MINISTRY NAME: Couples for Christ/ Parejas Para Cristo
WHO DOES THE MINISTRY SERVE: Family - From birth to Grandparents (A womb to tomb ministry)
WHAT DOES THE MINISTRY DO? Couples for Christ (CFC)/Parejas Para Cristo (PPC) is a Catholic movement intended for the renewal and strengthening of Christian family life. The members have committed themselves to the Lord and to one another so that they may grow in maturity as men and women of God and fulfill their primary vocation of raising up families under the lordship of Jesus Christ and for the service of the Kingdom of God.
Couples for Christ (CFC)/Parejas Para Cristo (PPC) has been given recognition by the Pontifical Council of Laity in the Vatican as a Private International Association of the Faithful. CFC/PPC was one of the 50 international movements which were invited by the Vatican to the World Congress on Ecclesial Movements in May 1998 in Rome.
On the 25th of April 2005, on the feast of St. Mark, the Vatican through its Pontifical Council for the Laity granted definitive approval of the statutes of Couples for Christ/Parejas Para Cristo thereby confirming permanent recognition of CFC/PPC as a Private International Association of the Faithful, with juridical personality, according to Canons 298-311 and 321-329 of the Code of Canon Law.
LIST THREE PRIMARY GOALS THE MINISTRY SEEKS TO ACHIEVE: Couples for Christ/Parejas Para Cristo is a work of Christ which raises up Christian couples and establishes Christian families committed to the work of evangelization. winning the world for Christ and Total Human Liberation through the power of the Holy Spirit. CFC/PPC accomplishes its mission by vigorously pursuing its global goals of:
1. Family Renewal, Evangelization and Formation
2. Total Christian Liberation
3. Effective
and Efficient Governance
HOW DOES THE MINISTRY SEEK TO ACHIEVE THESE GOALS? CFC/PPC provides a continuing program of pastoral and spiritual formation which includes Church teachings, Scriptures, Christian relationships, recollections and retreats. We are one with the Church and regularly seek her guidance through our Spiritual Director.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF MINISTRY MEMBERS: CFC/PPC is called to take up the very mission of Jesus in bringing glad tidings to the poor, both spiritually and materially, through its two-fold global mission of “Building the Church of the Home and the Church of the Poor.”
CFC/PPC members support their parish priests and are available for parish services. CFC/PPC is a working model for the development of Basic Ecclesial Communities and can hasten the formation of a strong and vibrant parish community.
GIFTS/QUALIFICATION/SKILLS NEED BY MEMBER TO SERVE IN THIS MINISTRY: Talents, gifts, qualification is already given by God, we only need an open mind and an open heart.
Membership in CFC/PPC begins upon completion of the Christian Life Program (CLP)/ Programa de Vida Cristiana (PVC).
WHAT IS THE CHRISTIAN LIFE PROGRAM? The CLP/PVC is an integrated course intended to lead the program participants into a renewed understanding of God’s call. It runs for a total of 12 separate sessions. Most sessions consist of three basic ingredients: a teaching, a group discussion, and a time for fellowship.
WHAT ARE THE GOALS OF THE CLP/PVC?
- For the individual: to bring a person into a stronger relationship with God by discovering and living more fully the power and gifts he or she received through the Holy Spirit.
- For the family: to bring people to a renewed commitment to Christian family life, thereby building up a community of committed Christian families.
- For the Church: to bring people within a particular parish to a fuller experience of life in the Spirit, thereby strengthening and revitalizing community life in the parish.
TIME COMMITMENT REQUIRED BY MEMBER TO SERVE: Membership in CFC/PPC begins upon completion of the Christian Life Program (CLP)/ Programa de Vida Cristiana (PVC). Members are made part of a small group called a Household which meets weekly for encouragement and mutual support in their Christian life.
CFC/PPC grows mainly through the establishment of localized units in different parishes. CFC/PPC members are organized into Household groups (a group of 8 to 14 individual members, or 4 to 7 couples), which are led by a Household Head. Multiple households form a Unit, multiple units form a Chapter.
WHEN DOES MINISTRY MEET: CFC/PPC members meet every week in a month, depending on the schedule provided.
1. Household groups meets 2 times in month, for individual growth ( which include praise and worship, Bible sharing or topical discussion and fellowship). This will depend on the availability of the Parish and it’s members. If the Parish is not available. The household members will agree on a meeting place, that is convenient to all members. ( ex. Member’s home )
2. Teaching night Where: Good Shepherd Catholic Church/ Parish Hall 14187 SW 72nd St, Miami, FL 33183 When: Fourth Friday of the Month Time: 7:30 PM - 10:00 PM
Teaching night is Pastoral/Spiritual Formation catered for different levels of spiritual growth for all old and new members and servant leaders.
The Pastoral/ Spiritual Formation Office is responsible for developing the pastoral formation of the leaders and members of the community. It functions as the hub for all teachings, materials, and manuals to be used in evangelization and pastoral teaching tracks. All existing PFO’s from various ministries are part of the Formation teachings of the community. The CFC/PPC Pastoral/Spiritual Formation Office is headed by the Pastoral Formation Director who ensures that the formation of all members and leaders of CFC/PPC are supported. The end objectives of the office are: to provide the pastoral tools for growing in holiness of CFC/PPC members and the training and development of leaders to help God raise the next generation of spiritual leaders in CFC/PPC.
The basic formation track of CFC/PPC will continue to be enhanced with additional focus on courses on the following: -Deepening of Spirituality -Strengthening of Family Life -Mission and Evangelization -Principle of Stewardship through Financial Stewardship, Work with the Poor -Retreat and the Social Teachings of the Catholic Church.
3. General Assembly - Monthly General Prayer Assembly Where: Good Shepherd Catholic Church/ Parish Hall 14187 SW 72nd St, Miami, FL 33183 When: First Sunday of the Month Time: 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM
Monthly General Prayer Assembly is a monthly activity for all CFC/PPC members and it’s family ministry. We come together as one community for prayers, to share our personal witnessing of Christ love to us. How God moves in our life, for fellowship and gatherings.
TRAINING OR OTHER SUPPORT PROVIDED TO MEMBERS: CFC/PPC provides different retreats for all the needs of the family. All new members are invited to come and encourage to follow a 3 year track formation. Quarterly retreats are provided for all members who seeks spiritual growth and nourishment.
- Couples/ Marriage Marriage Enrichment Retreat (MER) Series - is a 2 day retreat provided for couples to improve their relationship, through a Biblical perspective and witnessing of Couples who had same marital difficulties, but was able to overcome them.
- MER1 - Serving God through Christian Marriage
- MER2 - Empowering our Marriage
- MER3 - Intimacy Weekend Annual CFC/PPC International Conference (ICON) Household/ Servant Leadership Training Evangelization & Mission Core Retreats & Training Senior’s Program ( 60 yrs and above )
- CFC Kids - Family/ Kids (5 - 11 yrs. Old) - Catholic Parenting in Today’s World - Rearing our Catholic Kids - Shaping Catholic Identity in Teens - Family Enrichment Retreat (God’s Plan for the Family) and more……
- CFC Youth - Youth (12 - 18yrs) - Youth Camp Covenant Orientation Discovery Camp (Knowing One’s self) Family Culture Youth Power Parent’s Honoring Night 100% Free (100% free from Vices, drugs, pornography) Stake for the Nation (loving one’s nation) Vocation Recollection Best Weekend Church and Sacraments Youth Advocate (Heart of a Missionary)
- Singles for Christ (SFC) - Young Adult/ Singles & Professionals (19 - 39 yrs)
Evangelization Training
Training of Spiritual Gifts
Fruits of the Holy Spirit
SFC Courtship Talks
The Sacraments
Theology of the Body Module
Time Management
Heart of Worship
- Handmaids of the Lord (HOLD) - Women 40 yrs and above, single mother, widowed, separated, divorced, migrant workers, married women w/ non catholic husbands. Evangelization and Mission Pastoral Formation ( Path to Holiness - HER series ) Annual HOLD International Conference (ICON) Annual Marian Conference Cornerstone Values Formation on Environment for Parents
- Servants of the Lord (SOLD) - specifically targets mature men from ages forty-one (40) and above. SOLD provides an environment wherein they will be empowered to manage their lives accordingly and find spiritual sustenance. SOLD activities revolve around the spirit of brotherhood offering pastoral formation programs that mold its members to become “True Men of God”.
Pure SOLD CLP – Community Evangelization Program Corporate/Government Evangelization Prison Ministry Program No one should be deprived of Christ’s salvation, even hardened criminals, and SOLD takes part in the mission to the prisoners by bringing the CLP inside the prison cells and giving them love, peace and hope.
Police/Military Program ( Program available in California State ) Peace and order is a man’s job and to achieve that our brothers in uniform must have Christ in their hearts. SOLD is a new breed of men who braves to conduct CLPs in the police and military camps.
Good Men’s Talk
Gift of Life (Pro-life) Ministry
Conducting Men’s Values Formation
- showing the brothers how to become true men of God through the teachings and activities.
FACILITATORS OR LEADERS:
Holy Rosary-St Richard Couple Coordinator
Emilio Marasigan - 786-546-6083; eemarasigan@yahoo.com
Marilyn Marasigan - 786-546-6297; mardcmarasigan@gmail.com
Miami Chapter Couple Coordinator
Felix Manlunas - 786-229-9276; felixmanlunas@hotmail.com
Digna Manlunas - 305-205-0479; dignamanlunas@hotmail.com