- Foundation for Family and Life
-
CFC FFL 
Motto Renewing the Family and Defending Life Formation August 1, 2007 Type Catholic charismatic group Headquarters Apartelle 12, Star Mall, Edsa corner Shaw Blvd, Mandaluyong City, Philippines Servant-General Francisco Padilla Website www.cfcffl.org The Couples for Christ Foundation for Family and Life (CFC FFL) is a Philippine-based Catholic charismatic lay community that emphasizes family life renewal and evangelization. It was founded in 2007 by former leaders and members of Couples for Christ-Global Missions Foundation (CFC-GMFI), another Catholic organization. It is recognized in various archdioceses and dioceses around the Philippines and has a number of international affiliations[1].
Contents
History
CFC FFL originally started as a restoration movement within CFC; this was led by the Easter Group. The movement began on April 8, 2007, following the dissemination of then CFC Director Francisco Padilla's paper "CFC and GK 3: At the Crossroads on our Journey of Hope and Joy,"[2] which argued that, among other things, CFC's identity and presence in Gawad Kalinga (GK) is being suppressed.
On June 22, 2007 the CFC Elders Assembly was held to elect the members of the CFC International Council and the Board of Elders. The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) recommended that the elections be postponed in favor of further dialog with the Easter Group[3]. The Elders Assembly declined the recommendation, and proceeded with the election. The Easter group argued that by declining the recommendation of the CBCP, CFC has disobeyed the Roman Catholic Church. This event and continuing disagreements regarding Gawad Kalinga galvanized the Easter Group to separate[4], and form the Couples for Christ Foundation for Family and Life.
The group was established on August 1, 2007 when Bishop Gabriel Reyes, the bishop of Antipolo, officially recognized[5] it as a private association of the faithful in his diocese. CFC FFL's break-away from GMFI was officially declared after their leaders met with Philippine bishops on August 28, 2007[6].
The CFC FFL incorporation papers, filed to the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on August 2, 2007 under the name "Couples for Christ Foundation for Family and Life", was placed on hold pending the resolution of a complaint filed by the Couples for Christ organization on the use of the same name[7]. However, on June 5, 2008 the SEC approved a petition of the group to revive and use the corporate name originally established in 1984, "Couples for Christ Foundation, Inc". This ruling is also challenged by Couples for Christ and remains a current legal dispute.
Organization
According to CFC FFL statutes[8], members of CFC FFL are organized into cell groups called a Household. A group of Households form a larger grouping, and such larger groupings form an even larger grouping, forming a pyramidal structure. The pastoral and administrative structure of each CFC FFL group depends on whether it is a fully integrated group or an affiliated group. The former is defined as a constituent part of the global CFC FFL community while the later is an autonomous group adhering to the core principles of CFC FFL.[9]
Within CFC FFL are various social ministries such as community building, empowerment of women, prison, health, education and pro-life. It also has age-specific pastoral ministries collectively known as the Family Ministries such as Kids for Family and Life, Youth for Family and Life, Singles for Family and Life (for unmarried adults below the age of 40), Handmaids for Family and Life (for women above 40), and Servants for Family and Life (for men above 40)[10].
Footnotes
- ^ CBCP News Online. "CFC Foundation for Family and Life Doing well". http://www.cbcpnews.com/?q=node/982.
- ^ "CFC Situation : Chronology of Events. "CFC and GK 3: At the Crossroads on our Journey of Hope and Joy". http://www.cfc.gerimie.com/Archives/2007-04-08%20CFC%20and%20GK%20-%203.pdf.
- ^ CFC Situation : Chronology of Events. "CBCP Letter to the Elders Assenbly (June 7, 2007)". http://www.cfc.gerimie.com/Archives/2007-06-07%20Bishops'_Letter_to_EA.pdf.
- ^ Philippine Daily Inquirer. Differences in beliefs caused Couples split (Sept. 4, 2007)
- ^ The CFC Situation : Chronology of Events. "Decree of Recognition, Diocese of Antipolo". http://www.cfc.gerimie.com/Archives/2007-08-01%20Decree%20of%20Recognition%20Antipolo%20Diocese.pdf.
- ^ CBCP News Online. "CFC opts to split". http://www.cbcpnews.com/?q=node/169.
- ^ The CFC Situation : Chronology of Events. "FFL Registration (October 12, 2007)". http://www.cfc.gerimie.com/Archives/2007-10-12_fflregistration.pdf.
- ^ Foundation for Family and Life. "Statutes (July 30, 2007)". http://www.cfcffl.org/about_us/cfcffl_statutes_20070730.htm.
- ^ Foundation for Family and Life Official Documents. "The International CFC FFL Federation". http://www.cfcffl.org/official_documents/pdf/the_intl_cfcffl_federation.pdf. Retrieved 22 Nov 2008.
- ^ Foundation for Family and Life Official Documents. "Pastoral-Governance Structure". http://www.cfcffl.org/official_documents/pdf/pastoral-governance_structure.pdf. Retrieved 22 Nov 2008.
External links
Categories:- Catholic lay societies
- Organizations based in the Philippines
- Religion in the Philippines
- Christianity in the Philippines
- Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
