Official Name | Couples for Christ |
Other name or acronym | CFC |
Vision | “Moved by the Holy Spirit, one with the Catholic Church, blessed to witness to Christ’s love and service, Couples for Christ is a united global community of family evangelizers that sets the world on fire with the fullness of God’s transforming love.” |
Mission | Building the Church of the Home, Building the Church of the Poor |
Year established | 1981 |
Year accredited W/ Laiko | 1996 |
History | Couples for Christ (CFC) was established in 1981 by the Ang Ligaya ng Panginoon (LNP), a charismatic organization, after they saw the need to bring the benefits of the renewal movement not only to the women but also to their spouses. LNP conducted a Life in the Spirit Seminar for 16 couples, with the intention of integrating them into LNP, but Vic Gutierrez, who was tasked to head the new group, and LNP’s spiritual adviser, Fr. Herb Schneider, followed the leading of the Spirit and formed a separate group, calling it Couples for Christ. |
Organizational structure | CFC is governed by a 7-man International Council, elected by the Elders Assembly for a term of two years. The Elders Assembly is composed of the International Council, the Board of Elders, Metro Manila sector heads, provincial area heads, regional area heads, international coordinators of the family ministries, international coordinators of the social ministries, the head of Gawad Kalinga and international regional area coordinators.
The basic unit is the household, composed of an average of 5 to 7 couples, headed by a household head. A group of households form a unit, headed by a unit head. A group of units form a chapter, headed by a chapter head while a group of chapters form a cluster, headed by a cluster head. When there are enough clusters in an area, a sector is formed, headed by a sector head. Metro Manila has 12 sectors, each with its own sector governance team of 5 men, headed by a sector head. The provinces are governed by a 5-man provincial area council headed by the Provincial Area Director. Each province is supervised by a Provincial Area Head, usually not residing in the area but who visits the province regularly. |
Composition of membership | The membership of CFC, Handmaids of the Lord, Servants of the Lord and Singles for Christ comes from graduates of the Christian Life Program, a free 13-week seminar on the basic truths of the Catholic faith. Youth for Christ members go through a youth camp while Kids for Christ members attend a kids’ camp before becoming integrated into the community.
Total membership worldwide is estimated to be around 900,000 individuals. |
Main activities |
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Areas present | CFC is present in almost all parishes in all the 81 provinces of the Philippines, and in about 160 countries. |
Official contact address | 349 Ortigas Avenue, Greenhills East,
Mandaluyong City |
Official contact numbers | Telephone: + 63.2.727.0682
Fax: + 63.2.727.5777 |
Website | http://www.couplesforchristglobal.org |
Email address | multimediacenter@cfc-global.com |
Logo | The CFC logo has three (3) elements: the concentric circles, the cross, and the dove. The CFC logo stands for who we are and what we are for.
THE CONCENTRIC CIRCLES These stand for 2 wedding rings, one on top of the other. They depict Christian marriage, where two have become one. They stand for the unity between husband and wife, a unity manifesting itself in mutual love and service. The ring also point to our family life ministry. The family is to be the focus as well as the foundation of our work. THE CROSS This stands for the cross of Christ. The central position of the cross states that Christ is at the center of our lives and of our work. The cross is also an empty cross. It shows that Christ is risen. By his death and resurrection, Christ conquered sin and death, and won for us our salvation. Finally, the cross stands for the radical Christian life we are called to. It is a life where we are to take up the cross of Christ (Mt. 16:24) THE DOVE The dove represents the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit Who is our guide, our counselor, our advocate. He is the Spirit of truth. He is the source of power and strength for the Christian life. The dove also indicates the charismatic dimension of our spirituality. We are to pursue our work of renewal with the full use of all charismatic gifts at our disposal (1 C or. 12:4-11). THE CONCENTRIC CIRCLES, THE CROSS AND THE DOVE Also depicted is the establishment of CFC worldwide family, the one global community under the lordship of Christ. The circles also suggest the ever widening network of renewed families in Christ. The light and life of Christ radiates outwards and touches the lives of more and more people. CFC is an evangelistic movement, intending to bring Christ to all people and to all places. CFC is a work of Christ which raises up Christian couples and establishes Christian families committed to the work of evangelization and winning the world for Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. |
Current officers | The 7 men of the International Council are currently serving a term of two years ending June 30, 2009:
Jose Tale Executive Director Jose Arguelles Ernesto Maipid, Jr. Rouquel Ponte Jose Tayag Ermelo Villaroman, Jr. Jose Yamamoto |