CFC-FFL

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.

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," 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. 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, 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 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.

Organization

According to CFC FFL statutes, 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.

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 CFC Kids for Family and Life, CFC Youth for Family and Life, CFC Singles for Family and Life (for unmarried adults below the age of 40), CFC Handmaids for Family and Life (for women above 40), and CFC Servants for Family and Life (for men above 40).