Origins Pt 3

Here is the 3rd and last installment of the Origins series. I'll reprint for easy reading here, but you may also download it as a pdf file HERE. The whole series is available on the right side bar as well.

Part 1 is HERE.

Part 2 is HERE.

I share with you all now,

THE ORIGINS OF COUPLES FOR CHRIST Pt 3

This will be the last in the series about the early origins of Couples for Christ.
When we began this story, the intention was not to pit one side against the other or generate even more contentious issues than our community already faces. We simply wanted to tell the truth. In the interest of fairness, we wanted to hear from those who, for 15 long years, had stood silently by while only one perspective of our early history was told. This series has allowed the other side to be heard now, at a crucial time in our community life.

Is it by God's design? We will never know. What we do know is this: In the pursuit of truth, we discovered a great story. This is it! We tell it now, to the best of our abilities.

If this series had raised more questions than it tries to answer, we sincerely apologize. History, after all, is only a series of perspectives that only attains clarity when seen from the vantage point of distance and time. Perhaps those questions will be answered in time, perhaps not. Perhaps we are all simply being asked to look at the facts and to relate those facts to our own lives. They are not meant to confuse or disorient us, but to lead us to a more committed life with the one who we say we are FOR… Christ.

In the pursuit of historical research, there is a tendency to get swamped in the minute details. We found ourselves wading through reams of materials, most of them unsolicited. But the ones that mattered, the facts that we eventually published, were those that we actively solicited because Ang Ligaya ng Panginoon Community (LNP), the only true source of the facts, was not initially inclined to provide them. They only relented when we urged that Couples for Christ needed to hear their side.

Even after 15 years, the people we spoke to, clearly still felt the pain caused by the events of 1993. But the telling of the truth and the catharsis of finally being able to speak out, appear to be pointing the way to true healing and reconciliation.

In the last meeting that the authors had with Vic Gutierrez, together with Joe and Babylou Tale, what shone through was the spirit of genuine reconciliation. Joe was led to declare that this is the start of healing for both communities. He predicted a closer relationship between CFC and LNP based on the shared mission of renewal and of reaching out to others.

The unraveling of the story…

January 1991, after almost 10 years of serving as the head of CFC, Vic yielded the overall leadership to Fr Herb Schneider. He was very busy serving in several areas as a leader in Ligaya. Frank Padilla was then the executive director of CFC and also served as the Coordinator of the North District. The rest of the CFC council were; Tony Meloto, Bobby Pilar, Rouquel Ponte, and Arben Visenio. CFC membership was about 7,000 couples; larger than LNP and all its ministries combined.

There were many requests from various parishes for CFC to conduct a Christian Life Program. CFC could only accede to a few due to a lack of trained leaders. It had to 'borrow' leaders from Ligaya to accommodate these requests. Problems started to crop up, as Ligaya members had difficulty in balancing their schedule between service in CFC and Ligaya activities. CFC members were still in the so-called 'underway' phase undergoing leadership training.

Towards the end of 1991, Frank met with Vic to discuss CFC concerns and a proposal to establish CFC as an independent community. It would entail the spinning off the East district so that the entire group could concentrate fully on CFC. Vic, as his pastoral leader, advised him to put his proposal in writing and submit it to Fr Herb. However Fr Herb and the ExCom took a while before acting on the proposal.

By 1992, the atmosphere in the community was rife with rumors and news about CFC's plan to separate. This was the backdrop of a major upheaval that led to the separation of CFC from LNP in 1993.

Ominous days…

February 1993, Fr Herb met in a series of meetings with Frank and some members of the CFC council. After the meetings, on March 11, he wrote a memo to Frank Padilla and the CFC Council explaining the response of the Overall Leadership Team (OLT). The following are excerpts from this memo:

“Couples for Christ is an outreach of Ang Ligaya ng Panginoon Community and a partner in mission with LNP and the other outreach organizations that were formed by the community. As such CFC leadership needs to acknowledge openly its accountability to the authority of the community over its outreaches as this is exercised by the Partners in Mission Council (in which CFC participates) and by the Overall Leadership Team.
The Executive Director of CFC, like all other executive directors of Ligaya outreaches, needs to be a covenanted member of LNP. This has been a long-standing policy. As a coordinator of the community, Frank was involved in establishing this policy. …This means that Frank needs to live out his Ligaya commitments under the direction of his district coordinator, if he wishes to continue to serve as Executive Director of Couples for Christ.”

Fr. Herb had this to say about 'who owns CFC':
“I believe with all my heart that the Lord inspired leaders of the Ligaya to start Couples for Christ. I believe that He guided these same leaders and others whom they raised up to develop CFC into the effective outreach for family renewal that it has become over the years. …I believe Couples for Christ is what it is today because of the selfless cooperation in mission of many, many couples in CFC and in Ligaya. The leadership of community members on many levels made invaluable contributions especially in the earlier years of CFC. All of the above being true, in no way denies the authority of the community over Couples for Christ.”

Making a stand, Fr. Herb declared: “If he (Frank) feels called to leave Ligaya, he resigns as executive director of CFC. One can be fully involved in the mission of CFC and give all one's time and energy to it without being an executive director.”

He also appealed to the CFC Council to “… postpone the decision on appointing new members to the CFC Council until we can finish our organizational and structural decisions at the Partners in Mission Council. Furthermore, may I have the opportunity to communicate and explain the above to the Elders of CFC at their next assembly.”

The Game Plan…

While consultations and meetings were ongoing among Ligaya leaders and some members of the CFC Council, the articles of incorporation of a 'new' CFC were already being worked out by a select few CFC leaders. It is now evident that just a small number of CFC leaders were privy to the round table discussions with Fr. Herb. Certain compromises were apparently made because of their love for CFC, their loyalty to Frank their leader, and belief in his ideals.

The greater majority of CFC members did not know the complete picture. They believed what they were told and knew only one thing - that the growth of CFC was hampered by LNP, whose training of leaders was limited and whose vision for evangelization was 'inward looking' not 'outward looking.' A lot of the leaders thought that the idea to separate was a blessing from heaven, that it was God's answer to their prayers.

Meantime, Frank requested for a week of prayer and discernment, but the die was cast and the separation was in the pipeline. The split would occur in days.

The Final Stages…

On March 19 during the Elder's Assembly, before the agreed date to dialogue with Fr. Herb, Frank dissolved the council, held elections and declared the establishment of the 'new' Couples For Christ Global Mission Foundation Inc. The next day he wrote a letter to Fr Herb, informing him that the assembly of the previous night had elected a new Council and that CFC was no longer willing to be under the authority and direction of LNP.

On the issue regarding ownership he wrote, “There is no question that God owns CFC, and it is distasteful for any human person or organization to claim ownership of what belongs only to God. You will agree with this and thus there is no need to address this, it is the practical consequences of so- called “ownership” that need to be addressed, and these are mandate and accountability.”

On mandate he wrote, "You claim that you placed us in our positions and that you have authority over us, our position is that its simply not right for a few men, who are not directly involved in the life of CFC and whose priorities lie elsewhere, to have this control and authority, over the lives of 45,000 people. Those who are in CFC should be the ones to determine their own leadership and how their lives are going to be lived.

Thus we have elected a new Council, by an overwhelming majority vote of CFC elders during our Elders Assembly yesterday. This new CFC Council now has its mandate and authority directly from its own members, through the elders themselves and as representatives of all other CFC members in this country.”

On accountability he wrote, “You maintain that; CFC must be accountable to LNP and/or to the OLT and/or to the Partners-in-Mission Council. We steadfastly believe in accountability and pastoral cover. But it can no longer be to LNP/OLT, because we are no longer confident in your ability to care for CFC and to look to its best interests. Furthermore, LNP itself has no pastoral cover or accountability to speak of, aside from within itself or within the SOS.
Thus we have decided to voluntarily submit ourselves to the pastoral care of the Catholic Church and to be accountable to her shepherds, our bishops. Thus we have asked the following bishops to be our Spiritual Directors over regional CFC groups, to wit:

Bishop Teodoro Bacani - CFC Metro Manila
Bishop Ruben Profugo - CFC Luzon
Bishop Jesus Varela - CFC Bicol
Bishop Angel Lagdameo - CFC Visayas
Bishop Carmelo Morelos - CFC Mindanao

All the above is to say that CFC, in accordance with what we believe is God's will, will determine its own life and mission, independent of and from LNP. We ask that you accept the will of the great majority of CFC leaders and members, and no longer try to impose anything on us. We ask you this, knowing fully well your disagreements, for the sake of CFC and the good of the overwhelming number of its members.”

Aftermath…

Frank and his wife Gerry, together with about 30 LNP leaders resigned from LNP. Bobby Pilar and Arben Visenio opted to stay with Ligaya. Some LNP members chose only to take a leave of absence from LNP, unwilling to leave behind the evangelization work that they had already started in CFC. Frank did not run for any position and it was Rouquel Ponte who became executive director of CFC for the next six years.

It was a period of pain and anguish, of losing friends, of broken relationships. It was time for prayer and discernment for leaders who were torn between love and loyalty to LNP and dedication to work and service in CFC. The crisis eventually became global as the rest of the leaders and members of CFC communities abroad had to make difficult decisions: Whether to stay or to go.

The Proposal…

But, there was no need for all the pain and resentment, unknown to Frank and the CFC council, Fr. Herb drafted a proposal as a response to the issues that beset CFC.

One significant paragraph in this proposal stands out:

“LNP is genuinely concerned for the sound development of CFC. We want it to be long-range effective for Church and family renewal. Let me propose the following approach, let us give Couples For Christ its independence from us and also let us not insist that the executive director be a LNP member.”

Conclusion…

It is useless now to speculate whether or not Fr. Herb's proposal would have made a difference. The split pushed through because the major players in CFC were convinced that it was by God's design. It has now been 15 years since that painful period in CFC's life. Both communities have gone their separate but parallel ways, sharing a common vision to be instruments by which people can draw closer to God.

It is perhaps a fitting end to this story that on the eve of his departure for a new life abroad with his wife, Vic wrote the following letter to the CFC International Council. Eschewing any pretensions to be “founder,” Vic says he wrote the letter as an exercise of the “grace of paternity,” as a father to children he once nurtured.

Letter to the CFC International Council

Dear Brothers,

I graciously agreed to speak with your Ugnayan staff though with much hesitation when you asked me to comment on the CFC origins and the 1993 CFC-LNP split.

I understood your quest. It is normal for any organization to try to authenticate its early beginnings and directions. The results of the interviews have now been published in the CBCP Monitor and many are happy about them. I am pleased to have been of help.

But I must have been naïve to think that my recollections of the past would be appreciated by all who are and were part of the CFC. Even with documents backing up my points of view, there arose dissenting views. My credibility was assailed, my version doubted and I am made to appear a peddler of untruths.

I do not mind that. For 15 years, some of you in the CFC have looked at me with very low regard because of accusations thrown against me by some of your leaders. I do not wish to make any attempt to vindicate myself now. It is not important to me.

I have concerns though. My version of the CFC origins seems to have fanned the flames of hostility further between your group and the FFL. I do not wish it upon you all.

The grace of paternity that St. John of the Cross spoke about impels me to desire nothing but peace and unity between the Global and the FFL servants of the Lord. Like a father, I pray that you may have peace, love and justice among all of you in the CFC. Let there be no more 'Global' or 'FFL' among you; only humble servants of God.

When the CFC split from the LNP in 1993, my ten-year old son said that the Lord had three words for me. He and I had just come out of a one-hour visit to the Blessed Sacrament. He said the words were: Love. Hope. Peace.

He explained to me what the words meant. Love the brothers and sisters in CFC. Hope for a better relationship. Pray for peace to rule the hearts of the leaders of both LNP and CFC so that they can do God's work effectively. Quite mature for a ten-year old, I took him seriously and I shared those words of wisdom with the brothers and sisters in LNP who were affected by the CFC-LNP split. Compliance with those words protected and nourished us in the LNP in the past 15 years.

Now I share the same words with you. Love. Hope. Peace. They can help you in your current situation.

The FFL group is asking the Ugnayan to be fair. Get the side of Frank Padilla, they say. But some of you say that Frank had 15 years to promote his side of the story. You know the situation better than I do. However, maybe the FFL is right to demand that their side be heard.

Why not put the taped speech of Frank of March 19, 1993 on your website? Make it also available for audio listening at your office for anybody who wants to listen to his arguments and decisions on why CFC broke away from LNP. That was an event that Frank is very proud of, I was told. Then, publish the letter of Fr. Herb Schneider of March 11, 1993 which Frank denounces as a clear admission that Ligaya wanted nothing but to control CFC. And publish the reply of Frank dated March 20, 1993.

Everyone's side will then have a chance to be heard for one final time. After that, close the matter and never speak about it again for the sake of peace. What can be fairer than that?

“Some say I still hold a grudge against CFC? Evidence? That I was not a signatory to the statement of reconciliation between CFC and LNP in 2005. Please understand that I had already retired from leadership at that time. Let me reprint here a part of my letter to the LNP Senior Head Coordinator in 2005 which should explain everything.

“First, I think it is alright that you meet with the top leaders of the CFC as proposed. You are the incumbent SHC of the Ligaya and thus you are empowered to represent the Ligaya in matters like these. It is also right for Fr. Herb to come with you because he is Ligaya's spiritual director. Together, the two of you can have a meaningful dialogue with Frank Padilla and his leaders. But I do not have to join you for I hold no leadership position in the community and I am comfortable with where I am right now.”

I have nothing to settle with Frank and his friends personally. They did what they have done and they know what they did. If they think it is not wrong, I do not have a mission to tell them that what they did was wrong. They are big boys now.

On the other hand, if they think they did wrong to Ligaya, then they should ask forgiveness for that wrongdoing and you should accept the apology on behalf of Ligaya. No big deal. On a personal level, if Frank and his friends want to meet with me for anything, we do not need a third party, a go-between, to facilitate the meeting. Frank knows where to reach me. And we are on speaking terms.

Have I been telling you the truth? Yes. But if anyone doubts me, I can only borrow the wit of Abraham Lincoln, “…ten angels swearing I was right would make no difference.” It makes no difference now whether some of you in the CFC or in FFL believe my account or not. There is nothing we can do about the past except to look back at it maturely and profit from it.

What do I gain from all these? Nothing. I also ask for nothing. How about you? Coming to me is an exercise in humility on your part. You came asking me, whose word had been meaningless to you in the past, to ask for my account of what happened from your founding in 1981 and the CFC-LNP split in 1993. You published my account even if it hurt some of you. I commend you.

Where do you go from here?

The task of evangelizing the world can continue without any of us. In a moment, God used us for the task. In another instant, we are put aside. When we say that only God owns CFC, we should examine what claims we make about the task and the organization, the positions and the corporate functions. I know I sound like I am preaching to the choir, but even leaders like ourselves need to be reminded of the most basic truths about the service we do in the Kingdom of God.

As for me, I will continue to exercise the grace of paternity. I will pray for your eventual healing and unity. I will pray that you will be restored to the fuller understanding of the mind of Christ about the work we do and the relationships we must maintain with our fellow servants

God bless us all.

In Jesus,

Vic B. Gutierrez
April 15, 2008

On Origins, the Truth, and Civility

Note: I was originally writing this as a response to the exchange going on in the Origins Pt. II entry, but I thought it might be able to stand on its own.

I'm sharing pictures that were sent to me. Here are some of the key personalities in the 1993 split:

Fr. Herb presenting what transpired after the CFC broke off from LNP in a meeting with People of Hope and CFC New Jersey. People of Hope was the american counterpart of LNP.

The invitees in the meeting: People of Hope (left) and CFC - New Jersey (right).

Vic G and Company (un-dated picture)

Brothers and sisters, I'd like to thank you all for the feedback you are giving. Some comments especially by Ernie S have been very revealing as well as educational. I'd also like to applaud you all for keeping the discussion on the level and civil. It was what I was hoping for, a sane discussion on the issues we are facing today without hate and people calling for the wrath of God upon one another.

I must admit the history of CFC was previously an alien thing to me, considering it happened quite some time ago and frankly (excuse the blatant pun), I had little interest in it until this blog started up. I believed then as I still do now, that CFC's present actions are reflective enough of what it stands for and speaks for itself - and that was good enough for me. Now that I'm reading about it (for the first time like many of you folks), I am getting a better understanding and comprehension about the events going on in the present. As the poet Georges Santayana, said, "Those who do not study history are doomed to repeat it."

While this saying has been corrupted several different ways, one version of which was the way I remembered it before Google saved the day, "Those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it," - I believe the gist is the same. We should be paying attention to this, because it says a lot about what is going on now.

To Mickey (Sleepless in NJ) and akosikenn, thank you for the civil and respectful exchange. As usual, it's great to hear from someone in the FFL, as it allows us to see that we are all human here, hurting and confused about recent events. You have both strengthened my belief that there are good people in both the CFC and the FFL. No matter where our discernment has led us, it doesn't change the goodness in our hearts and our shared love for Jesus Christ. The respect and and restraint apparent in your discussion should be a shining example for all. I could say more about who should be following your example, but lets leave it at that. Let's remember that although this not-so-secret war of attrition might be going on, this isn't about any of us who were called serve in our own little way, but of human foibles & follies and the devil's own treachery. Let us pray that the light shines through soon, and people start realizing that the division being fostered is only making one entity happy, and it's not the one with the halo.

As for the topic of your discussion...well, that's a little tricky. I have to admit that I did share some of akosikenn's feelings - that Frank should be given a chance to air his side of things along with Vic Gutierrez, it would have been the fair, journalistic way to do it. Now that I think about it though, I'm convinced that Frank has his own version of history that may or may not be factual. What we have here in Vic Gutierrez is an honest testimony from someone who has no stake in the matter, and only wants history to be told RIGHT. It is funny that the FFL found a way to press the fact that he's retired and no longer an active member of LNP to discredit the story, when in reality that should be even more reason to believe the history of the LNP/CFC split as presented by one who was not only there, but was placed deeply in the heart of things as they unfolded. Not only that, but like one of the other commenters, I also believe that Frank had already been given years and years to tell his version of the truth. If he had purposely or mistakenly kept us in the dark about what really transpired then, whose fault is that? He sure had his chances in the countless books he's written, the thousands of talks, and his numerous emails blasted to all of us. Just the fact that his minions at the FFL's PR machine is struggling to make a square peg fit into a round hole is proof that the shoe doesn't fit well enough to be comfortable. The bottom line is this:

There are very few conclusions one can make when asking why he chose to tell us what he did, and for what purpose.

Now, I fear that this airing of bitter truths is not going to stop here, after all, there is an Origins III to look forward to. The truth, no matter how deeply hidden or horrible, has a way of cleansing one's soul after its revelation. I myself have had closely held secrets that I thought would never see the light of day, but once shared gave me the deepest sense of peace I've had in a long time. (Let that be a reminder to you all to line up outside the confessionals. Hehe. )

My point is, there are people privy to the truth now, who were there when this episode in our history was unfolding, and who I believe should be speaking up. Please don't let anybody else tell the story that you all should be telling. The first steps to healing is to treat the wound, and an untreated one festers. Let's not forget that a large part of us being Catholics and Christians in general is our ability to forgive, and what better example to follow than the one made by He who made the greatest sacrifice for all of us?

So, coming from someone on the ground...I humbly ask:

Talk, tell, and let the truth speak for itself.

Then let us all forgive, heal, move on, and IF there was a collective guilt, let us atone. Be that as it may, and seeing as the vast majority of the members of CFC had no idea about what went on, acknowledgment might be more important than atonement, and is actually long overdue.

That, is of course just my opinion.


May God lead the way for us all...

Origins Pt. 2

If you've been holding your breath for the 2nd part of Origins, here it is:

Click HERE.

or use the direct link:

http://www.mediafire.com/?2xbxlhxgkmx

I will be reprinting it here in its entirety in a few hours.

I must say, this one should have been entitled "Truths and Consequences", if you all get my drift. =)

Origins

THE ORIGINS OF COUPLES FOR CHRIST

Reprinted from the CFC News Supplement in the CBCP Monitor,March 3-16, 2008

In this issue, we begin a series on the history of Couples for Christ its origins, its development, the struggles and challenges it faced as it spread not just in the Philippines but worldwide, and its particular charism. This is an honest attempt to finally write the definitive history of CFC, and to leave to future generations a legacy of a true, fair and complete assessment of a community that began as a small group, became a movement and finally a Vatican-recognized international and private lay association of the faithful.

At an earlier time…

Charismatic is an umbrella term used to describe Christians who believe that the manifestations of gifts of the Holy Spirit seen in the first century Christian Church are available to contemporary Christians and may be experienced and practiced today.

The Catholic Charismatic Renewal as it exists today is the outgrowth of a retreat held in February 1967 of several faculty members and students from Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, U. S. A. Many of the students experienced a movement of God's Spirit called being “baptized in the Holy Spirit.” What happened quickly spread to graduate students and professors at the University of Notre Dame and others serving in campus ministry in Lansing, Michigan. The movement spread rapidly, so that, as of 2003, the Catholic Charismatic Renewal exists in over 230 countries world wide, touching over 119 million members according to David Barret, head of Global Evangelization Movement in Richmond, VA.

The movement was given a major endorsement by Leon Joseph Cardinal Suenens, a leading liberal cardinal in the Catholic Church. Three popes have acknowledged the movement: Pope Paul VI, Pope John Paul II, and Pope Benedict XVI.

In March 1992, Pope John Paul II stated: "At this moment in the Church's history, the Charismatic Renewal can play a significant role in promoting the much-needed defense of Christian life in societies where secularism and materialism have weakened many people's ability to respond to the Spirit and to discern God's loving call. Your contribution to the re- evangelization of society will be made in the first place by personal witness to the indwelling Spirit and by showing forth His presence through works of holiness and solidarity.”

The “FOUNDING”…

In the Philippines, the Ligaya ng Panginoon (LnP), founded in July 19, 1975 became the leading group in the charismatic renewal movement. It started as a simple prayer group held every Friday. Fr. Herb Schneider, S.J. who just arrived from Innsbruck, Austria, was invited to join them. By 1979, LnP was conducting two weekly charismatic prayer meetings one in Assumption Convent in San Lorenzo Village, Makati and another one in Christ the King Seminary in Quezon City. Around 800 people usually attended the Assumption prayer meeting every week while the other one had an average weekly attendance of 400. They were practically the biggest prayer groups in Metro Manila during that time. Women comprised about 80% of those who attended. The men stayed away from the prayer meetings, averse to the loud prayers and raising of arms in worship which characterized those meetings.

In one of his trips abroad, Fr. Herb, head of the coordinators of LnP was invited to attend a breakfast forum for men. The experience inspired him to form a similar one back in the Philippines. Together with some LnP businessmen, he started a breakfast meeting for businessmen which eventually led to what is known today as BCBP (Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals). Among those who attended the prayer groups were faculty members from the UST College of Engineering. In time, this led to the first campus based evangelization of students known today as the CYA (Christ's Youth in Action).

So in 1980, the coordinators of LnP led by Fr .Herb, directed one of the Ligaya coordinators, Vic Gutierrez, to design an outreach program that could attract married couples toward a renewed Catholic life. They realized that to effectively renew society, a conversion of both spouses, and consequently families, to Christ was necessary.

Vic Gutierrez formed a team and, after much prayer and discernment, they decided to hold homebased Life in the Spirit Seminars (LSS). They wanted to try a new evangelization method one that could draw the men in. They invited married couples to a social evening in the home of Eli and Ophie Concepcion in Quezon City. Vic told his team: “Our strategy is to introduce these couples to a personal relationship with Jesus in a social setting. We will invite them to a social time, not to a prayer meeting. There, we will share with them God's invitation to a renewed life with Him.”

His team arranged the living room to exude a friendly, relaxing atmosphere. They engaged the invited couples in small groups, discussing the challenges and joys of raising a family in the modern world. Light snacks and drinks were served. Before the evening ended, Vic spoke to them about the strong need to support each other in caring for their families and for Divine Guidance in their role as parents. He closed the evening by inviting the couples to come again the next week and start meeting regularly. He said a quick prayer and asked someone to lead in a group singing.

In an interview with Vic Gutierrez, he recalls: “In the succeeding weeks, we held discussions and sharings following the topics of the LSS. The ambience in the host home was so unlike the atmosphere of a charismatic prayer meeting. In those days, charismatics were often regarded as oddballs. So, we didn't raise our hands in worship. We didn't close our eyes as we prayed. No loud clapping of hands nor of booming 'praise the Lord' clichés. The invited couples, including the husbands, were more relaxed and, thus, more open to listen. We succeeded in bringing them through seven weeks of the LSS. By November 1980, all six couples who finished this LSS joined the community.”

Soon, another LSS was held, and 16 couples came. These couples and an equal number of service team members could not fit in the living room of the Concepcions. So, the team sent the other half to the nearby house of Poy and Elvie Estrellado. They all completed the LSS but unlike the previous group of six couples, they could not become part of LnP because the coordinators decided to postpone the community weekend retreat which serves as the entry point for LnP membership.

Vic and his team thought of offering a course that would sustain the interest of these 16 couples and guide them toward Christian maturity while they were waiting to come into the Ligaya. They adapted a program used by The Word of God, a pioneer covenant community in Ann Arbor, Michigan. They modified the talks to suit the needs of the couples and added inputs of interest to the families. This became the first Christian Life Program (CLP).

But soon, Vic and his wife, Agnes, felt in their hearts that God had a greater plan. They sensed that God wanted the 16 couples to be the seed for a new movement for the renewal of families. Consulting with their assistant couple, Ed and Flory Montalvan and the rest of the team, they held the first CLP. Before the course ended, they had a name for the group Couples for Christ.

Vic recalls: “In May 1981, I was coming home from a meeting in Rome of the first Council of the International Catholic Charismatic Renewal Services (earlier known as ICO) of which I was a member. I decided to pass by Jerusalem to pray for God's direction in this new ministry. As I visited and prayed in the holy shrines, I felt in my heart that God was urging us to continue with what we had planned to do to establish Couples for Christ. When I got home, I wrote the covenant of the CFC, which we would use at the closing of the CLP.”

Thus in June 1981, Vic and Agnes and Ed and Flory led the 16 couples in making their covenant to the Couples for Christ a family life outreach of Ligaya ng Panginoon community. These are the 16 couples:

1) Danny & Tess Aviado
2) Romy & Irene Arguelles
3) Chito & Shirley Borja
4) Tito & Tuding Collantes
5) Pete & Fely Cambel
6) Tony & Cora Espiritu
7) Manny & Ditas Garcia
8) Danny and Eggie de Guzman
9) Larry & Brenda de Guzman
10) Frank & Gerry Padilla
11) Monching & Baby Ramirez
12) Rey & Diday Saavedra
13) Boy & Elma Santillan
14) Jimmy and Malou Tan
15) Jun & Auring Tan
16) Jojo & Hedy Villegas


The “MOVEMENT”…

The 16 couples were divided into four cell groups called households where they would be formed in the life and spirituality of the new movement, Couples for Christ. Vic and Agnes trained four couples from the Ligaya to serve as the first household heads: Manny and Nida Sandoval, Manny and Josie Gaddi, Manny and Zeny Sy, Henry and Baby Hizon. Ed and Flory assisted Vic and Agnes until they were replaced by Ely and Nena Lademora.

The Christian Life Program (CLP) became the Christian initiation course of CFC. The strategy of introducing people to a renewed personal relationship with Jesus in a relaxed and friendly social setting proved to be very effective. The CLPs were held in the living rooms of the homes of CFC members. The warmth of personal relationships was a key factor in this type of evangelization. Personal evangelization was encouraged. As charismatic renewal gained wider acceptance, CLPs became bolder in their charismatic expression. Evangelization was brisk and, by the end of 1981, CFC had a total of 34 couples. Two years later, the CFC had grown to 160 couples.

Other groups involved in family apostolate began to take notice of the enthusiasm and commitment of the Couples for Christ. Fr. Ruben Tanseco, S. J. was particularly keen on the follow-up program which was part of the pastoral formation tract. He then invited CFC to tie up with Marriage Encounter. Couples for Christ started to conduct CLPs for their ME couples. However it was not pursued as other concerns later surfaced. In the meantime ,CFC was invited by Fr. Mark Lesage of Las Piñas and Msgr. Mercado of United Paranaque to introduce CFC to their parish. Two CLP teams were formed to serve in these parishes. Thirty couples in Las Piñas and 13 couples in United Paranaque were the graduates of the first parish-based CLP.

“CHARTING” a new course…

With the growth of CFC came many challenges. The rapid spread of the movement demanded that a clearly shared vision. In 1983, Vic formed and trained a pastoral team to help him lead and manage the growing movement. The team was composed of Ely Lademora, Raul Sarceda, Frank Padilla, Bobby Pilar, Popoy del Rosario, Pio Acampado, Danny Aviado and Jojo Villegas. Danny Aviado was later replaced by Carlos Salinas when Danny migrated to the U. S. Vic brought this team to a weekend planning session. There he wrote CFC's Statement of Mission while Raul Sarceda did the Statement of Philosophy.

By this time, CFC was beginning to receive many requests from all over the country to help in establishing family life apostolates. To address this need, Vic Gutierrez discussed with the pastoral team the idea of developing what he termed “exportable packages” -- a start up kit that would allow other provincial groups to establish new chapters with minimum help from CFC Manila.

Providentially, Ligaya member Raul Sarceda had resigned from his job to make himself more available to the work of Ligaya and its outreaches. Vic appointed him the first Executive Director of CFC and immediately put him to the task of developing the manuals of the CFC programs: CLP Manual, Household Heads' Manual, the Marriage Enrichment Manual and the other teaching courses of CFC. These manuals, together with audio teaching tapes, comprised the “exportable packages”. A number of overseas CFC chapters tremendously benefited from these materials. Considering CFC's limited resources, and that its overseas offices were set up and operated without much assistance from CFC leaders in Manila, these materials played a tremendous in helping to bring CFC's vision and mission.

Attention at this point was focused on developing and training leaders and imbuing them with the vision of CFC. A number of dedicated and committed leaders -- among them, Frank Padilla who was trained and appointed by Vic Gutierrez to replace Raul Sarceda as Executive Director when the latter moved his family to Malaybalay, Bukidnon in 1985 to help build a covenant community.

In 1983, upon the advice of the Ligaya Body of Coordinators, CFC was registered as a non-stock, non-profit corporation at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) under the name: Couples for Christ Foundation Inc. The incorporators and members of the first Board of Trustees were:

1. Victorino B. Gutierez
2. Raul G. Sarceda
3. Francisco A. Padilla
4. Francisco F. del Rosario
5. Pio S. Acampado
6. Jose T. Villegas
7. Roberto Pilar
8. Carlos C. Salinas
9. Antonio O. Vasquez
10. Victor U. Gamboa

Under Vic's leadership, CFC spread out to other provinces and eventually to other countries. The succeeding leadership continued with as much passion in spreading the mission of CFC. In his exhortation at the CFC 9th anniversary, Vic challenged the CFC community: “Let us bring whoever we can into a personal relationship with Jesus just as we ourselves have experienced it. Let us populate this nation with people who shall live according to this new morality the life of God. It is our duty to God. It is our duty to our nation. It is our duty to ourselves and to our children the future generation.”

The members heeded Vic's call. By 1992, CFC had grown. The Spirit was leading the community to greater heights. It would not be long before the community would feel the Spirit's stirrings to include their children in their new-found life in the Lord.


It has been more than 26 years since that first group of Christians was introduced to Christ in a social setting. Vic continues to be amazed at how CFC has grown. He now says: “…Since 1981, Couples for Christ has grown beyond our wildest imagination. Today, I watch from the sidelines, amazed at what God has done and continues to do through Couples for Christ. I am grateful for the privilege of having been there in its beginnings.”

(In the next issue: The Split of 1993)

COUPLES FOR CHRIST
UGNAYAN MULTIMEDIA CENTER

Download as a PDF file HERE.