“MAHIWAGA”! CFC IS RESTORED MYSTICALLY IN MIS-OR

        It is so paradoxical that one may not really have "enough of a good thing", of the sweet, fragrant bed of sacred victory our innermost spirits can finally rest on, but towards which our bodies tread in reverential fear, trembling in awe as God's Almighty Hand unfolds in Majesty...

        Which is why, we can read and re-read 'Tito Pet Kalikasan's' "MAHIWAGA" article - that we have decided to separately post here - and still not have enough of the "wondrous deeds" GOD has done to restore HIS CFC in Misamis Oriental.

        ARISE, SHINE OUT, BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN COUPLES FOR CHRIST, YOUR LIGHT HAS COME.  THE GLORY OF YAHWEH, OUR GOD IS RISING!!!

Mahiwaga

        Isang masaklap na bahagi nang buhay CFC MISOR ay ang kakuklangan sa information tunkol sa GK, save the Boston tour (matapos makamit ang award bilang outstanding GK site nong 2003 at nang ituring bilang provinsya na may pinakamataas na bilang ng padugo houses). Sa dami ng mga IC memo tunkol CFC GK mula 2008, wala man lang nakarating sa mga MCG members. Bakit? I can only guess. Una, kasi nakadigital ang transmission at hindi yata internet savvy ang leaders. Pangalawa, ay ayaw daw na mga pangyayari national ay makaapektu sa probinsya. Kakaiba nong alaw na madalas kaming makatangap nang mga IC memo tuwing may ECG teaching o gatheringa at ito'y naibahagi namin sa baba.

       Sa halip nang mga IC memo, meron kasi kaming PAD's time (tulad ng President's time ng Rotary namin noon) para sa provincial Area Director kung ano ang gustong ibalita. Kadalasan, iba ang tema nito kay sa main teaching topic. Kaya para sa CFC Misamis Or. si Jun del Fierro na ang pinaka GK at IC.

         Akoy nabigla ng marinig ko na meron pa palang MCGG (dating ECG Gathering) sa ibang provinsya. Akala koy tuluyan nang nawala ito mula nong ito'y hininto ng aming provincial director, mahigit tatlong taon nang nakalipas. Ika nya, pati yong mga conferences sa regional o national hindi naman daw kailangan sumali kasi lousy ang speakers.. Pero wari koy yong PAD's time ay halos pareho din. Pati yong in-his-steps pangit daw (pangmasa) kay sa dedache.

         Isa pa ay yong bagong culture na magcelebrate ng Lord's Day sa Lunes o anomang gustohing araw na maghousehold meeting- sector, cluster o chapter (na kadalasan ay mistulang fiesta-bongga ang pagkain)! Dagdag pa po ay yong bringing the problems DOWN instead of UP. Mga council issues tinutukoy ng sector leaders. Tulad ng matanggap ni Tony M ang balita na hindi narenew and kanyang appointment bilang provincial area head ng Misamis Or. Biglang nag-emergency meeting ang council at sector leaders para magpetition at ipagtanggol si Tony. Buti na lang at natauhan sila na yong kanilang inpormasyon ay text lamang na ipinorward ni Tony sa kanila.

         Yong raising-up of MCG leaders ay mukhang hindi na dinadaan sa (discernment ng) council, deritsahan na. Ang lahat ay parang barkadahan na lamang. Ang sabi nang isang brother, naging civic club na raw kami.

         Marahil marami ang nagulat sa mga pangyayari sa Misamis Oriental. THAT YOU MAY KNOW, ang totoo matagal na kaming independent at may sariling kaugalian, gaya ng mga sinabi na sa unahan.

         Nang itangkang iwasto ng Regional Head-NEM na magbigay tulong sa pamamagitan ng tamang transisyon information para sa bagong Provincial Area Head na taga Manila, sangkatutak na bomba ang pinaputok sa kanya. Ang pobreng full-time worker na walang ibang mahawakan kundi ang pananalig sa Poong Maykapal at tiwala sa CFC leadership structure, ay binasbasan na tuluyang gumawa ng nararapat. Tulad ng David at Goliat, mahiwaga ang pamamaraan ng Paninoon!

         Halos hindi kapanipaniwala ang mga sumunod na pangyayari. Wala sa isip ninuman na may kaluluwa na magtangkang alisin o kaya palitan ang dating provincial council ng Misamis Oriental. Kong papano na sila mismo ang "nagsever ties" at umalis sa CFC ay bagay na para sa akin ay hindi ko masagot kundi si Lord na lamang.

         Kulang ako sa tukmang salita para sabihin ang kahiwagahan ng Panginoon at wisdom na ibinuhos nya sa bagong CFC International Council.

         Kaya Panginoon sa iyo ang lahat. Lahat ng papuri ay iyo. Please, ibalik Mo po kami sa landas na iyong iyo: families in the Holy Spirit renewing the face of the earth.

         Tito Pet

 (Emailed: August 21, 2009)

 

SHARED PICTURES ON OUR 22ND ANNIVERSARY

THANK YOU SO MUCH, ANONYMOUS BLOGGER, FOR THESE PICTURES.  

YOU THERE, OTHER BRETHREN, MAY COLLATE YOUR PICTURES INTO AN AV PRESENTATION.  WE CAN HAVE AN INFORMAL "CONTEST" HERE OF VIDEOS ABOUT THE 22ND ANNIVERSARY.  INTERESTING, NO?  AS A MATTER OF FACT, WHY NOT?  GOD BLESS!

WINNERS AND CHAMPIONS: CFC @22 IN MIS-OR

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Sunday November 22, 2009:   Like an army of ants, they came and converged into a 5,000-strong army of CFC-IC loyalists, expressing solidarity and unity with one another during the 22nd CFC Anniversary in Misamis Oriental, almost three months since the unfortunate and uncharacteristic break-up of the once formidably-solid local CFC Community, on July 30, 2009, when the highest Provincial Leaders unilaterally severed their ties with the Global  CFC Community and founded a separatist group that continued to practice the CFC culture while disowning and defying the CFC structure.
        The one-day celebration was simply beautiful, with the parade of Couples for Christ who have remained faithful to the Vatican-approved statutes and the International Council (IC), walking close to a kilometer from Gaston Park to the mahogany trees-covered McArthur Park of the Misamis Oriental Provincial Capitol Complex.  

In the Palm of God’s Hands

        God held His faithful CFC community in His loving embrace and ensured their joyful celebration even as Northern Mindanao's overcast skies threatened their 22^nd Anniversary Day with rain like it actually did over the Region that weather forecasters considered a “low pressure area” for the last three to four days.
        Under our FATHER GOD'S tender and loving care, in the Palm of His Hands, thousands of CFC celebrators walked the parade of colors in a cool morning air towards McArthur Park, felt the warm sun miraculously appear and shine brightly towards mid-morning for the celebration of the HOLY MASS by His Excellency, Archbishop Antonio Ledesma, SJ, DD, and savored the soothing raindrops falling softly, briefly, though quite threateningly during lunchtime, which actually cooled and prepared the green park's grounds for the twenty lively, colorful, breath-taking, bouncy and at times barefoot, presentations of indigenous dances depicting CFC’s 2009 theme, “FORWARD IN CHRIST!”.  In turn, the presentations were capped by the the perfect execution of  YFC-Misamis Oriental’s winning entry for the cheer-dance competition during last month's '(2009) Northeastern Mindanao Regional Youth Conference (RYC)' in Surigao City.
        Brother Boie Sescon, who, together with Sister Angging Sescon “graduated” from the first, original CLP batch held in Cagayan de Oro City 22 years ago in 1987, and who acts as the Family Ministry Coordinator and Head of Sector A (while at the same time is Area Head of  North-Central Mindanao Region) led the morning worship, which was followed, after the celebration of the Holy Mass, by the exhortation of Bro. Jun Waga, the Provincial Area Director, whose full shepherd voice roared to acknowledge the presence of all the provincial CFC delegations present.
        After the dance-presentations in the afternoon, Bro. Joey Arguelles, Provincial Area Head of Misamis Oriental (he is at the same time a member of the 7-man CFC-IC) and Bro. Melo Villaroman, CFC-IC member and Director for Family Ministries, from Manila  – they came with their faithful wives, our dear sisters, Tess and Nini, respectively - gave their messages and words of encouragement.
        Brother Melo exhorted CFC in Misamis Oriental to keep in their hearts, FOUR  “F’s:  FULLNESS of CFC life (expressed in the centrality of JESUS CHRIST, the renewal of the FAMILY, and work with the POOR), FEARLESSNESS, FOCUS, and FAITHFULNESS.
        As the joyful day drew to a close, the community was led to a powerful praisefest, that ended with fireworks blending with the shouts of thanksgiving for a beautiful day made in heaven…

Winners

        Yes, heaven on earth simply oozed with MORE after the praisefest, as the children came up the stage with prayers and presentations - praying for the couples for Christ’s faithfulness in the community, and for God’s guidance while they “wait” to take their rightful places there...
        EVERY CFC MEMBER OF MISAMIS OREINTAL WAS THE WINNER THAT DAY, IS THE WINNER TODAY, AND STILL, WILL BE THE WINNER TOMORROW:  FEARLESS, EVER FAITHFUL AND FOCUSED ON HIS MISSION BECAUSE OF A FULL LIFE IN JESUS CHRIST, IN A RENEWED, CATHOLIC FAMILY COMMITTED TO HELP THE POOR.

Champions and Successors

        And then….TARARRAAANNNN….
        HAIL THE CHAMPIONS of the dance-presentations, THE SINGLES FOR CHRIST!!!
Not to mention, of course that the YOUTH FOR CHRIST was guest-presenter of its winning entry in the RYC cheer dance competition…they are CHAMPIONS, too.
        In my book, though, RATHER THAN THEY BEING EXCITED, I BELIEVE THAT WE ARE ALL THE MORE EXCITED ABOUT OUR KIDS FOR CHRIST AND THEIR FUTURE IN OUR COMMUNITY.  THEY ARE CHAMPIONS AND SUCCESSORS-IN-WAITING, WHILE BEING NURTURED AS THEY NIBBLE, CHEW AND DIGEST ALL OUR TEACHINGS...
        THANK YOU DEAR GOD, FOR A FORETASTE OF HEAVEN HERE ON EARTH DURING THAT SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, THE 22^nd ANNIVERSARY OF YOUR COUPLES FOR CHRIST COMMUNITY IN THE PROVINCE OF MISAMIS ORIENTAL.

 HAIL, OUR CHAMPIONS,

THE SINGLES FOR CHRIST!!! 

 

 

 LONG LIVE, 

OUR SUCCESSORS, 

"WAITING IN THE WINGS":  

THE KIDS FOR CHRIST!!!

 

POSTNOTES:

ONE (#1):  In the FULLNESS OF OUR CFC LIFE WITH JESUS, WE FEAR NOT THE CHALLENGES, ALTHOUGH WE TAKE THEM VERY SERIOUSLY AS EXPRESSED BY THE INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL, HERE:

 

TWO (#2):  FOCUSED ON OUR MISSION OF BUILDING THE CHURCHES OF THE HOME AND THE POOR, WE ARE FAITHFUL SERVANTS OF GOD.  WE HONOUR OUR BRETHREN IN THE AMERICAN CONTINENT, THROUGH THE USA NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR DEFINING THE CHALLENGE EXPRESSED BY THE CFC-IC, AND THANK GOD FOR THEIR COLLECTIVE FAITHFULNESS TO THE DECISIONS OF OUR ELDERS IN THE COMMUNITY.  WE COMMIT TO LOYALTY AND FAITHFULNESS TO OUR UNITY, TO OUR STRUCTURE, TO OUR CHAIN OF COMMAND.

   

HERE'S THE USA NATIONNAL CFC COUNCIL STATEMENT:

 

 THREE (#3):  AMEN!  AMEN!  AMEN!  ALLELLUIA!

(M-CDO, 1:43 A.M. Nov. 24, 2009)