To:
Heads of countries ,MM elders, Area Directors, Country/Regional
Coordinators
July 8, 2005
My dear brethren,
We continue to bring CFC to new countries, as we build up to our 25th anniversary next year.
On May 31 we brought CFC to Havana, Cuba. Our new members are 14 couples, 8 singles (engaged), 2 handmaids and 1 servant (39 persons). All are Cubans. The mission was conducted by Edwin & Nila Andrews. Cuba is our 125th country.
On June 18 CFC was established in Freeport, Bahamas. We have 2 couples and 7 handmaids (11 persons). 9 are Bahamanians and 2 are Filipinos. The mission team was composed of Joe & Monina Duran of CFC Florida and Julius & Fely Rivera of CFC Indiana. Bahamas is our 126th country.
On July 3 CFC was brought to Tonga. Those who joined our community are 5 couples, 3 handmaids and 1 single (14 persons). There are 3 Tongans, 1 British and 10 Filipinos. The mission team came from CFC Sydney and CFC Fiji. From Sydney: Denis & Ruth Reyes, Morie Balisbisan, Rey Legaspi, Rolly Estigoy and Lorie Sacriz. From Fiji: Tim Brown and John William. Tonga is our 127th country.
The goal the Lord gave us many years ago is to be in 153 countries by the year 2006, by our 25th anniversary. The 153 is based on the harvest of fish in John 21:11. So there are 26 countries to go, and 12 months with which to fulfill the goal. We can do it, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Let us all pray for this intention. On a practical basis, those who have friends, relatives, business associates, contacts, etc., in countries where CFC is not yet present should get in touch with them and see if that is the opportunity the Lord will be giving us.
The 7 pillars
Up to recently, CFC has had five pillars—Pastoral Support, Evangelization & Mission, Family Ministries, Social Ministries and Gawad Kalinga. The pillars are what make up the fullness of the life and mission of CFC. They are the integral components that God has given us through the years in order for us to be His instruments in renewing the face of the earth.
Last May 6, the CFC Council approved the 6th pillar. This is our Pro-Life ministry. We have often described CFC as pro-God, pro-family, pro-poor and pro-life. Everything that we do is of course pro-God. That is why we are “for Christ” or “of the Lord.” From the very beginning, our mission had been to defend, renew and strengthen marriage and family life. Today CFC is one of the foremost forces in the Church for the renewal of family. In 2000 we proclaimed our mission to be that of bringing good news to the poor. Since then we have been doing a massive work of poverty reduction and working at total human liberation. Now we need to emphasize what we have always been, pro-life. The enemy is promoting the culture of death. We are to work at achieving the purpose of Jesus’ coming into the world, that we might have life and have it more abundantly (Jn 10:10).
Last July 2, the CFC Council approved the 7th pillar of CFC. This is our Special Ministries, composed of Priests for Family and Life (renewal ministry for priests), Nuns for Christ (renewal ministry for nuns), Jacob’s Well (ministry for those in irregular unions) and Missionary Society of St Francis & St Paul (for lay celibates). While these ministries have not yet significantly grown, they are part of building the Church of the Future.
Other major developments
On April 25, the Holy See (Vatican), through the Pontifical Council for the Laity, approved our international statutes. Prior to this, in 2000, our statutes had been approved for five years ad experimentum. Those five years expired this year, and with this renewal, CFC has been observed, tested and proven to be worthy of being an officially recognized Catholic association of lay faithful. CFC is one of the new ecclesial movements raised by the Holy Spirit during these times for the work of the third millennium. Both the late pope John Paul II and the current pope Benedict XVI have been staunch advocates and supporters of new ecclesial movements. It is our privilege to be counted as one among those now at the cutting edge of the Church’s mission in the world.
On May 11 the CFC Cooperatives Federation (CCF) was formally registered with the Cooperative Development Authority. 22 of our primary cooperatives and other entities were the founding members. The other Coops for Christ primaries throughout the Philippines will also be part of the CCF. The establishment of this secondary level is another step in strengthening our cooperative thrust, on our way to the fulfillment of a new economic system, Jubilee Economics.
The work of GK continues to move forward in the power of the Spirit. There are many new partners and developments (visit the GK website for fast-moving developments). As of May 31, GK has 481 sites with 12,013 houses (including being built). Though still a very small part of GK777, it has already made such a big impact on the poor and on Philippines society as a whole. The work will continue to escalate.
To help us grow in our appreciation of God’s call to love and share with the poor, I have written a new book “Forty Days with the Poor.” These are 40 days of reflections on Bible passages that relate to the poor. We are realizing more and more how truly different is God’s thinking from that of humans. For our work to continue in the power of the Spirit, we must put on God’s mind and heart. I urge you to spend 40 days with the poor through this book, to prepare us to spend the rest of our lives with them.
We had a truly blessed and Spirit-filled 24th anniversary celebration last June 26 at the Fiesta Pasiklab in Quezon City. It was a joyful, fun-filled gathering of God’s people in the family of CFC. Archbp Fernando Capalla, President of Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), declared in his homily: “CFC is a gift to the Church and the country” and “CFC is a sign of great dynamism in the Church in the Philippines.” Referring to the ongoing political instability in the country, he also said: “If all government officials are CFC, there would be no problem in the country.” Praise God for this encouraging recognition from the head of the bishops’ conference.
Still talking of the political instability in the Philippines, former President Cory Aquino called on the people to prayer and stated that she would in particular support 3 very important ongoing initiatives in the country: microfinance, Gawad Kalinga and Pondong Pinoy. From one of the most respected figures in the country, that says it all. Let us be worthy of the trust given to us.
A new CFC Council has been elected by the Elders Assembly, to start July 1. The members are Lachie Agana, Ernie Maipid, Tony Meloto, Rouquel Ponte, Joe Tale, Joe Yamamoto and myself. We have a term of two years, up to June 2007. Please keep us in your prayers. Also, effective June 1, the new International Coordinator for SOLD is Manny Garcia.
God continues to be faithful to us in every way. Let us respond by being faithful to our life and mission, which is why God raised CFC from the very start. And let us continue to do our mission with great joy.
In the service of Christ,
Frank
Padilla
Int'l Mission Director