcglobal.org/)
HandmaidsoftheLord
ServantsoftheLord

In1996,CFCwasapprovedbytheCatholicBishops'ConferenceofthePhilippinesasaNationalPrivate
AssociationofLayFaithfulandin2000,wasrecognizedbytheHolySee(Vatican)asaprivateinternational
associationofthelayfaithfulofPontificalRight.

Throughtheyears,CFChasblossomedworldwide.Itisnowpresentindiocesesacrossall81Philippine
provincesand163countries.IthasbecomeadominantforcefortherenewaloftheChristianfamilylifeandthe
church,earningitsspecialleadershipseatsasparticipantstotheExtraordinarySynodontheFamily,anevent
organizedbyPopeFrancisin2014.[5][6]

MembershipandCommunityLife
AnyvalidlymarriedCatholiccouplecanbecomemembersofCFC.AlthoughaCatholic
movement/organization,CFCremainsopentohavingnonCatholicChristiansasmembers.

ChristianLifeProgram

ThosewhowanttojoinCFCwillhavetogothroughaweeklyseminarseriescalledtheChristianLifeProgram
(CLP),whichusuallyspans13weeksorsessions.TheCLPservesastheprimaryEvangelizationapproach,a
coreactivityofCFCmembers.

AttheendoftheCLP,coupleparticipantsareinvitedtodedicatethemselvestotheLordasCFCmembersand
tocommittoparticipatingactivelyinthelifeofthecommunityandoftheChurchthroughregularprayer
meetings,attendanceincommunityassembliesandteachings,participationinparishlife.

CLPgraduatesarethengroupedintocellgroupscalled"households,"consistingofatleast4andupto7
couplesunderthepastoralcaresupervisionofafamilyhead.

TheCLPisalsothepointofentryforthosewhowishtojoinCFC'sFamilyMinistries:

SinglesforChrist,forsingleyoungprofessionals
HandmaidsoftheLordandServantsoftheLord,forwomenandmenwhoarewidowed,singleparents
orthosewhosespouseschoosenottojoin
YouthforChrist(forteenagers)andKidsforChrist(forpreteens)throughattendanceinaregularcamp
orsimilaractivity.

HouseholdGroups

Thehouseholdgroupsorsimply'households'(fromEphesians2:19)areanessentialfeatureofcommunitylife
fortheadults.Membersofahousehold,ledbyahouseholdleader,meetonceaweekorbiweekly,todiscuss
theGospel,sharetestimoniesabouttheirownstrugglesandtriumphstoliveaccordingtoChrist'sexamples,
andtosupportoneanotherintheirspiritualjourney.Worshipandfellowshipalsoplayakeyroleinatypical
householdmeeting.Eachmemberofthehouseholdisencouragedtohostmeetingsattheirhome,whennotheld
inChurchmeetingspaces,wheretheywillprovideamealandspacefortheworshipandgroupdiscussion.

Ahouseholdgroupoperatesasa'familyoffamilies'anditissoimportantthatamembercoupleremainsas
'active'intheorganizationonlybybelongingtoahouseholdandparticipatinginthehouseholdactivities.CFC
membersareexpectedtoworkactivelyfortherenewaloftheirownfamilies,onthepremisethatthefamilyis
thebasicunitofsociety.

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Divisions
OverthecourseofCFC'sexistence,therehasbeensomerestructuringandchangesofleadership,and
occasionally,divisions.Despitethese,themembersatlargearemostlyunaffected,andtherespective
communitiescontinuetoflourish.

CFCandFFL

In1993,agroupledbyFranciscoPadilla,oneoftheoriginalmembersrecruitedbyLNPin1981,severed
CFC'stiesfromLNPcitingdifferencesinevangelizationapproaches.PadillawasCFC'sExecutiveDirector
until2007.

InAugust2007,thesamegroupofleadersannouncedthecreationofaseparategroupknownasCouplesfor
ChristFoundationforFamilyandLife(CFCFFL).Thisdevelopment,particularlysinceitwasadirectoffshoot
ofthebiannualCFCelectionsthatsawFrankPadillaandhisgroupdefeated,causedadivisionofmembership
withinCFC,assomeofitsmembershipmigratedtoFoundationforFamilyandLife(FFL).FFLappliedand
wasgrantedapprovalbySECtouseadefunctCFCfoundationcreatedinthe1980s,theCouplesforChrist
Foundation,Inc.Thegroupcontinuestousethename,despiteaVaticanadmonitionthat"noothergroupmay
useCouplesforChrist"intheirnameotherthanCouplesForChristGlobalMission'sFoundation,Inc.

CFCleadershavestatedthattheyareopentoreconciliationwithFFL,butdonotexpectaquickresolution,
particularlysincePadilla,currentFFLServantGeneral,continuestoinsistthatonlyFFLisrecognizedbythe
Vatican.HebasesthisassertiononastatementissuedbyoneofficialoftheCatholicBishops'Conferenceofthe
PhilippineswhostatedthatinthediocesesinthePhilippinestherecanbetwogroupsoftheCFCprovided
againthebishopoftheplacewillpermit.Abroad,FFLmaynotuseCFCintheirnames."TheVaticanhasnot
revokedtherecognitiongiventoCFC,evidencecitedbyCFCthatindeeditistheVaticanrecognizedCFC.

Padilla'sclaimtobethefounderofCFC,whichissupportedbyFFL,isquestionedbyCFC.CFC'spublication
OriginsofCouplesforChristdirectlyrespondstothisclaimbyincludingthepointofviewofVicGutierrez,a
formerLNPleaderwhowasresponsiblefortheconceptualizationofCFCin1981.

AlthoughFFLhasreceivedsupportfromsomePhilippineandforeigndioceses,CFCstillretainsitsrecognition
asaCatholicministrynationallyinthePhilippinesandinternationally.Manybishopshavealsodeclared
recognitionofCFCintheirdioceses,includingJohnJ.Myers,ArchbishopofNewark.

CFCandGawadKalinga

In2009,CFCGlobalfounditselfbeingsplitagaininto2groups,CFCICandCFCGawadKalinga.Thiswas
triggeredwhentheexistingconflictbetweenCFCandGKleadersresurfaced.

EvangelizationApproaches
ChristianLifeProgramRevised

In2014,anupdateoftheChristianLifeProgramhasbeenreleasedtoreflectthatCFCisexplicitlyCatholic,
trulyglobal,anddevotedlyMarian.[7]

ANCOP

ANCOPstandsforAnsweringtheCryofthePoor.Itisanumbrellaprogrammadeforthepurposeof
consolidatingCFC'seffortsin'BuildingtheChurchofthePoor,'essentiallyasocialoutreachundertaking.
Shelterbuildingforthepoorandchildeducationsponsorshipareamongitsdominantsubprograms.Certain

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aspectsaffectingthesocietyarealsobeingaddressedthroughtheANCOPprogram,suchashealth,education,
livelihoodandcommunitydevelopmentactivities.

Asasocialoutreachprogram,ANCOPalsoinvolvessectorssuchasmigrantsandtheirfamilies,uniformed
personnel,thoseinprison,andenvironmentstakeholders.ThroughANCOP,suborganizationslike
cooperativesandminiprogramslikeTheCornerstonehavematerialized.

AblazeCommunications

ABLAZECommunications,orsimply"ABLAZE"isregisteredasasubsidiaryofCouplesforChrist.Itis
involvedintheproductionofaudiovisualpresentationsandmerchandizingofproducts,andamajorforcein
theorganizationofeventsinvolvingmassgatheringofCFCmembers.Itpridesitselfinthecreationand
promotionofproductsthat'notonlyserveastoolsforpastoralgrowth,butareaimedatpresentingJesusChrist
andChristianityascoolandexciting.'[8]

AsasubsidiarycompanyandthesocialcommunicationsarmofCouplesforChrist,Ablazecommunicatesthe
behaviorandinteractionofCFC,andtheexperienceoftheCFCcultureasameansofstrengtheningand
unifyingthecommunity.ItservestoenableandpropelthevisionandmissionofCFCthroughsocial
communication,recognizingthatsocialanddigitalchannelsevolvedasthechiefmeansofinformation,
education,andevenguidanceandinspirationofindividuals,families,andsocietyasawhole.[9]

TheABLAZEVision:'Aglobalbrand,producingworldclassproductsandservicesthatsettheworldonfire,
withtheflameofChrist.'

TheABLAZEMission:'ProducingworldclassproductsandservicesthatinspirepeopletoembraceCFC
missionasawayoflife.'

TheInternetasPastoralTool
CouplesforChristLocalWebsites

ThehomepageoftheofficialwebsiteoftheCFCorganization(http://www.couplesforchristglobal.org/)
showcasestheworldwidepresenceofCFCsubgroupsor"local"groupsaroundtheworld.AsidefromAsia
wherethefoundationsofthismassivelaymovementhasitsroots,CFCclustersandchaptercommunitiesare
alreadyestablishedintheregionsofNorthAmerica,SouthAmerica,Africa,Europe,AustraliaandOceania.
Thesegroupsarecreatedandarestillaccountabletothegoverningbody,theCFCInternationalCouncilwith
officeinManila,buthavesomedifferencescomparedtothechaptercommunitiesinthePhilippinestotakeinto
considerationtheneedsandcontextofthecountryorterritorywithinwhichthelocalgroupoperates.Assuch,
volunteersandleadershavecreatedwebsitestoservethelocalaudiencesaccordingly.

Todate,thereisnoofficialannouncementfromCFC'smainInternationalgoverningbodywithregardsto
supporttowebsitecreationforlocalcommunitiesbetheypaidorfree.However,itisnotablethatleadersand
membersoperatingsuchwebsitesopenlylinktothehomepageoftheCFCGlobalwebsite(http://www.couplesf
orchristglobal.org/),whichserveasdeclarationandrecognitionoftheauthorityoftheCFCInternational
Councilthroughtheofficialwebsite.

OneGlobalDatabase

Becauseoftheemerginggrowthofmembersandthedifficultyrelatedtoadministrativetrackingof
membershipandactivities,theInternationalCouncilcreatedaprogramdubbedas"OneGlobalDatabase"or
OGD,whichisalsothesamenameforthewebbaseddatabaseor"tallysheet"beingutilizedtodocumentthe
effortsoftheCFCasawhole.Thistallyingordocumentationofsortshasstartedwiththeyoungerministriesas
earlyastheyear2011.[10][11]

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UsingtheOGDwebsite(http://www.cfcglobaldata.com/),"ChapterLeaders"aregivenaccessforthedatabase
oftherespectivechaptercommunitiesassignedtothem.Tohelpwiththeadministrativetasks,aspecial
"serviceposition"called"ChapterServant"or"ChapterDatabaseAdministrator"hasbeencreated,specifically
becausemostofthequalifiedand/orassignedleadersdonothavetheexpertiseinandexposuretoInternet
basedtools.[12][13]

CFCinFilipinoLanguage

CouplesforChristasamovementandanorganizationstartedfromthePhilippines,buttheteachingsand
relateddocumentshavebeenusingtheEnglishlanguageasthemedium.Becauseofthis,attemptstoconvey
themessagesofteachingsandotherdocumentation,ortranslatingintolocaltonguesordialects,becomepartof
theresponsibilityofthetrainedspeakers.

Asaresult,qualifiedleadershavecreatedandstoredinvariouswebsitesbothfree(likeWebsiteofCFCYouth
forChristinNewJersey(http://cfcyouthnj.weebly.com/)andpublicdocumentsfromScribd)andprivately
funded(likeCouplesforChristinMe(http://couplesforchrist.me/)),theirversionsandreflectionsondifferent
teachings,documents,andactivities.EveniftheCFCGlobalInternationalCouncilhasnoclearofficial
recognitiontosuchtranslationanddocumentation,sucheffortsareseenastheresultsofpracticingwhatis
beingpreachedbyCFC:thatistoworkforspiritualdevelopmentand"Evangelization"evenwiththeuseof
moremodernmethods.

Seealso
FoundationforFamilyandLife
GawadKalinga
ChurchMovement

References
1.Stravinskas,PeterM.J.(1991).OurSundayVisitor'sCatholicEncyclopedia.Huntington,Indiana:OurSunday
Visitor,Incorporated.p.790.ISBN0879736690.RetrievedOctober8,2010.
2.AboutCouplesforChrist(http://couplesforchristglobal.org/v2.1/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14&
Itemid=40)
3.AssociationsoftheFaithful:AWorkingDefinition(http://www.catholiccanonlaw.com/Associations.pdf)
4.DirectoryofInternationalAssociationsoftheFaithful(http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/laity/do
cuments/rc_pc_laity_doc_20051114_associazioni_en.html)Archived(https://web.archive.org/web/20110926093316/ht
tp://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/laity/documents/rc_pc_laity_doc_20051114_associazioni_en.htm
l)September26,2011,attheWaybackMachine.
5."Synod:TheChurchassemblesforthefamily".Retrieved20150311.
6."CamposcouplebringsCFCtotheSynod".Retrieved20150311.
7.ChristianLifeProgramManual,TheCompleteHandbook.QuezonCity,Philippines:CFCAblazeCommunications.
2014.p.6.
8."AblazeCommunications".Retrieved20150311.
9."AblazeCommunications".Retrieved20150311.
10.Google.com'scaheforcouplesforchristglobalmission.wordpress.comstatesthat"Thisistheofficialandtemporary
websiteofCFC..."anddescribes"CFCMembersManagementDatabase".
11.AnautomateddocumentabouttheCFCYouthforChristdatabasesystem(https://cfcyouthnj.weebly.com/uploads/3/8/
1/1/381123/count_me_in__database.docx)isalsoavailablefromGoogle'scahe.
12.CFCGlobalNewsfeedinFacebook.com(https://www.facebook.com/CFC.Global.Mission)
13.AboutCouplesForChrist.meWebsite(http://couplesforchrist.me/aboutthiswebsite/)

Externallinks
CouplesforChristUSA(http://couplesforchristusa.org/)
WikimediaCommonshas
CouplesforChristQATAR(http://cfcqatar.org/)
mediarelatedtoCouplesfor
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CouplesforChristIndia(http://cfci.org.in/) Christ.
SinglesforChristGlobal(http://www.sfcglobal.org/)
SinglesforChristToronto(http://www.sfctoronto.org/)
ANCOPTektonFoundation(http://cfcancop.org/)

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