Professional Documents
Culture Documents
CFC Ugnayan Mar 31 - April 13 2014
CFC Ugnayan Mar 31 - April 13 2014
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Vol. 18 No. 07
Holy Cross Crusaders, counterclockwise from top: the students wearing their bright green AGW shirt; getting ready to
board for Manila; some initial activity after touchdown; dancing for the AKC ANCOP scholars; playing with kids from AKC.
By By Alma Alvarez
Thirty-two students from
Grades 11 and 12 of Holy Cross
Regional High School, Surrey,
British Columbia, Canada came
to the Philippines last March 18,
2014 to participate in what they
call the Holy Cross Mission Trip
2014. The trip, organized by ANCOP Canada in partnership with
CFC ANCOP in the Philippines,
brings students from Catholic
schools in Canada to immerse
in the Building the Church of
the Poor program of Couples for
Christ, particularly the ANCOP
Shelter Program. Holy Cross is
the biggest high school in British Columbia, and it is their first
time to immerse in ANCOP. Last
November, the Toronto Catholic
District School Board sent a simi-
Building homes... touching lives... more fun in the Philippines! Students and teachers from the Holy Cross Regional High School
did not mind the sweltering Manila heat as they worked and played with the residents in AVANAI.
Holy Cross / C2
A welcome break from the construction work was the trip to Saint Martin de Porres Childrens Center in Tondo, Manila and the
historical tour of the Intramuros.
Ugnayan
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Ricky Cuenca
Vol. 18 No. 07
Holy Cross / C1
CBCP Monitor
We came as strangers
Judging from how these kids related with the
children in the places they immersed in, it can
be surmised that the Holy Cross students, and
even the teachers, made a mark in the lives of
the families in ANCOP AVANAI and the OLB
Community. As the kids shared during their
last day in AVANAI, they were amazed how
they were treated like celebrities. But more
than the royal treatment, what truly made
an impact in the students lives was the fact
that although they arrived as strangers, they
were leaving as family.
For Rachel Beauchamp, the experience opened
her eyes to the realities of life. According to Fr.
Patrick, although the Holy Cross kids come from
middle class families, the experience has made
the students more appreciative of what they have
back home. They were likewise amazed at how
hardworking the volunteers in AVANAI were.
The huge gulf that somehow separated the
young people from AVANAI and Holy Cross
in the beginning was quickly bridged at the
end of six days. Gifts were exchanged between
the missionaries and the residents. Even the
younger children of AVANAI, OLB and Saint
Martin de Porres appreciated the gifts from the
kids from Star of the Sea Elementary School.
For the students, the bake sales, the Dollar for
Jeans Day, the lumpia (spring rolls) sales, participating in the ANCOP Global Walk 2013 in
Surrey (they raised $12,000 from AGW alone),
and the other creative ways they did to raise
funds for the trip were all worth it.
As of press time, the group has flown back to
Canada, eager to share their stories and hopefully inspire more students, even from the other
Catholic schools, to have the same experience
with CFC ANCOP.
Present during the meeting are (L-R)Kevin Muico Fulltime Pastoral Worker for CFC-Youth; NoliArzadon, Regional Head (RH)Western Canada; Greg Parillas, CFC-National Director; Jun Clarito, RH-Eastern Canada and wife Malou; His EminenceThomas
Cardinal Collins; Eric delos Reyes, Country Coordinator-Couples for Christ Canada and wife Carina; Jimmy Arzadon, Area Head
(AH) Vancouver; and Francis Yap, AH-Toronto and wife Jessie.
By Francis Yap
Couples for Christ Toronto
was given the privilege to pay
a courtesy visit to His Eminence
Thomas Cardinal Collins, Archbishop of Toronto last March
10, 2014.
During the meeting, CFC updated His Grace on the communitys work towards New Evangelization, stressing out CFCs
mission of Building the Church
of the Home, which is focused
on Family Evangelization, and
Building the Church of the Poor
through ANCOP. His Eminence
By Rizal Ting
On the rainy afternoon of March 22, 2014, CFC ANCOP, composed of Eastern Leyte PAH Willie Padida, PAD Roger Chua, ANCOP Head Jun Derion and CFC ANCOP HQ Operations Rizal Ting, visited
Barangay Bua Bua, Salcedo, Samar in response to the request of ANCOP Bermuda regarding their effort to help the parishioners of the Our Lady of Salvation Parish to rebuild their church. The town of
Salcedo was badly hit by Yolanda and most of the residents were living in tents.
The group arrived at around 3:00 in the afternoon. Barangay Chairman Severino Bagon introduced
them to the Parish Priest, Fr. Alfonso Pony Asis. Upon inspection of the parish church, the team found
that the roofing was ripped out, and there was heavy damage at the altar area. A temporary shelter was
made at the back of the parish where the priest celebrated Mass, and a small room at the side of the church
served as the room of the parish priest.
The parish priest welcomed the support of ANCOP Bermuda and presented the group an estimated
BOM amounting to Php1.530M to provide roofing for the church. This did not include the labor and
other incidentals. CFC ANCOP pledged to get back to the parish as soon as the donation of ANCOP Bermuda is finalized. The funds will be downloaded thru CFC ANCOP Eastern Samars account. Likewise,
ANCOP proposed for the area to be part of the adopt-a-barangay Community Development program of
ANCOP, as there has been an established relationship with the parish priest and the barangay officials.
ANCOP hopes to be back early April to download the approved funds for the parish roofing and
firm up the proposal to help rebuild the community thru the ANCOP Shelter Program.
The Ugnayan News Supplement is published by the Couples for Christ Global Mission Foundation, Inc.,
with editorial offices at 156 20th Avenue, 1109 Cubao, Quezon City.
Editorial trunk line: (+63 2) 709-4868 local 23
Direct line : (+63 2) 709-4856
www.couplesforchristglobal.org
cfcglobalcommunications@gmail.com
facebook.com/CFC.Global.Mission
@CFChrist
Ugnayan
CBCP Monitor
Vol. 18 No. 07
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Jun Uriarte
CoFC gets ready for year 15, clockwise from top: the Board of Directors, both incoming and outgoing; Chairman Victor Hizon
presiding over the assembly; members line up for the automated elections; the five new members of the Board.
Co-ops for Christ Manila conducted its 14 th General Assembly and elections of the
members of the Board of Directors last March 29, 2014 at the
Obispado de Cubao in Quezon
City. After the declaration of a
quorum by Secretary Margarita
Uy, CoFC Chairman Victor Hizon called the meeting to order.
The team makes a through inspection to make sure the equipment that each would be in optimum condition.
Dr. Jerry Alabado inspects the medical equipment and supervises the inventory of the items.
By Nathaniel Gomez
ANCOP USA, following their recent medical mission to Iloilo, turned over medical equipment and
medicines to the province via the West Visayas State University Medical Center and the provincial
Governor.
The equipment and medicines came from Direct Relief International, a non-profit organization that
focuses on improving the quality of life by bringing critically needed medicines and supplies to local
healthcare providers worldwide. The donation was made through the initiative of Rene Palma of AUSA.
Gerry Alabado, Provincial Area Director of Iloilo, who is a physician himself, and CFC Iloilo AGT
member Dr. Giovanni delos Reyes, VP for Medical & Allied Sciences, and OIC, Medical Center received
the brand new medical equipment for WVSUMC.
Afterwards, the group proceeded to the Provincial Capitol where they turned over the medicines to
Governor Arthur Defensor and City Administrator Dr. Raul Banias.
At the end of each school year, Cornerstone conducts a Moving Up Day to honor the students for
their perseverance and hard work, as well as the
public school teachers and principals who embrace
what Cornerstone embodies.
During the Moving Up ceremonies, tutors and
coordinators give out certificates and special cita-
What will be the approaches to new evangelization as defined initially by Pope Benedict, and,
then now, clearly, in Evangelii Gaudium? However, for us to be able to state the approaches
that CFC should take, Id like to bring you over
quickly and share with you some vignettes
short storiesabout evangelization in the past.
And then perhaps we can learn from them.
I used to work for the United Nations in
Thailand for 8 years, and so I travelled to the
U.N. Headquarters in New York very often. I
always stayed in a hotel that was within walking
distance from the U.N. Headquarters, and at the
same time also within walking distance from
the Cathedral of St. Patrick. There is always an
early morning Mass, at 7:00, and so, even during
winter, I would walk from the hotel to St. Patrick
to hear Mass daily. After Mass, at around 7:30,
I go to this nice restaurant near St. Patrick and
have breakfast there before heading back to the
U.N. Headquarters for our meeting.
During those years that Ive been going there,
I always reflect and ponder, and marvel at that
great Cathedral of St. Patrick and try to remember
the person whom that Cathedral was named after.
St. Patrick was born in the west coast of the
British Isles in 398. At the age of 14, he was captured by a raiding party and became a slave in
pagan Ireland. After 6 years he escaped, and he
returned to his family in Britain. Later he studied in Gaul (which is now modern-day France)
under Egyptian monks. He was ordained a
priest and later became bishop. And then he was
sent as a missionary to Ireland. The conversion
of Ireland was due to great missionary work
of St. Patrick.
In evangelizing and converting Ireland, St.
Patrick had a strategy. And this is the reason
why we want to recall these vignettes about past
evangelizationto learn what were their strategies that worked so that we too might be able to
adapt those in our work of new evangelization.
What did St. Patrick do? He put particular
emphasis on the evangelization of the aristocracy. Its not my recommendation, its not
the ICs recommendation, it was St. Particks
strategy. And I am merely sharing with you
these vignettes.
He said that once the aristocracy converts, the
others would follow. And the aristocracy provided protection for the converts from the lower
class, from the masses. And it worked. Because
we know that Ireland is strongly Catholic.
Learning from St. Patrick
I did not only live in Bangkok for 8 years, I
also lived in Jakarta for 12 years. Let me share
with you some vignettes of the missionary work
in Indonesia. When we arrived in Indonesia,
there was a small group of Couples for Christ,
but they were not growing. And so we adapted
a strategy, and I remembered the strategy of St.
Patrick. And so I said, Why dont we evangelize the expatriates first?
The expatriates were very well paid in Indonesia at that time. We get them converted, we
convert their wallets too. And the Holy Spirit
allowed it. I remember when I was the head of
the expatriate group in Indonesia, we had people tithing regularly at $2,000 a month!
And then we said, What about the locals?
and so we modified the strategy. We evangelized the locals who can speak Bahasa Indonesia
fluentlyand there were many! And so we
purposely and strategically invited them and
we were able to bring them into the community. And then they were able to go out with
resources that have been provided. And with
their fluency in the local language, they were
able to travel and spread the gospel in the community in Indonesia.
Then we said, Well, the expatriates are
purely Filipinos. What about the other expatri-
Ugnayan
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CBCP Monitor
Vol. 18 No. 07
By Jess Ferrer
The partnership between the CFC Migrants
Program and SM Global Pinoy will push thru
with its initial activities starting April 1, 2014
and all succeeding Tuesdays of April thereafter.
Through the partnership, CFC shall be conducting the Moral Values Reorientation Program
(MVRP) using the Family Circles module to
Venue
Events Center
SM City Bicutan
SM Southmall
Events Center
SM City Rosario
Events Center
Activity Grounds
Events Center
SM City Lucena
Events Center
Venue
Confirmed dates
SM City Baguio
SM City Tarlac
SM City Pampanga
Events Center
SM City Rosales
SM City Marilao
Cinema
SM City Lipa
Events Center
SM City Consolacion
Events Center
SM City Bacolod
Food Court
SM City Davao
Events Center
Seafarer Center
also expects CFC members to attend and participate in the workshops. Further, it would
also be an opportunity for our CFC members
to appreciate the Migrants Program and learn
from these sessions.
As such, CFC leaders of the sectors and provinces are encouraged to participate, support and
learn from these engagements. This would also
be an opportunity for non-CFC participants to
feel the warmth, expressions of faith and solidarity of CFC at the venue in the hope of affecting
them positively.