Couples for Christ: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|International Catholic lay ecclesial movement}}

[[Image:Couplesforchristlogo.gif|frame|right|'''Couples For Christ Global Mission Foundation, Inc'''. logo.]]

{{Infobox religious group

| group = Couples for Christ

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| image =CFC Logo Vector.svg

| image_alt =Couples For Christ Logo

| image_caption =Official logo of the association

| image_size =222x222px

| population =

==Organization==

| founder = Ang Ligaya ng Panginoon ([[Filipino language|Filipino]] for “The Joy of the Lord”)

| regions =

| tablehdr =

| region1 =

The '''Couples for Christ Global Mission Foundation, Inc'''. ('''CFC''') is a [[Roman Catholic lay ecclesial movement|lay ecclesial movement]] affiliated with the [[Catholic Church]]. Headquarters are in [[Manila, Philippines]] with missions in many other countries.

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| religions = [[Christianity]] ([[Catholic Church|Catholicism]])

Members are organized into household groups (a group of 10 to 12 individual members, or 5 to 6 couples), which are led by a Household Head. Unit Heads lead household heads, Chapter Heads lead unit heads, and Cluster Heads lead chapter heads. Overall direction is provided by a national CFC Council.

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| website = {{Official URL}}

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The '''Couples for Christ''' ('''CFC''') is an international [[Catholic Church|Catholic]] [[Roman Catholic lay ecclesial movement|lay ecclesial movement]]<ref>{{cite book |title=Our Sunday Visitor's Catholic Encyclopedia |last=Stravinskas |first=Peter M. J. |year=1991 |publisher=Our Sunday Visitor, Incorporated |___location=Huntington, Indiana |isbn=0-87973-669-0 |page=790 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vJ78Vd4O9d4C&q=what+is+pontifical+right&pg=PA790 |access-date=October 8, 2010 }}</ref> whose goal is to renew and strengthen [[Christian values]].<ref>[http://couplesforchristglobal.org/v2.1/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14&Itemid=40 About Couples for Christ] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081223111413/http://couplesforchristglobal.org/v2.1/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14&Itemid=40 |date=2008-12-23 }}</ref> It is one of 123 [[International associations of the faithful|International Associations of the Faithful]].<ref>[http://www.catholiccanonlaw.com/Associations.pdf Associations of the Faithful: A Working Definition] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090319204126/http://www.catholiccanonlaw.com/Associations.pdf |date=2009-03-19 }}</ref><ref>[https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/laity/documents/rc_pc_laity_doc_20051114_associazioni_en.html Directory of International Associations of the Faithful] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110926093316/https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/laity/documents/rc_pc_laity_doc_20051114_associazioni_en.html |date=September 26, 2011 }}</ref>

The organization is linked to the [[Holy See|Vatican]] through the [[Pontifical Council for the Laity]], and is led by an International Council based in the Philippines under the [[Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines]]. The community consists of family ministries, social arms, and [[anti-abortion]] ministries.

CFC claims a membership of over a million lay Catholics, mostly Filipinos, in 132 countries.

==History==

{{More citations needed section|date=June 2021}}

* Established in 1981, in [[Manila]].

Couples for Christ (CFC) was established in 1981 by the charismatic community Ang Ligaya ng Panginoon (LNP; [[Filipino language|Filipino]] for "The Joy of the Lord") in [[Manila]]. Its target groups were primarily married couples, inviting prospective couples to a private home for a series of weekly [[gospel]] discussions.

Since 1993, CFC had also started other demographic-specific groups, including "Kids for Christ," "Youth for Christ," "Singles for Christ," "Handmaids of the Lord" and "Servants of the Lord."

* On March 11th, 2000 the [[Holy See|Vatican]], through the [[Pontifical Council for the Laity]], recognized Couples for Christ as a Private International Association of the Faithful according to Canons 298-311 and 321-329 of the [[Code of Canon Law]].

In 1996, CFC was approved by the [[Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines]] as a National Private Association of Lay Faithful and recognized in 2000 by the [[Holy See]] as a private [[Directory of International Associations of the Faithful|international association of the lay faithful]] of [[Pontifical right|Pontifical Right]].

* On April 25th, 2005, Feast of St. Mark the Evangelist, Couples for Christ received its permanent recognition from the [[Holy See|Vatican]] as a '''Private Association of the Faithful'''.

CFC is present in dioceses across all 81 [[Provinces of the Philippines|Philippine provinces]] and 163 countries. It sent participants to the [[Third Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops|Extraordinary Synod on the Family]] organised by [[Pope Francis]] in 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.news.va/en/news/synod-the-church-assembles-for-the-family|title=Synod: The Church assembles for the family|access-date=2015-03-11|archive-date=2015-02-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150224062114/http://www.news.va/en/news/synod-the-church-assembles-for-the-family|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbcpnews.com/cbcpnews/?p=42919|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402124804/http://www.cbcpnews.com/cbcpnews/?p=42919|url-status=usurped|archive-date=April 2, 2015|title=Campos couple brings CFC to the Synod|access-date=2015-03-11}}</ref>

* At the end of November 2005, CFC claims to have reached 131 countries and over 1 million members.

==Membership and sections==

* By June 25th, 2006, the charismatic community's 25th founding anniversary, CFC has reached its goal of bringing CFC into all of the 153 countries of the world.

{{Unreferenced section|date=June 2021}}

Any married couple can become members of CFC, provided the organization acknowledges their marriage as valid. Although a Catholic movement/organization, CFC also accepts non-Catholic Christians.

New members must attend a series of seminars known as the “Christian Life Program” (CLP). After this, couples who agree to commit themselves to active participation in the organization are placed in a [[cell group]] called "households," consisting of 4 to 7 couples under the pastoral care of a couple as a household head.

==Position statements==

The CLP is also mandatory for those who wish to join one of the organization's other, demographic specific groups such as Singles for Christ.

"Couples for Christ has seven pillars that serve as its main focus and life:"

==Evangelization Approaches==

1. Evangelization and Mission (Membership Entry through a Christian Life Program/CLP and serves as the CFC Membership Body)

{{More citations needed section|date=June 2021}}

===Christian Life Program Revised===

In 2014, an update of the Christian Life Program has been released to reflect that CFC is explicitly [[Catholicism|Catholic]], truly global, and devotedly [[Marian devotions|Marian]].<ref>{{cite book |title=Christian Life Program Manual, The Complete Handbook |url=http://cfcablaze.com/product/christian-life-programmanual/ |year=2014 |publisher=CFC Ablaze Communications |___location=Quezon City, Philippines |page=6 |access-date=2015-03-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402123026/http://cfcablaze.com/product/christian-life-programmanual/ |archive-date=2015-04-02 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===ANCOP===

2. The Family Ministries ([[CFC-Kids For Christ]], [[CFC-Youth]], [[CFC Singles For Christ]], '''Handmaids of the Lord''' (for widows, single mothers and women whose husbands are overseas or whose husbands do not want to serve in a community), and '''Servants of the Lord''' (for widowers, or men whose wives are overseas or whose wives do not want to serve in a community)).

ANCOP stands for Answering the Cry of the Poor. It is an umbrella program made for the purpose of consolidating CFC's efforts in 'Building the Church of the Poor,' essentially a social outreach undertaking. Shelter-building for the poor and child-education sponsorship are among its dominant sub-programs. Certain aspects affecting the society are also being addressed through the ANCOP program, such as health, education, livelihood and community development activities.

As a social outreach program, ANCOP also involves sectors such as migrants and their families, uniformed personnel, those in prison, and environment stakeholders. Through ANCOP, sub-organizations like cooperatives and mini-programs like The Cornerstone have materialized.

3. Pastoral Formation Office (Teachings)

===Cornerstone===

4. Social Ministries (St. Thomas More & Associates, GKare, Sword of Gideon, Tekton Guild, Oikos Society, Isaiah 61:1 Ministry, Education Foundation, Inc., Flame Ministry, Teodora)

This is a program of CFC and its Family ministries in the cooperation with Ateneo Center for Educational Development. The main objective of this program is to help grades 2 and 3 students in public schools on how to read and understand English. SFC members take the lead in teaching the students and providing them Values formation activities.

===Ablaze Communications===

5. [[Gawad Kalinga]] (Work with the Poor, Slum Eradication)

ABLAZE Communications, or simply "ABLAZE" is registered as a subsidiary of Couples for Christ. It is involved in the production of audio-visual presentations and merchandizing of products.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.couplesforchristglobal.org/ablaze.aspx|title=Ablaze Communications|access-date=2015-03-11|archive-date=2015-02-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150227033728/http://couplesforchristglobal.org/ablaze.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== Liveloud ===

6. [[Pro-Life]] (Natural Family Planning and Education).

Liveloud is an annual praise and worship event first staged in 2009 featuring Catholic Christian Music.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://youthpinoy.com/home/liveloud-the-biggest-catholic-filipino-worship-reunion-concert-ever/|title=LiveLoud: the biggest Catholic Filipino worship reunion concert ever! {{!}} YouthPinoy|website=youthpinoy.com|language=en-US|access-date=2018-01-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170821003848/http://youthpinoy.com/home/liveloud-the-biggest-catholic-filipino-worship-reunion-concert-ever/|archive-date=2017-08-21|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/203335/liveloud-to-bring-jesus-experience-in-cebu-on-its-10th-year|title=Liveloud to bring Jesus experience in Cebu on its 10th year|website=cebudailynews.inquirer.net|language=en|access-date=2019-01-22}}</ref>

===Anti-divorce law campaign===

7. Special Ministries (Priests For Christ, Nuns For Christ, Missionary Society of St. Francis and St. Paul, Jacob's Well).

The CFC has opposed the legality of divorce in the Philippines. In June, 2024, it published a [[manifesto]] arguing against divorces.<ref>{{cite news |last1= Tolentino |first1= Ma. Reina Leanne|title=Couples for Christ issues anti-divorce manifesto|url=https://www.manilatimes.net/2024/06/24/news/national/couples-for-christ-issues-anti-divorce-manifesto/1952909 |accessdate=June 24, 2024 |publisher=[[The Manila Times]] |date=June 24, 2024}}</ref>

==References==

<references />

==External links==

*[http://www.cfcglobal.org.ph Couples for Christ Global Mission Foundation, Inc.]

{{Commons category|Couples for Christ}}

* {{Official website}}

{{Roman Catholicism in the Philippines}}

==See Also==

{{Associations of the Christian faithful}}

{{Authority control}}

*[[CFC-Singles for Christ]]

[[Category:International associations of the faithful]]

*[[CFC-Youth]]

[[Category:Catholic layChurch societiesin the Philippines]]

*[[CFC-Kids For Christ]]

[[Category:Christian organizations established in 1981]]

*[http://www.cfcglobal.org.ph/ Official CFC Website]

[[Category:Catholic organizations established in the 20th century]]

[[Category:Catholic lay societies]]