CFC India Magazine ISSUE 1

I heard the call And I said YES
For private circulation only 1 CFCI Magazine | January 2012
January 2012 | Quarterly issue.
CFCI MAGAZINE
EDITORIAL
God is funny. Very funny I must add. Not in my wildest dream did I imagine that I would be writing an editorial for a magazine. I am wondering, What? How did this happen? This wasnt the plan. How did I get here? What is HE thinking?! Well its a reminder, He is the potter, I am merely the clay. An ordinary canvas purchased by a Master Painter. So with humble heart and expectant faith, I begin this journey knowing that His plans are far better and His hands far more capable. I said yes to His call and theres no looking back now. If I do look back, I see an incredible year gone by, especially for our community of Couples For Christ India. Hence it was fitting to begin this year and this magazine as a tribute to Gods Faithfulness to us in the year 2011. The personal sharing, reports of the conferences and other programs featured here bear witness to how amazing our God is and how He is continually working wonders among us. As we were compiling this issue, we were truly inspired by the articles and life-sharing, community members sent us. I wont be surprised if you spontaneously exclaim Praise God! as you flip through these pages. This magazine that you hold in your hand has come forth through intercessory prayers of my brothers and sisters in the community. Despite their other work commitments, they were always ready to help and encourage me. This is truly a community effort. I thank God for the challenges and the learning experience and am looking forward to newer challenges and incredible experiences. I bet He has some incredible experiences in store for you too. Have a blessed 2012 brothers and sisters!
What does the logo mean? That husband and wife should depend on Christs teachings and put those into action. And despite arguments and misunderstandings, they need to respect and trust each other and hold on to Christ as the only answer. They gently hold hands as a show of sincerity and Christ at the centre of their relationship, looks up to God as a gesture of obedience to the will of God and as an affirmation that love starts with husband and wife. The logo has been designed by Jorge Munar, who with his wife are a part of CFC FFL community in the Philippines.
Carol Ferrao New logo. New beginning
More about the new logo in the next issue 2 CFCI Magazine | January 2012
BIRDS EYE VIEW JANUARY 2012 Noticed something missing on the cover page? We are inviting you to fill the missing spaces and come up with a meaningful name for the CFCI magazine. The winning entry will be the official name of the magazine and will also win a gift voucher!! Mail in your entries by 29th, February, 2012 at cfcinewsletter@gmail.com
features
From the vineyard... 4
A series on servant leadership by our Servant General Frank Padilla.
By the burning bush... 6

Former Country Servant Tony Correia talks about Couples For Christ Indias call to service.
Community Speaks... 8
Members of the community talk about the joys of saying yes to Gods call to serve.
Pastoral Formation Office... 10

PFO head Jimmy Xavier introduces the Pastoral Formation Office and its departments.
COVER PAGE: Are we so engrossed in our daily routine lives that we rarely hear God speak to us? Or are we alert and ready to stand up to Gods call? Design by Twyla Ferrao, CFCI Youth, Panjim.
14 16
special report
Goa District Servants Conference... 14
A look at the one-day conference organised for CFCI servants formators from all over India.
National Singles Conference... 16

Singles talk about their life-changing experience at the A Glimpse of Heaven conference.
National Youth Conference... 22

CFCI Youth report and share about the defining moments of the conference A Time To Love.
22 28
North East Mission... 28

The Mission Team gives us an insight about the joys of serving as young missionaries.
Editorial team
Special Thanks Savio and Louella Braganza
Editorial team
Carol Ferrao Roseann Dutton
Ralph and Frances Rebello Elda Dias Louis Gonsalves
Neshwin Almeida Mansel Alvares
WANT TO BE PART OF THE EDITORIAL TEAM? WRITE TO US AT cfcinewsletter@gmail.com 3 CFCI Magazine | January 2012
From the vineyard
Servant Leadership
God is calling us to an exceptional form of leadership. Frank Padilla gives us an insight to this humble approach to service.
God is about a mighty work in the world. It is nothing short of the very salvation of humankind, and the restoration of all of creation to His original intent. God sent His own Son Jesus into the world to bring this salvation to all, which Jesus won on the cross for us. Jesus then tasked his followers with proclaiming this good news of salvation in him to the whole world. The role of evangelizers is crucial to the plan of God. To this end, God raises individuals and groups and movements. These are all part of the one body of Christ, tasked with continuing Jesus mission of salvation. As the Church grew, structures were established, for good order and effective furtherance of the mission. Part of the structural development was the emergence of leaders over the flock. Since the work was spiritual, leadership also needed to be spiritual. It could not conform itself to the world that Jesus had already conquered and overturned. The mission of Jesus could only proceed under the anointing and in the power of the Spirit, if it was done according to his ways. The work of Christians could only be effective if done according to his prescriptions. And what was that? Jesus called for, taught and modeled servant leadership. Here then was the challenge. And today, with the
task of worldwide evangelization and renewal still unfinished, this remains to be the challenge. The very first thing that should strike us when we talk of servant leadership is the seeming contradiction in the two words themselves. Servant leadership is a seeming oxymoron. The words servant and leader seem diametrically opposed. A person is either one or the other. And so to put the two words together creates a new reality that is somewhat of a contradiction. Indeed, this is where the problem starts. Being a leader means having position, power, influence, submission from subordinates, and recognition. Indeed, even for a servant leader, this is part of the package. These elements are objective realities that are not per se wrong. In fact, these are necessary for him to function well. On the other hand, being a servant means having the lowest position, no inherent power, submission to a higher authority, and even non-recognition of the good one does (Lk 17:10).
Let the greatest among you be as the youngest, and the leader as the servant. (Luke 22:26)
4 CFCI Magazine | January 2012
From the vineyard What leads a servant leader astray is when he looks to being a leader but not really to being a servant. This is when he looks to pride rather than humility, to power rather than powerlessness, to being first rather than being last, to being applauded rather than anonymously doing his work. This is where he lords it over people. This is when he becomes more concerned about how people look up to him, rather than on how he can look to his people and serve their needs. In other words, the focus is now on himself as leader rather than on others as their servant. The call to servant leadership To be a servant leader is a great call and privilege from God. It is also a great challenge. To be a servant when one is a leader seems to go against the grain. Certainly it is contrary to the values of the world around us. But that is the only type of leader that God calls and
To be a servant leader is a great call and privilege from God. It is also a great challenge.
is able to use. If one can rise to the challenge, then God can and will use such a one mightily, simply because He is about a great work in the world, and He uses human instruments to accomplish that work. God continually searches for servant leaders. Perhaps that can be you. (From the Introduction to Servant Leadership by Frank Padilla, Servant General, Couples for Christ Foundation for Family & Life, reproduced with permission.)
As an audience to Pope Benedict XVI, Frank and Gerry Padilla at the Pontifical Council of the Family Meet in the Vatican. On 17 October 2011, Frank and Gerry Padilla celebrated their 40th Wedding Anniversary. Seen here with the bishops, their children and grand-children. Country Servants from around the world gathered in Philippines for a 3-day meeting with the Servant General.
By the burning bush
I Heard the Call, I said YES
Former Country Servant Tony Correia talks about Couples For Christ in a new light and our call to service in this community. not mere community but communion with God. Frank and Gerry heard the call and worshipped God in spirit and in truth. There are many who are excited about the name Couples for Christ; many others stand amazed at its unbelievable growth. Many come to find shelter under its wings. But Couples for Christ is neither about a name nor an organization. It is not about the glory that humans seek. It is about God the God who calls; the God who is to be worshiped! The call goes out, not just to Frank and Gerry; but to many others: young and old, single, married or widowed. It is the call to follow His Son, to be His disciple in a special way; it is the call to live in communion with Him in a specific way, to be His son in the image of The Son; it is the call to go, to be a unique missionary of holiness, of love, of mercy, to be His servant.
Couples for Christ is Gods idea. In the fullness of time, He used different people to bring it into existence. None of them thought of creating Couples for Christ! Rather, each, inspired in his or her way, went about seeking to accomplish his or her purpose. No one, not even Frank Padilla, can claim credit for thinking of creating Couples for Christ. To God alone, the God who is all-knowing, merciful and steadfastly faithful in His love, to Him alone must go the credit! Praise to His Holy Name. And yet, in saying forth the word that brings it into existence, the same Almighty and Eternal God, in His infinite Wisdom and His Sovereign Will chooses to entrust this new and unique gift of His presence, this self-realization of His Church, the sacrament of His communion, to one couple, probably an unlikely one, from among the many He had gathered together: Francisco & Geraldine Padilla. Many are called, few are chosen. This is not about Couples for Christ. It is about God the God who calls! Frank and Gerry heard the call, the call to worship God: to live for God, to serve God, to die for God. This is the call to Worship to worship the Father through the merits of the Son by the power of the Holy Spirit! In worship, one is drawn into the communion of Gods love that makes one long to be like Jesus, the Sacrament of the Father. In worship, one is drawn to share Gods love with ones spouse, ones family and all of Gods people, drawing all into communion with God. In worship one hears the call to mission, to go and share the good news of love with all men of good will, inviting them to seek
In worship one hears the call to mission, to go and share the good news of love with all men of goodwill, inviting them to seek not mere community but communion with God.
A special way of discipleship; this specific way of communion; this unique way of being a missionary; what is this way? It is the way of the charism entrusted to the one(s) called and chosen. From among those ready to worship Him in spirit and in truth He chooses some, a few, to share in the gift He entrusted to the one(s) called and chosen. Hearts on fire were not our hearts burning within us while He talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us? These choose to say, Yes! Maria and I heard the call... She said, Yes! I said, Yes! We said, Yes! As for me and my family we will serve the Lord.
Announcement Former Country Servant Tony Correia proudly announces the appointment of the new Country Servant in the following letter. It gives me great pleasure to inform you that our Servant General, Frank Padilla, has appointed our brother, A.V. Jose of Patna, Bihar, currently serving as Mission Coordinator, East Hindi Mission, and a member of my College of Consultors, to succeed me as the next Country Servant. On behalf of the entire community of Couples for Christ India and personally too, I extend to our brother, A.V. Jose, our congratulations on being chosen to serve God in this position. I would also like to assure him that we will all love, accept and support him and his family, pray for him and his ministry daily, and make his work lighter by practicing active submission to him in the life and mission of our community. As Country Servant, our brother Jose will be responsible for: 1. Governing the community of Couples For Christ India. 2. Expanding and strengthening the work of Couples For Christ India throughout our whole country and working towards the evangelization of Indians living in the different countries of the world. 3. Overseeing the work of our senior leadership. 4. Maintaining good relationships with Church Hierarchy. 5. Serving as a link connecting the community of CFCI to the worldwide community of Couples For Christ Foundation for Family and Life (CFC-FFL). 6. Ensuring that the life and mission of Couples For Christ India and the vision and policies of the worldwide community of CFC-FFL are vigorously pursued. His term of office is for three years w.e.f. January 1, 2012 or until the new statutes of our community
are approved, whichever is earlier. His service will be overseen by our brother, Jack Burgoyne the CFCFFL Country Coordinator for India. To help him in his work, he will be assisted by a College of Consultors to be chosen by him. As I lay down my office, I take this opportunity to thank all my brothers and sisters, fellow servants in the vineyard of the Lord that is our community, but especially the members of my College of Consultors who lay down their office together with me, the Band of Prophets, the Army of Intercessors, the Pastoral Formation Office, National Office Staff, Mission Coordinators, District Servants & Coordinators and Pastoral Workers & Staff for your love, affection and fraternal support that my family and I experienced, your incessant prayers for me and my ministry, your active submission that made my work so much a joy, and your zeal for the Lord which served as an inspiration for me to continue to serve God all these years. I look forward to continuing to serve God and you my brothers and sisters as a fellow servant according to the service that will be now assigned to me by our brother Jose. I also seek forgiveness for the pain I am sure I have caused some of you due to my personal shortcomings that made it difficult for me to truly reflect Jesus at all times.
Community Speaks Despite all odds, many say YES to Gods Call, cheerfully and willingly. A few from the community were asked to testify about their joy in service.
What JOYS have you experienced after saying YES to Gods call?
The more you give, the more you receive. That has truly come alive in our family and our personal lives, ever since we said YES to Gods call. Weve seen God working marvellously in every area of our lives. Touching us, transforming us, blessing us to the extent that, we in turn could be a blessing to others. Jesus says in Luke 6:37-39: Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. It reminds me of the Dead Sea. If we cling to or hold on to Gods blessings, we become dead and stagnant. But the more we serve and allow Gods blessings to flow out to others, the more we are blessed and become a fresh life-giving stream of grace that is filled and over-flowing. This is our personal experience in serving God wherever we are called to serve, whether in CFCI, in the parish community or in the world at large.
Michael and Irma Raymond Mumbai
Since 2008, God has really taken me up on my yes. He has heaped me with opportunity and showered my efforts with the joy that comes from successfully implementing His will. Opportunities like serving the household and the unit as a helpmate to the Unit servant leading to the sheer joy of seeing our 10 couples blossom and develop into beautiful people and several future saints. The chance to serve CFCI on the Content Development Team of PFO, the task of rewriting and updating original talks have been a time of personal spiritual growth and fulfillment and an overflowing joy of being able to witness to people I will never meet or know. This is mission without the discomfort of travel. Ive also had the opportunity to serve my Parish, by guiding two groups through Confirmation. Some of the kids have made amazing leaps in their relationship with God. Ive also been fortunate enough to be given the chance to touch several people (Christian and non-Christian) with hope, helping them to forge fresh relationships with God and the joy of actually seeing it happening and giving results. I have glimpsed fresh opportunities for 2012 onwards and Im excited. But presently its Gods secret and mine! Carol Braganza Kolkata
God is a hard task master but the salary is good.
Since I had taken a year off to prepare for my B-School entrances, I served as a Mission Volunteer for CFCI Youth Mangalore. I had a deep yearning to go on mission. I finally got that opportunity when I was asked to go to Gujarat and conduct training and camps there. However, later I found out that I would be receiving my results of selection into a B-School (which I really wanted to get into) on almost the same day I was to leave for Gujarat. I knew there would be paperwork to be done at home had I secured admission, but in my heart I really wanted to make it for the Gujarat mission as well. I took the leap of faith and said yes to the mission and committed to it. And God rewarded me, the admission letter arrived a couple of days before I was to leave for Gujarat. This gave me time to finish the paperwork comfortably and truly enjoy the experience of mission work too! Im in my second year of MBA and God never stops showering His blessings on me! God really rewards you when you say YES to Him!!!
Biron Dsouza Mangalore
Theme Special
Often we are apprehensive to say yes to Gods call. How do we overcome such moments? Thelma Beniz from CFCI Couples, Mumbai seeks the answer from Gods word. It is never easy to say YES to the call of God. Have you ever experienced, when you are called to do something in response to Gods calling, the first question that comes to mind is, am I worthy? Do I have that ability? Most importantlyTHE TIME? Doubt is what we are filled with. If we refer to the Bible, we come across so many instances where God chooses the weakest and fills them with his wisdom to spread His word and work for Him and His people. In the Old Testament, God, hearing the cries of His people under the slavery of Pharaoh, acts to bring them out of Egypt. He chooses Moses, a man slow of speech and tongue (Ex 4:10). Moses has every reason to tell God that he was not an able person, but God has a simple answer for Moses: I will help you (Ex 4:12). In essence, God says to Moses, your ability and identity dont matter. I am God. I will be with you. It is not about you. It is about me. What I am asking you to do has nothing to do with your ability, but everything to do with your obedience. When Moses surrenders himself, after putting forth all his doubts to the Lord, we see how God wonderfully works through him and redeems His people.
Who me? Are you sure God?
questioning just as Moses questioned God. But those beautiful words ...I will be with you... gave us the courage and assurance to say yes and the result was God worked in every situation that came our way. Today, we are serving as Chapter Servants in our parish and the love, joy, peace and support that we receive and experience through our brothers and sisters and the community in general is astounding. One thing we know is, when we work for God, we are working for the best purpose we could ever find. Its a spiritual purpose, its an eternal purpose, and its a Godly purpose. If we read the book of Samuel, we come across the examples and failures of David, but also his great trust in God. Despite his weaknesses, he allowed himself to be guided and inspired by God. In 1 Cor 15: 58 it is said, Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord. Work for God will never be forgotten and the reward can never be equalled on earth.
When we work for God, we are working for the best purpose we could ever find. Its a spiritual purpose, its an eternal purpose.
We too experienced something like what Moses did, when after two years of being household servants, we were called to serve as Unit Servants. We began to question, Why us? There are so many senior members in the community! Would we do justice to our calling? Or are we worthy? Our minds started
Do you have a passion for writing and more so on Faith and Scripture? Send us one of your sample writings and you can use your God-given talent for His greater glory. Write to us at cfcinewsletter@gmail.com
Pfo
A New Direction
Pastoral Formation Office, a term many are unsure of. What exactly is it? And why is it here? PFO Head Jimmy Xavier introduces us to this new direction. Jimmy is a CFCI Couple from Bengaluru.
In February of 2010, CFCI delegates from all over the country came together in Goa to piece together a much pondered idea that was becoming a reality the Pastoral Formation Office (PFO). The PFO started in a very small way with teams being formed and members undertaking specific assignments to be completed. After a year, the second PFO Convention was held from March 4-6 (2011) where 57 delegates attended the 3-day program. For the second year running, the Pastoral Formation Office has come together to make the need for its functioning known and to invite community members to contribute to this effort. After a year of the departments functioning, training programs had been conducted, assignments completed, new ideas gained momentum and proficiency of contributors regarding their tasks had grown. However, as a community with 25 years worth of experience, with much more to grow, the work ahead to renew, introduce and streamline various aspects of the community needs a lot more hands. With openness to the change that needs to take place, this years participants took on serious commitments to further the work of their departments and in turn, the work of the community.
The department heads are: Gerard Anthony (Bengaluru) Pastoral Insight and Support Derick Dsouza (Pune) Content Development Juliet Crasta (Mumbai) Teaching Blossom Rodrigues (Goa) Communication and Administration Kelvin Castelino (Kerala) Web This time around, the department heads took the lead in drawing up concrete plans for the coming year, in consultation with their members. Monthly followup calls have been scheduled to help implement the department plans.
Vision/Mission statement for the PFO: To equip the community with content, tools, and training to empower people through the use of technology and design of process that will be required by the community to live out its charism.
Pfo
Communication and Administration

The Communication and Administration Department, though small, has far more work than hands to do their job. Theres a backlog of work in the community in planning, managing and archiving programs. This department serves in the following ways: Ensure easy access to content Better pastoral support Documentation of programs and teachings Pastoral record of all members of CFCI Event management, a department which requires training.
Content Development
The Content Development Department, since the last PFO conference, has delivered the new training kits. As the team grows, the focus has shifted to developing the annual conference material and reworking the different teachings used in the community. Tasks that the department undertakes are: Teaching delivery kits with guidelines for speakers Tools for pastoral development Skill development programs However, training needs to be conducted, assignments turned in and new methodologies imbibed before implementing the above.
Teaching
Previously the belief was that anyone could deliver a teaching based on their availability. With the Gift-based service, teachers in CFCI will have to be identified as gifted. They will be trained (to hone their gifts and skills to teach. The teaching department will consist of people who are: Trained to teach, Enabled to give teachings with information, inspiration and transformation. This gap in the delivery of content has been identified as the reason why teachings have not borne fruit in the lives of community members.
Web Department
In this day and age, where every piece of information and detail is available on the internet and has been a factor of influence to millions of lives across the world, CFCI has been visibly absent. Hence, we decided to make the impact of our work in transforming our world be seen on our website. The website has been planned to showcase fruits and the work of each ministry along with the goal of leading people to Christ. A survey was conducted to find out how this site could better serve the needs of the community for which the response was very encouraging. We are planning to have the site up and running by the end of February 2012.
Pastoral Insight & Support

The Pastoral Insight and Support (PI&S) Teams primary goals are to: Ensure that community norms are followed Evaluate the effectiveness of pastoral and skill development Design processes of evaluation for community programs Oversee implementation of the evaluation process Tasks that the department has taken up that the community has been trying to put together for a while but was not able to implement across the board include: Health Check and Community Database. The Health Check uses various indicators to evaluate the health of households, chapters, districts and the community. The Database will serve to understand changing demographics of the community.
A detailed description of the different departments will be featured in the upcoming issues. Please lift the PFO and its mission in your prayers.
Theme Special An account by Carol Ferrao of a meeting with Minoo and Luz Marie Engineer, a couple from the first CFC India household in Mumbai. At around that time, God was inspiring charismatic couples from Goa to focus on family life. Minoo and Luz Marie had the opportunity to interact with them and experience the fellowship God had planned for this community. It was this interaction that led to the start of CFC in Goa. I have fond memories of my trip to Goa, states Minoo with great joy. Another joy that the community brought was seeing how lives of the couples were being transformed. When God begins his marvellous work, its bound to attract more people. Hence, couples from other parishes came forth willingly to start CFC in their respective areas. Their humility to work according to Gods will was very evident throughout the conversation. The
Humble Beginnings
God has interesting ways of laying foundations for His work. Like the way He brought the community of Couples For Christ to India. One of the many couples He inspired for this work was Minoo and Luz Marie Engineer. It was an absolute joy meeting them and getting to know about the humble beginning of the community, particularly in Mumbai. When they were inspired to move to India from the US, they knew very little about the kind of evangelical work God was calling them to do. With an humble heart, they said yes to that call and made way for Gods immense grace to flow in their lives.
...we had an example of how successful it had been in Manila. So we knew we didnt have to start something from scratch.
Minoo, a former Parsi converted to Catholicism through his involvement in Charismatics. He got introduced to CFC during his trip to Philippines for a scripture course called The Joy of Discovery. At that time, they were (and still are) actively involved in the Shield of Faith community. A community specifically for couples appealed to them and a few other couples. In 1985, as part of the SOF outreach program, they with the help of an additional couple started conducting the Joy of Discovery course in Borivali, Mumbai. This group went on to become the first CFC Household in Mumbai. Initially it was like a Bible sharing group and then they wanted to have an on-going kind of contact. It developed quite well. There was material ready and we had an example of how successful it had been in Manila. So we knew we didnt have to start something from scratch, mentions Luz Marie about the first household. We were around 10 couples, seven of us were regular, and the rest came and went. (Well, most of us can relate to that.) The couples found incredible support and encouragement from their Parish Priest. The seed was sown.
...(we) had the opportunity to interact and experience the fellowship God had planned for this community.
humility to accept it and work just as much God wants them to. They took no credit in establishing the community. They mentioned numerous couples involved in making it happen. Not once did they make it seem it was a one man show. Eventually when their time in sowing this seed was done, God guided them to another calling he had for them. Currently they still serve in SOF. Luz Marie is an active member in her parish and the diocese. Minoo, with his calling to Apologetics, works actively in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) and writes books for RCIA. After all these years, they are still in touch with numerous couples from that group. They have seen kids who would run around during meetings, now married and with kids of their own. They take every opportunity to interact and meet these families. When I was about to leave, Luz Marie pulled out a picture from her Bible. Its a picture of three cute little kids. No, not their kids, but of another CFC couple, kept as a beautiful reminder of the fellowship they experienced in the community. Clearly it was with great joy that they sowed this seed.
Sharing The Servant Orientation Program (SOP) evolved from a thought process that we as a community needed to relook at ourselves and our community from a more realistic frame of mind by adapting and using tools now at our disposal. It is the spring board to launch the community into the next phase, one of them being gift-based evangelization and of training our people to the use of their gifts with effectiveness. SOP has been conducted in various chapters in the year 2011. Few Couples share their experience at this program.
The Colour Exercise gave us insights as to how each and every person in this world is Unique and Special. The Johari Window helped us Discover Ourselves. The Gifting tool made us aware of our gifts. The SOP was a means for our correction and recommitment to Christ and a confirmation that CFCI is not just another prayer group, but is a Way of Life. The venue and menu blended well with the program content and added meaning to the SOP. Augustine & Patsy Xavier - Pune
We are heralds of Gods Kingdom.
Servant Orientation Program

I attended the SOP, not having even the faintest idea of what it was going to be. I must say that the SOP was a reviving and rejuvenating experience which drew me closer to God, who is so unconditional and merciful in His love to His children. The testing tools were very effective. They introduced me to myself i.e. my strengths and my weaknesses. The experience of the SOP was a very informative and an enriching one. My Lord has carved my name on the palms of His Holy and precious hands. I want to stand on the mountain top and tell the world to Taste the Lord to feel his goodness. At the end of the program, I made a silent prayer. I said, Jesus, Master, I have a heart that loves you and it desires to work in your vineyard and I am sure that you will make a way for me.
Manju Roberts - Pune
The SOP program conducted by Prajwal, Giselle & Savio was very enriching. We were looking forward to something, to awaken and renew our spirits. Topics like how CFCI is today and where we stand were highlighted in depth. An eye-opener during the Johari Window helped us to understand our innermost feelings, where we understood the weak and strong areas of our personality. How can we make changes in our life pertaining to our weak areas? What support can we ask for, from our leaders to overcome these barriers? The questionnaire on how we view our community also gave us an insight into the needs of the people. The theme CrossOver helped us to renew our lives, by returning our call to: Find and live out our identity in Christ, Be holy and strive for Christian perfection, Live out our call to Christ and Not depend on ourselves but only on Christ. The last session: Gift assessment tool was very interesting; it gave us the exact role that we should be playing in our community. For example, we never knew that our calling was for evangelization or for creative service. Overall, the sessions were very good and helped us to return home with renewed spirits. Jacintha Fernandes - Pune
The program started with a question, Are we ready for change and growth in CFC? teachings were very informative, especially regarding household meetings. An exercise enabled us to know our gifts and in what way we are called to serve our Lord Jesus Christ. We suggest every member of CFCI must attend this programme. Ignatius & Natty Pereira - Mumbai
Special report
On 17 July 2011, over 1000 CFCI members from all over India gathered for a much awaited annual conference. Neshwin Almeida walks us through the Goa District Conference and the different activities and sessions of the day.
1
Formerly known as Leaders Conference, the Goa District Servants Conference (GDSC) 2011 was truly a touching experience for our Servant Formators. The conference was titled His Grace In Our Need taken from the Scriptures (Heb. 4:16) The conference was special since God brought together over 1000 CFCI members from the dioceses of Jalpaiguri (West Bengal), Mumbai, Vasai, Pune, Sindhudurg, Belgaum, Karwar, Mangalore and Goa to experience His redeeming love and merciful grace. The first Session Recognizing Our Brokenness reminded the participants of our happy birth and the love and warmth we received from our mothers. The session helped the participants recognize brokenness from sibling rivalry, perceived rejection in school by teachers and classmates, hurts in our love life and other unfulfilled expectations in marriage. The session emphasized on the broken body: how we can respond in revulsion or we can respond in love that seeks to care for and heal such a broken body. The conference had a special shadow play by the CFCI Panjim Youth which highlighted the various cries in our lives, our families, our community and our society. Subsequent sessions spoke about Receiving His Grace and Becoming Instruments of His Grace, Understanding our Call to Community and also discovering our humanity, besides acknowledging our brokenness.
The insightful sessions were delivered by Tony and Maria Correia, Anna Menezes and Savio Keni. Gospel bands Faith and First Aid led the community in music and prayer.
4 Photographs courtesy: Ronan Barreto, CFCI-Singles, Goa.
Special report
During the sessions, I realised the various hurts that were buried within me that were keeping me back, that caused me to be a different person at home as compared to what I was amongst my friends. Never before had I realised why I could not be the same at home and away from home.
After all these realisations, it was a great feeling to submit and surrender everything to the Lord during Adoration. My heart felt so light, and I had a totally different experience throughout this entire exercise. Another experience that Id love to share was the experience in service. It was just my first time, and the joy that it gave me was very immense and fulfilling. Vivian Braganza
5
GDSC Prayer
Lord as I come into your presence I pray with the Psalmist (Ps 51:6) SURELY YOU DESIRE TRUTH IN THE INNER PARTS. YOU TEACH ME WISDOM IN THE INMOST PLACE. Lord, your word this morning has uncovered for me my pain and my brokenness and opened up those hidden places in my life which paralyzed me and prevented me from being the person you created me to be, that prevented me from receiving love and loving in return.
6 1- Conference badge depicting the theme. Design by Marissa Andrews, CFCI-Single, Goa. 2- A Deep, meaningful Praise and Worship session in progress. 3 & 4- No conference is complete without the Eucharistic celebration. 5- A creative perfomance for Session-1 by CFCI-Youth, Goa. Choreographed by Pastoral Worker Basil Rodrigues. 6- Shadow play depicting the hurts in our lives. Directed by Full-time Worker Abigail Ferrao.
Are you a Writer? Designer? Developer? Good with words or the web or both? CFCI needs you!
Our web team is looking for someone like you with a passion to serve God. Interested? Call us now! Kelvin Castelino - +91 9645121383 cfciwebteam@gmail.com 15 CFCI Magazine | January 2012
Special report
OH CANT YOU SEE WHAT LOVE HAS DONE...
August 2011 brought with it the most awaited event for all our Singles in the community, the CFCI-Singles Conference titled A Glimpse of Heaven. This Conference drew its inspiration from Blessed Pope John Pauls Theology of the Body and gave the Singles a whole new perspective on their sexuality. We asked some of them what they took back from conference and heres what they had to say:
more of a reason to feel hopeless about who I am with my poor health, BUT my faith has remained unshaken because of the deep healing inside my soul, that took place during my time with Jesus (Adoration). He revealed to me things Id never imagined had happened and this took me through the most beautiful confession ever! And of course consequently, the most empowering Pray-over! (The Sessions surely prepared me for this!) And that health in my soul is the best thing that could have ever happened to me! Its changing everything for me! (I dont think I would have made the time for this kind of a change in my workoriented lifestyle, if it wasnt for a conference of this nature!) Though I missed BLESSED, I still stick to the SET APART content to direct my life. We need the direction we get, through a conference! It is quite literally, my way to stand up again, when I fall into temptation, apart from strengthening me to fight temptation. (I know what I have to do because of the way Im equipped at a conference to walk towards heaven faithfully & practically, seeking Gods grace at all times in various ways.) Its not as abstract and unreal, as it may be for others... ...the path is not made easy BUT clear, and the goal is lit up! Marissa Andrews, Goa
Ever since I got back from the conference, Ive had
Since CFCI-Kids, Ive been truly blessed. Through the teachings, sharing and life experiences of the other members, I have and I am being continuously transformed. This experience is getting better each year at conference.
This year too, A Glimpse of Heaven was just what I needed. The sessions were enriching, enlightening and life-giving. With my own struggles and temptations of the flesh, the conference has helped me renew my mind, heart and soul. During the Adoration, the Lord revealed so many areas of sin in my life and gave me the courage to confess them as well. Ive been experiencing Heaven everyday post conference as I crucify my lust. Personal prayer too has become an inevitable part of my life. I can truly see what Gods Perfect Love has done and what its doing to me! Juliet Rodricks, Mumbai
3
Special report
This years conference has truly given me a GLIMPSE OF HEAVEN. What can I say? I have received Gods choicest blessings, in the form of this community and I couldnt have asked for more.
This conference was a big eye opener for me. I have come to realize that the sins which I personally thought wouldnt matter much, were grave indeed! I have struggled for a very long time, with Lust and addiction to Pornography. On several occasions, I made an attempt to quit, but I just couldnt let go. This conference happened at the right time. When I desperately needed it. I am thankful to God, for helping me take the first step towards His path. I know the evil one is out there, always waiting to attack, but I have strong faith in our Father and His Son too and I know that I, through Jesus, will be able to resist Satan and his works. Through this conference, I have learnt of things that will help fight the temptation of falling into the sin of lust. I have already started praying for myself and for all the women I CHECK OUT. I am into the second chapter of the book A GLIMPSE OF HEAVEN. Its like revisiting the talks at the conference. I feel the book speaks to me directly. I have had an amazing week so far and I pray that the Spirit continues to live in me and also in every one of us. Francis Fernandes, Pune
1-Leading the Singles in a time of adoration, FAITH, music ministry from Margao 2-Music ministry from Mumbai, Grace Afterglow led the Singles in a time of worship 3-Singles participating in the on-the-spot competitions held on day one of the conference 4-Pune delegation at the 5 conference venue 5-Winning entry of the Tshirt design competition. Design by Rahul Dsouza, CFCI-Single, Mumbai
has taught me a lot and gives me an ocean of spiritual knowledge and guidance to cope with all the struggles in life.
For me personally, this community, this family,
One of the best things this community offers is the Conferences it conducts every year. These have helped me tremendously; one of the biggest things I have got out of this is SELF CONTROL. Im blessed to have this quality in me. Today with all humility I can say that I am 0% Alcohol and Smoke free (I am 26 years old). One of the most irresistible things in me and most of us guys is, saying NO to sexual vices, but through this ministry and this conference, I have learnt to stay away from them. Saying NO to these vices was always built in me, but this conference in particular has showed me the HEAVEN thats in MY BODY. It has made me feel better about myself and my body. The conference has also taught me how to respect the opposite person and its so beautiful to know. I have made a million mistakes in the past, but now I know how to unwind those mistakes. Its my quest that I have personally taken on, to fight the evil within me because the feeling that I get when I surrender myself to Our Lord is just awesome and I want to feel this till my last breath on earth. Christopher Philips, Mumbai
Photographs courtesy: Neshwin Noel Almeida CFCI-Single, Margao, Goa.
About 200 Singles and Couples gathered from all over India at the Singles conference that was held in Bajjodi, Mangalore.
Sharing
CFCI-Single, Keith Silveira, Pune, poses an interesting and thought provoking question on Marriage to his Psychology Professor.
In love Forever
I was speaking with my Psychology Professor at college about the teaching on the Indissolubility of Marriage. Her initial reaction was to utterly reject it by saying that it was totally out of touch with reality, but I pressed her to consider it at leisure and give me some constructive feedback. She got back to me a week later and told me that she thought this was the most revolutionary thing she had heard and went on to give me a psychological explanation of why the indissolubility of marriage should be retained and even encouraged. In fact, shes even going to tell her son whos recently been engaged. She reasoned that intimacy is directly proportional to trust, which is the result of commitment. In a Live-in Relationship, since the level of commitment is low, it will take a lot of effort to build the level of trust to a point where intimacy can really flourish. In a Married Relationship where the option to walk out is always looming like the Sword of Damocles, the level of intimacy wont be able to reach the heights that it could when compared to a relationship where the spousal commitment to each other was total and lifelong with an indissoluble bond. After all, why would one take the trouble to invest in opening up all the areas of oneself to share them with another person who may not even be there tomorrow, and who could in fact use the information to blackmail them later... for intimacy only grows in vulnerability. She went on to explain a Theory in which Commitment and Intimacy were two legs of a Tripod upholding a balanced Marriage, the third being Passion. If any of these three legs were unstable, the marriage would suffer.
Having the option to opt out of the marriage can also weaken the marriage bond; as at the first sign of difficulty, rather than take the trouble to work on the marriage, either partner throws in the towel immediately. An indissoluble marriage requires one to close every exit route; so that each partner will try their level best to work on their marriage, and if it still goes through a rough patch, they will do all in their power to save their marriage. This is just like the captain of a ship; who since he is required to go down with his ship, can therefore be trusted to navigate vigilantly, and in case of an accident, to put his life on the line to save his ship from sinking. It can be contrasted with the attitude of the passengers who at the first sign of danger will abandon the ship for the life-boats. Besides, how unromantic to be standing on ones Wedding Day committing to be there for each other only through the good times, in plenty and in health... but not when you need each other the most in bad times, poverty and sickness. Finally, the Lord is absolutely unambiguous that in the New Covenant, What God has joined together, man must not put asunder. However, weddings may - but marriages dont just happen; they take working at. It includes a regular commitment to deal with issues, and repair and strengthen this most sacred bond, made once and forever before the altar of God. In cases where it really does become unworkable, the option is always there to live separately while leaving this bond undefiled. The greatest inspiration for me will always be my own parents who after 31 years of marriage are still together. It really is Gods grace... and I can see how difficult it still is at times; but Ive learnt the greatest lessons in adjustment and giving ones life for another from them. May the good Lord grant the grace of Fidelity to all married couples, and to those contemplating marriage. To God be all the glory.
Sharing
Realising the call to Intercession, CFCI-Single Tania Rebeiro from Panjim testifies to its incredible power.
God calls us to serve His Kingdom in many ways. directly through a call, or an inspiration, or idea, or indirectly through the pure joy of just sitting in His presence. God used a combination of both these methods to call me to serve Him at the Singles Christian Life Seminar (CLS) held in July 2011 at Panjim. Although I had served before in the community in various ways through the CLS, I was somehow excited about this particular one. For some strange reason, during the final stages of planning this CLS, God inspired me and made me realize that the intercession ministry was missing. He told me, He wanted me to intercede. Amazingly! God had freed me beforehand for this task. Even though I had never interceded before, I knew God would tell me what to do. The first module of the Singles CLS was held as an overnight at the Retreat House, Pilar. After the music ministry finished worship, I went down to the Chapel on the 2nd floor. I was joined by my sister Marissa Andrews. We said a small prayer and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. After that I can truly say that the Holy Spirit took over. He led us all the way! Not because we were worthy, but through Gods abundant grace and mercy, we were made worthy. Every hymn, be it praise or repentance and the prayers, were truly inspired. We were singing in perfect harmony and all I can say is that we experienced perfect unity in the Spirit. I truly felt that there were choirs of angels singing with us. At one point, we were flat on our faces just worshiping the Lord. If I could have spent the whole night in the Chapel, I would have. I just didnt want to leave. As we came out, the other members of the service team said that they were blown away by the talks and it was like hearing the talks for the first time!! This had never happened to us as a team. As for Do write to us about your profound Jesus experiences and let the whole world know about His unending love! Mail us at cfcinewsletter@gmail.com 19 CFCI Magazine | January 2012
On Bended knees
the new members, they were also deeply touched. I knew that I had experienced firsthand the power of prayer. But God was not finished yet. He had another surprise in store for me! During one of our sessions I was in tears, weeping before the Lord. The Lord brought to my mind a deep sorrow that I had been carrying that only He had known about. The Lord washed me in His precious blood right there and I was made new once again. I knew then, that nothing can separate me from Gods love and He will always be there for me. He encouraged me to make a good confession again, even though I had done so just two days before. The words of the priest, His minister, were exactly what I needed to hear and the healing was complete. The Lord has blessed me richly through this experience and Im still counting the blessings!
Sharing
Justina Fernandes, CFCI-Single, Mumbai, testifies to Gods healing touch in her Dads life and learning to trust no matter what.
Safe in His hands

When I was younger I always heard about miracles and Ive also been blessed to have experienced many in my life... However, the most wonderful miracle that I experienced was when Dad was in the hospital. Whenever I remember that day, it brings tears to my eyes not only because of the pain that I saw my Dad going through, but it also reminds me of the blessing that God has showered on my family. I remember the day my Dad was admitted to hospital, the doctors telling us that they were not sure of how long my Dad was going to live. It was a very difficult situation for all of us, but we trusted God, we knew He would be there through all the pain. I remember feeling like my Dad was going away from us, the doctors were losing hope. I spoke to my friend who messaged everyone in CFCI to pray for my Dad. Everyone everywhere was praying for him, but nothing was working; I could just see my Dad slipping away and his words, Take care of Mom. I spoke to Aunty Jenny, one of the CFCI members regarding my Dad and she kept telling me to trust, but nothing was happening. Finally I was told that I needed to surrender my Dad to God because He knows whats best for him. Somehow to me, surrendering meant indirectly telling God that I didnt mind Him taking my Dad away from me. So reluctantly, with the help of people around me, I surrendered my Dad to God and prayed that His Will be done.
One of my friends gave me this prayer which strengthened my trust in God... Dear God, this daughter of yours is standing at your feet with tears in her eyes to tell you that the hero of my life needs your merciful hands which stretched so much. For the world you died, for me youre still alive. Oh doctor of doctors, I come to you with tears in my eyes and pain in my heart, but more than that, I come with faith to you. Oh healer who will make him well, I trust in you more than anyone. Dont prove me wrong, instead make me strong, make your sad daughter glad by healing my sweet Dad. Finally His Will prevailed. My Dad began recovering. It was taking time, but we could see the changes in him. But that was not the end, problems persisted and Dad began thinking he was a burden and didnt want to live. However, we werent perturbed but rather continued trusting God and right enough, He didnt let us down, He got us out of this situation. Another problem then presented itself. The doctors told us to arrange for a machine that my Dad could use on being discharged. It was difficult to tell Dad that this was going to be lifelong. However, again God worked and Dad was ok with using the machine. The doctors first said it had to be used for 12 hours, after a few weeks, it reduced to eight hours and now it is three hours in the afternoon and three hours at night. And if you meet him now, you wouldnt even guess that he was so serious a few weeks back. This incident has taught me many things like trusting God and having intense faith in him... Ive also learnt that God has a plan for us... and everything happens as per His plan... God works wonders in our lives when we surrender our all to Him.
Sharing
At the World Youth Day, Madrid, Spain 2011, God had an incredible plan for our Full-time Worker Blossom Rodrigues.
God gave me the opportunity to attend the World Youth Day (WYD) once again, this time in Madrid, Spain. Unlike the last time, when it was about the thrill of experiencing the rich Catholic traditions and the worldwide Catholic family, this time was a pure and simple personal experience. I went to Spain not realizing I was full of guilt and pain, having ended a two year non-relationship relationship I know I tell the youth whom I work with, that the right thing to do is to bring the relationship to light, but I was living my own lie. Having ended badly, it left me feeling betrayed, angry and just plain hurt. It was anguish. I had just turned angry and bitter and everything and everyone was getting on my nerves all the time. I was backsliding at work, didnt want to meet anybody all I wanted to do was stay home curled up in bed. I was at the brink of my breaking point! Today I see how God just allowed people to be there for me during that time; my counselor, my travel agent and my forex agents. However, life has to move on, right? So it was chin up and face the world for me but a special friend noticed that I was still hurting even when I thought I was okay. And there I was thinking I was fooling the world and myself. He told me that I needed to unmask and take my broken self to Jesus or else I would just carry this pain on and that it would one day be insuppressible. I went thinking I was OK but actually hanging on by a thread and told God: Im here, do something. Even though I went to attend the WYD, I did very few of the official activities. There was a center for English speaking pilgrims, that was set up by the Sisters of Life and the Knights of Columbus, and the moment I stepped into that place, I felt this sense of peace. There was such a strong presence of the Holy Spirit. There were sessions given by Jason and Crystallina Evert and even though I had heard those talks before, this time it was like they were talking to me personally. I was able to just go before God so
Jesus
you!
many times in those two weeks in the various churches I visited and in the time I spent before the Blessed Sacrament at the center. I was able to simply come before Him. I came before Him bitter and broken each time crying that I could no longer live with that shame and guilt and pain that I did not want to carry that forward and God is such a merciful God. He was there NOT judging me but just silently listening. Until I had the courage to picture this boy in my minds eye and with Jesus to tell him that I forgive him and that I set him free and myself free from the guilt and shame and sin. I did this repeatedly, bringing every encounter to my mind and letting them go one by one, until I was overcome with this overwhelming feeling of love and a deep sense of peace that is well indescribable!!! This entire trip God reminded me of His special love for me. A love that is pure, unconditional and that I need not do anything to earn it. Not only that, He spoiled me by allowing me to experience Him in so many ways. I came back home realizing that if God for two months gave in to my every, and I say again EVERY whim and fancy, why do I try to be brave and chose to do things alone? I came back knowing that I have a Father who is going ahead of me every step of the way, fighting my battles for me and it is He who should be the center of all that is going on in my universe. Just take one thing from this: No matter what youve done or what you are going through, Jesus loves YOU! Really!
Special report
A Time to Love Conference was introducing the youth to a true kind of love. How did that impact our youth? Caryn Putman, CFCI-Youth (Gujarat) reports on the funfilled three days and a few youth share their experience at this event.
1
For us youth, it is very rare to find a knowledgeable someone who is willing to guide us and talk to us about the finer aspects of our lives; and anyone who has ever been a teen will know what a trying stage of life it is. Every National Youth Conference (NYC) I have attended has taught me a great deal more than I knew and this NYC was no different. The NYC 2011 A Time to Love was hosted for the first time ever by Gujarat at Zaroli and was attended by almost 500 participants. It was wonderful to see so many people of different ages from different backgrounds come together at this NYC, some to work at making it the amazing experience it was and others to partake of this amazing experience. The entire three days were filled with various activities, competitions, talks and a chance to bond with and get to know our brothers and sisters from all over the country. The talks were interesting and intriguing; they managed to convey to me exactly what it means to love and what it means to be loved. The talks opened my eyes to what is Gods plan for us. All the four talks at the NYC served to open my eyes to what Gods plan for love is. It helped me realize the important role that love plays in our lives and the importance of the people who love us. The open forum was another part of the conference that was extremely enlightening. It is not every day that there is a well informed panel of people there to answer all our questions.
Partying to folk music from all over India was an entirely new and novel experience for me and to see all the youth, no matter where they were from, dance and have fun as one big family, gave me an uplifting feeling of unity. The various activities, games and competitions held through the course of the three days gave me a platform to discover my God-given talents that I would have otherwise never have known of. Even though I am part of CFCI-Youth, I know that I still need the constant support of the CFCI family and opportunities like the NYC are just what uplifts me and keeps me focused on the right and away from the wrong. At the end of the three days I came back refreshed, full of Gods grace and my newfound knowledge of love and lots of new friends.
3 1- Conference Badge designed by Rahul Dsouza, CFCI-Single, Mumbai. 2 & 3- Dance ministry and the youth dancing with joy for our God. Photographs courtesy: Mauvin Menezes, CFCI-Single, Goa.
Special report
Ever since I had moved to Bangalore for my studies, I had left God only for Sundays. Hence the first session Where are we hit me like a dagger. The shocking reality where I was heading in my life was coming in front of me clean as a mirror. I was paying attention to the talk, to every little detail of it, like there was some urge inside that said pay attention to what the speaker is saying.
The talk that made a difference was the 3rd talk given by Abigail Ferrao and the testimony on Longings by Levin Gomes. I could relate to his sharing. I knew for a fact that there was always a longing that could not be described at all. This longing always led me to do things for temporary satisfaction, e.g. over-working and that led me to be alone for a lot of time. I realised that I was going away from God and he was giving me signs to come back to Him. He was connecting the dots for me. The way God wants me to be and the way I was living were quite far apart and he was taking the steps to get me back on track. I had reached a point in my life where without His help I could not achieve anything. Then with some help I dug deep, to see what I can do and frankly speaking, the answer was right in front of me. With the help of the greatest weapon that Jesus has given us, Confession. Through the sacrament, I cleansed myself of all past mistakes. However, there was a fear that I would head back to the same life. The 4th session given by Deidre Fernandes and Biron DSouza put those fears to rest. Their testimonies were even bigger daggers to me than the previous ones struck before. I could see the exact same things going on in my life which they had been through. These sharings gave me a reason and an urge to be a strong Christian and to spread His word. This NYC would not have been such an experience for me without the help of my close friends and obviously the speakers of the talks and the sharing. I would end by saying this, This NYC was specially destined for ME. Conroy Mendes, Goa
4- Day one saw youth participating in Praise Parade, Band and Dance competiton . 5- Competitions like Treasure hunt, Tug-ofWar, T-shirt designing, etc. were held on day two, afternoon. 4
The conference was just what I needed at this part of my life. The sessions addressed all the questions in my mind and allowed me to understand the real meaning of love. It helped me to forgive some people who had hurt me and let go of some things that were not letting me experience Gods love. I forgave and was forgiven. There was so much of noise, so many people around me all the time but still I felt connected to God. I got to know what God really wants me to do. It was a wonderful experience. The fellowship I experienced with my brothers and sisters was fantastic, whether it was through the competitions or just sharing a meal together. Overall, it was just what I needed, a RECHARGE. I learned to love like God loves. Jeevitha Rosali, Gujarat
part of the CFCI community, I could not imagine getting to experience something so beautiful. The theme was beautifully expressed. The talks not only entered my mind, but also touched my heart. I got to know the different kinds of love. By listening to the sharing and by praying I felt Gods presence. God spoke to me through the people around me and He gave me the answers I was looking for. I met wonderful people during the conference and I observed and learnt so much from them. In the evening, during praise and worship I used to surrender completely, and then it was just me and God. I realised my purpose of coming for NYC and that God will be there with me no matter where I am. I realised God is above all love and the craving of getting closer to Him, becoming a better human being, has become intense. NYC brought a big change in me and I thank GOD for choosing me to attend it. Hetal Khatri, Videographer
Being a non-Catholic by birth, and not even a
Report
CFCI-Youth Pastoral worker Deidre Fernandes writes about the enriching 100% Pure weekend held in Goa.
Live Pure
Following Christ isnt easy. You need faith, patience, love and courage courage to take the first step towards Him and keep walking. After all, it is not a simple decision and may seem impossible or meant only for the extraordinary. But on 29th May, 2011, forty very ordinary youth dared to do the impossiblethey committed themselves to Christ by leading a 100% pure life. The 100% Pure Weekend was held at Don Bosco Odxel, Taleigao, Goa from 27th-29th May, 2011. The camp had youth in attendance from Panaji and Porvorim. The 100% Pure lifestyle is based on the life that God has called each one of us to live out a life that glorifies Him. There are 9 standards that we strive to first attain and then maintain, namely, 0% Alcohol, Smoke free, Drug free, True love waits, Virgin and proud, Por-NO, No to homosexuality, No to Masturbation, Pro-life. The initial part of the program involved a questionnaire and introspection that tackled key issues, like their struggles with purity in the form of sexual sins or lifestyle choices. Furthermore, they were made aware of the contradictory message that looms large in the world today. This was done in order to make them aware that their actions not only have physical and emotional repercussions, but spiritual ones as well. In a very interesting and informative open forum, the youth left no stone unturned. They openly asked questions ranging from teen relationships to why the use of condoms is so wrong. Tony Correia put the young minds at ease and by the end of that morning, everyone, including the team, felt empowered, reassured and satisfied. The day then found the youth before the Blessed Sacrament,
examining their conscience with the help of our Lord. They were then led directly into confession to be cleansed from the inside out. A celebration was held that night to rejoice in their new found freedom. Everyone was requested to wear white to symbolize their inner purity. All those present partied with gusto and the celebration culminated in a powerful, Spirit-led worship which was led by Dwayne Figueiredo. The final session of the camp entailed the Christian perspective of a pure lifestyle. Participants were enlightened with the implications of living a life that does not glorify God. They were faced with a call to be 100% pure and strive to live a life that is 100% pure from that day onwards. All forty participants made the commitment to purity in the presence of our Lord and signed their commitment cards to serve as a reminder of the oath taken. Armed with the weapons of purity and love, support and guidance of their elders, they set out to be warriors of purity.
eyes to see the evil prevailing in my life. During the weekend, I developed a determination to shield myself from these temptations. My shield is personal prayer. I now turn to God who gives me the grace I need. Nigel Dsouza, 18 years
The 100% Pure Weekend helped me open my
I am now aware of how good our God really is. I have begun to experience His love and unlike in the past, I now live a purpose driven life. Though struggles come my way, I strive to live a life that is sin free and pleasing to him. In CFCI-Youth, I have met youth of my age who are striving for Holiness too. Declan Pereira, 16 years
Report
CFCI-Youth Raynol Dsouza reports about one of the most sought after programs by the youth, the Discovery Camp, that was held in Mangalore.
As youth we are constantly seeking to find a foothold for ourselves, a place that will define us and give us our identity, and when God becomes a part of this picture, it poses a challenge. To prepare for this challenge, 35 Youth and Singles from the CFCI community came together for a Discovery Camp themed Who Am I in Mangalore, from 6th to 8th May 2011. The team from Goa, which organized the camp, comprised of Joshua Cordeiro, Levin Gomes, Marissa Andrews, Deidre Fernandes and Brenton Cordeiro. The camp was held at the Dominican Seminary at Polali, which is located on the outskirts of the city. This lush green village-like atmosphere provided for us an excellent exposure to the glory of Gods handiwork. We began the camp on Friday evening with hymns, introductions, refreshments and Worship. After this, we got down to the more serious aspects of the camp, the talks, each of which took us to escalating spiritual heights. The talks, each beautifully simplified and explained, took us from understanding every aspect of our purpose here on earth, through realizing what true passion is and how we can develop this passion towards Jesus Christ, to understanding what worldly pleasures are and how we can abstain from them. At the same time, explaining every aspect of how and why we experience pain, and how we can overcome this feeling. Through the means of an exercise, we were made to write down all the pains in our life on a piece of paper and burn it, symbolic of removing them from our lives. All these talks, with the exception of one, were followed by a group discussion. These were carefully planned out, to cover a span of two days, making sure that we had the time and leisure to grasp the full essence of each talk. The hours in between were filled with meal and snack time, games, tours of the seminarys beautiful farm-lands, which was nothing short of splendid and most importantly, a Pray Over which brought the 2nd day to its close.
Discovering me!
The third day started off with a Worship Workshop, regarding how we should praise and worship Our Lord, which paved a path for the worship that we had thereafter. The Workshop was followed by the celebration of Holy Mass at the Seminary Chapel. Experiences were shared with each other and the CFCI-Couples who had just arrived. This was followed by lunch. The camp came to an end on Sunday, 8th May. This camp was an inspirational one for all of us here in Mangalore. We came to know better who we actually are and what we are destined for, by God. New friends were made, new things experienced and Gods love felt. This camp was truly a gift from God, to whom be Glory and Praise, now and forever, Amen.
My life before the Discovery Camp was not up to the mark. Peer pressure and my friends circle didnt let me give my all to CFCI-Youth, but after attending the Discovery Camp, there has been a change in me. The talks and the spiritual experience... there was nothing like it!!! Here I accomplished the true purpose of the camp, by discovering the unique purpose that God has given me. Suddenly my life didnt seem so wasteful. Through the camp I realized that there is a lot more to life than just living it. During the praying-over session, I truly felt the presence of God. I always had a tough time choosing between my friends and God, but after the praying-over session, everything was made clear, my past redeemed, my present made sense, and my future made secure. Ive grown spiritually stronger and now I am on my way to discovering what is that unique plan, that God has sent me to this world for. Rayner Monteiro, 18 years
Sharing
Full-time Worker and Counselor Abigail Ferrao desired to have campus based programs for youth. In His time, God made it possible.
question and replied quite plainly. But Fr Walters response amazed me. He sat up straight, looked directly at me and said, I want CFCI Youth to come and conduct programs for my teenagers. I have been searching for resource people, who are your program heads? With a smile that stretched from ear to ear, I mentioned Joshua and Deidre and Father remembered them for their hard work and dedication in the student council in college. We considered various topics and opportunities. I was overwhelmed with joy! Finally Lord, finally! It took less than a day to arrange the whole program. The students were invited and we were left to plan. I wasnt too happy about the date because it was soon after the Kids Village, but the date got pushed to the following week. Conducting a program on such a short notice can be quite challenging. I was wondering who would serve and how we would go about it, but God sent people and directed us. Was it a good program? Yes! It was tremendous! On a holiday, 40 young people came to college to attend a workshop entitled 3D Discover, Develop and Decide. We covered the 4 areas of Talent, Passion, Need and Conscience when making a life decision, especially one that would entail your calling and vocation in life. The feedback we received from them was overwhelming. More than the words we spoke, we shared our lives with them. In every sharing there was deep sense of abandonment to Gods will in our lives. We couldnt believe the program was so well received, we wondered how amazing it is to dwell in the arms of God who planned this day and time for us. So many plans in the pipeline! Im writing this report at St Xaviers, sitting in the counselors room, fully knowing that true counsel only comes from the Holy Spirit. If any change or growth, any hope has to be renewed, He will do it! Im so excited at the prospects of serving these young people on St Xaviers Campus. Got to go someones knocking on my door.
Campus Outreach
Im amazed at how God plans every detail before we even realize it. Deuteronomy 31:8, The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. This promise is as sure today as it was in the times of old! And thats why with so much excitement I share this. We began approaching St Xaviers College, Goa sometime in 2007. At the time there were many CFCI Youth studying in the institution and we had big plans to start an on-campus program. However we werent given permission for the same. That didnt stop the enthusiastic youth. They continued to meet between lectures or after college, on campus in 2s and 3s and sometimes a much bigger bunch. Over the next few years, CFCI Youth kept growing and as many graduated, many more joined college. They not only attended their lectures, but also supported each other, started cleanliness drives, encouraged other students and went on to take on big responsibilities like General Secretary and Joint Secretary. Little did anyone realize that this was not only for their own growth but God was planning something BIGGER. I was also one of the many youth who passed through the portals of St Xaviers. I must testify that it wasnt my idea, I rebelled and fought, eventually believing God had a plan for me and now Im so glad it all turned out the way it did! The big dream to start an on-campus program didnt die completely, but now it was being replaced by another dream. One in which we would be invited to have sessions for the students. I joined part time as college counselor in August last year. During my first meeting with the principal, he asked me where I was working. I thought it was an easy enough
Sharing
When called to serve for a Hindi youth camp in another state, Erushka Dsouza (CFCI-Youth Goa) had many apprehensions. She held on to Gods promise as mentioned in Jeremiah and said Yes, and came back elated with her mission experience.
The call to serve for the mission at Nagpur brought with it a mix of excitement and apprehension. I was excited about visiting a new and different place, meeting new people and giving Christ to them. Amongst other things, I was apprehensive about the language, the food and the climate. The toughest tasks seemed that I would not only have to give sessions in Hindi, a language I am not very fluent in, but also conduct group discussions and one to ones. At this time, I happened to speak to one of my sisters who comforted me, giving me the perfect verses for my situation. {Jer 1:5-9- and appointed you prophet to the nations now I have put my words in your mouth} It was this same verse that kept coming to me during my personal time in prayer and I then realized that this was my Father assuring me that I definitely need not be afraid. Here I also realized the value of the wholehearted support and help you receive from your brothers and sisters in the community. We were a team of 9 members from 4 different parts of India, namely Mumbai, Goa, Mangalore and Gujarat. Even though we were youngsters from different areas, we defied all reservations and blended with each other really well, to make a camp team of members that were like-minded and supportively cooperative. At Nagpur, we were welcomed into the home of a CFCI Couple, who were extremely kind and hospitable throughout our stay, as were all the titos and titas in Nagpur. They not only provided us with a place to stay, but also with delicious meals which really gave us a taste of Nagpur. The intake camp began on 17th July, 2011. It was an experience that neither I nor any other member of the camp would ever forget. For the first time in my life, I had to rely entirely on the power of the Holy Spirit to help me. When it came to the sessions I had to give, I saw the promise of Jeremiah 1:9 come
Faith Works!
true wherein, even though I wasnt well prepared, I spoke fluent Hindi, which surprised me. Nothing at camp happened as per plan. Even our schedules went haywire, making us realize that this was not a camp of our planning but of Gods, and that we needed to surrender it to Him completely. When we did so, we saw that everything fell into place perfectly just the way He wanted it. The weather too had us all feeling blessed. Having heard about how hot it is in the area around this time of the year, we were really glad to know that it had rained the day before our arrival. This made our stay rather pleasant. Even on our last day, it rained heavily enough for us to celebrate everything that happened at camp by actually dancing in the rain. There was one other thing that left me totally amazed. Being a fussy eater, I was prepared to survive on a stock of biscuits and snacks I had packed. These however were left untouched!! I truly had been on a journey of a lifetime. The journey back saw us all on an all-time high. Still charged up by our camp experience, we decided to use our energy by having a praise and worship session on the train. It was a great experience not only for us but for all the other commuters in our compartment. Everything that happens on mission cannot be put into words; it just has to be Experienced. May God inspire many more Youth/Singles to go on mission to spread His Word.
Special report
1
Mission to North-East
A CFCI Mission!!! It had been something I always
wanted to do but I never got a chance. So, it was like a dream come true when Baptist asked me if I wanted to go to the North-East on Mission last summer. I was overjoyed and jumped at the opportunity. This happiness though was short lived, as I began thinking about how I would manage away from the comfort of my home. Being very enthusiastic about this, I had great plans in my head about all the things I wanted to do in those areas. But, God showed me that His plans are always greater than mine and His amazing plans were being slowly revealed to me in the interim. I then began to realise that going on this mission was His decision for me. He taught me a lot throughout this mission and during this time, God was revealed to me not just as a photoframe hanging on the wall, but as a real living Being! The entire mission gave me such a beautiful experience of the CFCI Community and what it really stands for. I was blessed to have with me an amazing team of missionaries who were ever ready to serve God and His people. The toughest challenge however, lay in performing this service day after day for an entire month! Beginning from our stay in Kolkata right to the end in Goa,it proved to be a learning experience all along. We saw the members of the community open their
Every year a mission team from the west coast goes to serve in the CFCI Youth areas of North-East India. Four singles said yes to this mission in 2011 and came back exhilarated and enthused to serve God even more!
hearts and homes to us; serving us just as Jesus would want His followers to do. We conducted various youth programs and bonded with the youth by talking to them, cooking with them, etc. Never ever did I feel like I was away from home, except moments when my mother called me. It was no smooth sailing, there were difficulties, pain and spiritual warfare throughout, but Gods love and mercy kept us safe and protected. I only pray that the areas we visited always experience Gods goodness and stay blessed. And I pray to God to give me an opportunity to visit these areas again. Kelvin Santis, CFCI-Single, Mumbai (Currently Kelvin Santis serves as a Full-time Pastoral worker for the community.)
1-Bonding with the brothers at the leaders program. 2-The team was not only welcomed with smiles but also with the customary washing of the feet. 3-Bidding mission. farewell after the
Map Graphic by- Ian Noronha, CFCI-Youth, Goa.
Special report
When I was called for this mission, I was amazed that God was calling me once again to the NorthEast to serve Him. I had served in these areas a year earlier. Hence it was with great joy and excitement that I said Yes to this call. Even though there came some difficulties, God made a way for me.
This mission was different in most ways. Our focus was not as much in conducting programs but in spending time and giving Christ to the youth and the CFCI families there. Whether it was cooking meals with them, dining with them or playing antakshari while journeying with them, it was in these small but precious moments, that we got to be a family with them, share our faith and learn from each other. Also, their generosity and hospitality captivated our hearts. In West Bengal (WB), we interacted with the youth through programs like Covenant Orientation, Leaders Assembly, etc. We also visited some of the CFCI Youth chapters in WB and conducted their weekly meeting. Throughout Mission, I could see God working through our talks and sharing. Although Im not very fluent in Hindi, I found that God just put words into my mouth. Our main program was in Patna, where we conducted a three day program for all Youth leaders of the North-East, i.e. WB, Assam, Jharkhand and Orissa. One of our major struggles here was conducting the program in extremely hot weather. However, God gave us the grace to carry on His work. Our next stop was Bhagalpur in Bihar where we conducted an intake camp. Here we had the opportunity to meet an North-East Youth Leaders Programme A 3-day seminar was conducted to strengthen the faith of CFCI Youth Servant Leaders from West Bengal, Jharkhand, Orissa and Assam, especially with regard to the teachings of the Catholic Church. It was held from 13th-15th May 2011 at Navjyothi Niketan, Patna and was attended by 78 youth. The youth were reminded of their place in Gods plan despite their weakness just like Jonah, Moses and the Samaritan woman. Our Mother Mary was placed in front of the youth as a role model, who accepted Gods call without any doubts, but rather with complete faith. After understanding Gods plan for our life, the youth were encouraged to say Yes to the call of evangelization.
amazing priest Fr. Lucas. He and the neighboring Missionaries of Charity Sisters who hosted us were extremely generous and took good care of us. Their love and passion for Gods work truly inspired us. On this Mission, God took me through some humbling experiences, including sleeping outside a train toilet, long rickshaw rides on the broken roads of Bengal. All this got me closer to my team; I spent an amazing time with Carol, Kelvin and Baptist. I learned so much from them, they were a blessing to me on this mission. I dont regret going on Mission at all, God has taught me to praise and thank Him in all circumstances. I also learnt that in order to serve, you dont have to be a person full of talents; God knows where we can be used to glorify His name. This one month of service for Gods community was amazing and special, I know that God has used me as His Instrument and I praise Him for it. Luane Gomes, CFCI-Single, Goa Different questions on the Catholic Church were placed in front of them and their opinions sought. With the help of Catholic books like Essential Catholic Survival Guide and Catholic Answer Bible the team further justified the statements and provided additional information pertaining to the teachings of the Church. Through these various sessions and activities, the youth were empowered with true information. In the light of the pressure put forth by other Christian denominations in their respective areas, awareness about the Catholic faith is a must. The youth were then encouraged to share their faith in their parishes and villages through catechism and other youth seminars. Baptist Dias, Full-time Pastoral Worker
Book review Name: The Essential Catholic Survival Guide Author: Staff of Catholic Answers Available through Family of Faith Foundation, Mumbai Have you ever been stumped by a question on the Catholic faith? Most of us have, at some point or the other. It might have arisen as a result of our quest to grow in our Catholic faith, an innocent question by a non-believer or a well-intended challenge from one of our Protestant brethren who wants to save us from the false teachings of the Catholic Church. So why do we have a devotion to Mary and the Saints? Or why does the Church insist on celibacy for priests? Or why do we need the Sacraments - they do not seem to be found in the Bible? We may not have a problem in accepting the Churchs teachings and following them faithfully. However, we need to answer these questions solidly, as the answers themselves may lead a person to salvation or prevent someone from going astray. Well, the good news is that the Church has answered every possible question thrown at it since its inception 2000 years ago. The not so good news is that its awfully hard to glean out concise answers to these questions from the multitude of resources we have at our disposal. Enter Catholic Answers, an apostolate founded in 1979 that has been providing these answers through print, radio and the Internet. The Essential Catholic Survival Guide is a compilation of 70 of its most popular faith tracts that touch a wide range of questions with solid Catholic answers to each one of them. The book is divided into sections like The Church and the Papacy, Scripture and Tradition, Mary and the Saints, Sacraments and so on. Each of these sections has multiple chapters (one for each tract) with 4 to 5 topics within each of them.
Derick Dsouza, CFCI-Couple from Pune, reviews an exceptional book that answers the most fundamental questions on the Catholic Faith.
Think of a question on the faith and its more likely to be there as a topic than not. Are Catholics Saved? Where does the Pope get his authority from? What is the Catholic position on evolution? What about the rapture? Why cant non-Catholic Christians receive communion? Why does the Church teach formulaic prayers? Answers to each of these questions are loaded with scripture, history and reveal the fullness of truth that can only be found within the Catholic Church. The topics are concise, in nice size chunks and more or less independent of each other. This means that you do not need to have to go through reams before you reach the topic you want. Jump right away to a desired topic and you will get what you want. So the next time you struggle with an office colleague questioning the stand the Church has on moral issues like homosexuality and contraception or your secularised Uncle Joe brings up the Inquisitions and indulgences as the sins of the Church, what do you do? Pick up The Essential Catholic Survival Guide, locate the chapter and put their minds to rest by giving them a solid answer. Pack this book for your journeys as well, Pastor Prakash Sullivan on the next seat may want to know if you are born again. And even if you have never been a posed a question, you can still use The Essential Catholic Survival Guide as a great reference tool for understanding different aspects of the Catholic Faith.
Which Catholic/Christian book are you reading? How is it impacting your life? Write to us at cfcinewsletter@gmail.com 30 CFCI Magazine | January 2012
Music review
Gospel Band FAITH speaks to Neshwin Almeida about their album titled S.I.G.A. (Soldiers in Gods Army), their second album in less than two years and the journey of performing across India.
Forsaking all and transformed by the Holy Spirit, to make disciples through song, for the greater glory and honor of our most high God, is what our motto has been throughout, stated band member Glenlord Rodrigues (lead vocals/rhythm guitar). Accompanying him are fellow band members, Vanessa Menezes (lead vocals), Jessica Rodrigues (backing vocals), Deepak Dourado (backing vocals), Errol Andrade (lead guitar/backing vocals), Jerry Vaz (keyboard/mouth organ/backing vocals), Marwin DaCosta (flute/backing vocals), Gavin Carvalho (bass guitar/backing vocals) and Sergio Mascarenhas (drums). True to their mission statement, they began as a music ministry for Couples for Christ in 1998 with just three members but have today grown, not only in number, but also in their passion to love and serve the Lord. The new album S.I.G.A. was first released at the Divine Retreat Centre, Kerala before an audience of over 7,000 youth globally, and in Mangalore at the CFCI National Singles Conference. Faith re-released the album in Goa paying special tribute to their parents, believing that the chance to live and come into this world is what brings them together as members to sing for Gods glory. Their first album titled The Journey had 8 tracks and was released in India in 2009. The album had six English and two Konkani music tracks with
genres ranging from ballads to rock and pop and sold over 3,000 copies across the globe. The members of Faith believe that the albums are a testimony of the love and passion that they share for Christ. Faith recently performed and led thousands of people, young and old closer to God at the international retreats in Kerala where they shared the stage with international Gospel singers that include Glen and Theresa La Rive (Kerala), Fr Stan Fortuna (US), Empowered Ministry (Malaysia) and Risen Lord Music Ministry (Sri Lanka). Faith has been leading Worship at Divine Retreat Centre for the International Youth and Couples Retreat for over 4 years and has also recorded at the Divine studios, which has been aired globally on Divine TV. (Available at The Hungry Mind bookstore, Margao and Pedro Fernandez Music Store, Goa. For orders, call band manager Ian Menezes: 09823580050)
From L-R: Errol Andrade, Sergio Mascarenhas, Gavin Carvalho, Jessica Rodrigues, Vanessa Menezes, Glenlord Rodrigues, Deepak Dourado and Jerry Vaz. Photographs courtesy: Ronan Barreto, CFCI-Single, Goa.
Sharing
For some, the Christian Life Seminar (CLS) is their first encounter with Jesus, to others an encounter that strengthened the existing relationship. At the CLS, we give Christ to our brothers and sisters who are not in the community of CFCI. A few Couples and Singles share their Jesus Experience at the CLS.
Giving Christ
Its been 7 years since I joined CFCI as a handmaid. When my spouse returned from overseas, we participated in the CLS. It was here that I experienced the touch of God and His blessings for us in great measures. The teachings and sharing through various sessions have turned my sorrows into joy. I realized that Family is not junk but Gods special gift to us. Our coming as a couple has been our best decision, which has strengthened our walk with the Lord. Praise You Lord. Jacinta Amir Khan - Virar, Mumbai
ordinary life found new meaning when I joined CFCI. I now believe that, in prayer I address not just anyone but a true, living God, who knows me by my name. Through CFCI, I now have a clearer understanding of Gods word to me and In turn, I ask Him to supply my every need because He listens. I dont spend too much time worrying about my future and the future of my family; for I am confident that He has a beautiful plan for us (Jeremiah 29:11). I will be faithful to my personal prayer time with Jesus. Greta Shyam Awale - Virar, Mumbai
I will make you strong and help you, I will protect you and save you (Is.41:10) was the Lords assurance for me, as I completed the CLS successfully. The sessions helped me understand Gods personal love for me, what it means to be a Christian! Who is my neighbor? etc. My life has taken on a new perspective with respect to myself, my family and all Gods creation. I have been a part of many prayer groups in the past, but it was only through the sharing in CFCI and the CLS that I finally learnt to be patient, positive and self-controlled in mind and speech, through the word of God. Now I wait on the Holy Spirit for every big or small decision in my life. I am truly living a faith-filled life and my home is an abode of peace. I thank my Almighty Father, who has brought me to the CFCI, through which I have truly experienced a New Life in Christ Jesus.
Julie Dsouza - Virar, Mumbai
My
and positive. Its a sure sign of Gods work as He chooses His people to lead others who are in spiritual darkness into His Light. The teaching of Christ has helped us to follow the right path because of which there is peace and harmony in our family, society and community on the whole. Amir Khan - Virar, Mumbai
The CFCI Christian Life Seminar was very effective
Before joining CFCI, I was more like a pessimist, the one who expected the worst out of everything. However, I have always wanted to have a good relationship with God, but the biggest dilemma was going about it with my little faith. In todays world, various forces are destroying the very foundations of the family and CFCI helps to protect family life which is Gods great plan. As an individual, the CLS has strengthened my relationship with God. I now live a fuller life, with the power and gifts of the Holy Spirit. My wife and I have renewed our commitment to the Lord Jesus, to grow in maturity as men and women of God. Today, I spend hours with God, thanking and praising him for making me worthy and bringing about a 180 degree change in my life.
Fernando Rodrigues - Virar, Mumbai
Sharing CFCI Singles, Bengaluru CLS for the Singles began on the 4th weekend of June. In all, there were 13 participants who attended this program, of which 3 were Hindus and 3 were non-Catholic. As of now, we have 10 regular participants. Of the sessions, the first 3 talks (Gods Love, What it means to be a Christian and Sin, Repentance & Faith) were given as a livein program ending with confession and the Holy Eucharist. Talk 4 onwards was a once in a week gathering. The CLS this far has been an exception in many ways; it has been the first time we conducted a CLS for the Singles, it was completely and exceptionally handled by the CFCI-Singles, except for the talks which were given by the CFCICouples, the ratio of Catholic to non-Catholic participants was almost 50:50, the average age of participants was between 25 and 34, a very serious and mature group. Prajwal Pinto - Bengaluru CFCI-Singles, Mumbai The CFCI-Singles CLS was held on 24th - 26th June 2011 (Vinalaya, Andheri East) and was the first live-in program conducted in Mumbai. It was planned and organized by the existing CFCI-Singles under the mentorship of our formators Jennifer and Emilio Noronha. The planning and execution of the CLS went on for 12 weeks, powered by intercessory prayers and the fasting chain. There were 33 participants including new entrants into the ministry and CFCI-Youth transitioning into Singles. The CLS started off on Friday evening with an ice breaker, followed by talks that were given through the 3 days. The program also involved avenues for a greater spiritual experience through confessions, One on Ones with CFCI Couple mentors, and PrayOver session, an open forum dealing with doubts that were addressed by our Formators and the team, experience sharing and testimonies by the participants. The CLS culminated in the formation of three new CFCI-Singles households in Mumbai from the existing one. Sunita Machado - Mumbai
CFCI Singles, Bengaluru
understanding. But this weekend program was really a unique experience. Unique in a way, being the awareness of the body of Christ, the people. I learnt over the week to love and care for the body of Christ more than oneself. And ultimately this program has made me emphasize GODs amazing love for me and HIS will for my life. I thank the team and every other participant who were eager for GOD and shared their time with me in their various discussions to strengthen one another. Patrick - Bengaluru by birth. The retreat was great and very informative about the Christian way of life. The best part about the meeting was that it had enough content and gaps between each session, so that we could truly absorb whatever was told to us. To make things better, we even had great fun activities, which helped us build a bond with all the participants at the meeting. Overall, the weekend program was a grand success. Rose Raj - Bengaluru this name may sound ordinary but it has power, a power that added that little extra in me and made me extraordinary. The talks given during the seminar continue to help me live with Jesus as the center of my life even today. I have the courage to smile even on the most difficult days of my life. I know God is there for me. Even if I fall, Hell pick me up. I have Full And Intense Trust in HimFAITH in him. During the Pray-Over session, I felt Jesus presence. I completely surrendered myself to Him. He filled me with the Holy Sprit and I received the gift of Tongues, the best gift Ive ever received. The next amazing gift that Jesus gave me that day is my CFCI-Singles community. I can very proudly say that Im a SOLDIER IN GODS ARMY. It feels great to be amongst Gods servants and to be one too. Merlin Fernandes - Mumbai
To begin with, I was seeking God with my own
My name is Rose Raj; Im 31 years old and a Hindu
CLS,
Kids page
Im just too young to hear God speak. Is that what you think? Samuel was young just like you and he heard God speak to him. Heres his story. Colour the page as you read.
Concept & Art:Mansel Alvares & Rahul Dsouza
Kids page
Who is your Hero?

The books and movies have captivated us. You wait eagerly for the reruns on POGO. You treasure your collection of Harry Potter books. Roseann Dutton says there is someone REAL and far more captivating. Someone worth treasuring and sharing with the rest of
The Enchanting and Magical world of Harry Potter may seem like quite the place to be. Here absolutely nothing seems impossible. A spell and the wave of a wand---- lo and behold, youve turned fat Charlie the class bully into a great big ugly toad. If youre thinking of running up to the nearby candy store, not too much effort, all you need is some floo powder and a fireplace or you could simply teleport at the crack of a wand or you could use the old flying broomstick to get there!!! The only thing you need to trouble yourself over is mastering your spells from your (defense against the dark arts, charms, potions, care of magical creatures.) textbooks, the art of saying them out nicely and clearly and hey presto... your wand does all the talking. Whats better still is fighting the BAD GUYS becomes a whole lot easier. As tempting and marvellous as this fairytale world may seem ... This world does not exist! But fret not, we have something FAR better! Better than Harry, you ask? Yes! Someone twice as powerful! He needs no floo powder or even a wand for that matter. He doesnt need to use legilimency to read your thoughts nor does He need to look into a cup of tea leaves to tell Him what the future holds He is constantly watching over you and taking care of you. He knows all that you do. He doesnt need an anti-cheating spell to know if youve been cheating in your exams or a cheering charm to cheer you up when youre sad. Hes present everywhere. Havent you wished Harry was your best friend? But guess what, this greater guy IS your best friend if you want Him to be one! This amazing all powerful person is none other than our very own JESUS. He walked on water, healed the sick, opened the eyes of the blind, changed water into wine, fed a multitude with two fish and five loaves of bread, brought Lazarus back from the dead (something Harry couldnt even dream of doing) and lots of more fascinating stuff. Just imagine what He can do in your life. Whats more amazing is that He doesnt want you to master any spells, nor does He need you to pass your OWLs, but Hed rather you just talk to Him. Tell Him all your prayers. Do you know the best part? Jesus defeated the bad guy not by a war of spells but by dying on the cross for you and me. He died and defeated the devil only for you. His death won a victory that was much better than the victory that Harry Potter won by slaying Voldemort (finally!, ironically he kept coming back to life) and the best part is, He did this only because He loved you and to give YOU life and the devil is defeated once and for all and he is not coming back to life! Harrys never going to be your best friend but the bigger, better guy ,wants to be best pals with you. Isnt that super cool? So what are you going to do? Are you going to make Him your best friend today? Because He wants to be yours!!
Report
Royalty and loving it

The Kids Village! Where do I begin!? The Kids Village was fit for Royalty! And Royalty attended the Kids Village. It was a beautiful celebration of Gods perfection in our lives. Come, Just As You Are was the official name of the Village. However, as we started working on the content, we realized we must come just as we are, and when we realize the plan of God and why He created us, we will each be convinced that I AM Royalty! Im always overwhelmed at the sheer number of Youth, Singles and Couples willing to serve the kids. Whatever might be the reason, they come with big smiles and lots of love. Planning the Kids Village in Goa was a wonderful experience. There were moments of desperation and confusion, elation and tremendous joy. We worked together as a team, some from Mumbai, most from Goa and even from Mangalore, not for one minute different from the others, all working with one heart and one mindset for God. We received tremendous help right from the preparation of theme, concept, and content right down to the actual execution of all that we had prepared for. This included all the nitty-gritties of the program like lights, registration, the songs, the backdrop, the kit, logistics, photography, preparation of badges and buttons, t-shirts, bags and the music and dance ministry which our dedicated Youth and Couples courageously executed to perfection. The kids caught on soon to the fascinating actions and energy and the entire room, from the 2 year olds to the 62 year olds
Every year, kids look forward to the Kids Village, a one-day event for all CFCI Kids to enjoy, learn and praise as a community. 2011 saw the kids learn that they are Royalty. Full-time Worker Abigail Ferrao enthusiastically reports on the I am Royalty Kids Village. was aglow with Christs presence. We were also blessed to have a brother from the Singles in Margao who provided sound for free. Our kit, although it arrived in many parts, all got here in time! Since our supply from Mumbai was well coordinated. We, as a team, had many laughs, a few (one or two) tears, lots of food, and many deep heart stirring soul searching conversations. We realized that we really need each other; we cant do it all alone. We all have big plans for the kids. We have wonderful formators, we have perfect beautiful children and we have Jesus who is grace in our need. Serving the kids is an opportunity for the entire community to come together and that just doesnt happen overnight. It takes time, it takes persistence, and it takes a great love for the young souls waiting to be formed. One of many couples whove understood this call and have been our constant support is Cedric and Sarita Carvalho. They never gave up, even after all the kids in the chapter grew up and moved on to the youth segment, they went out and shared the message of Jesus love for the little children in the parish. Many dreams and plans! We believe this is just the beginning and its going to be absolutely out of this world! God made you and God made me, to be His family. Jesus made you and me Royalty.
1-A perfect opportunity for CFCI Kids and CFCI Youth to come together in joyful praise. 2- CFCI Youth inspiring young minds through the workshops. Photographs courtesy: Mauvin Menezes CFCI-Single, Goa.
Report
I really have no words to describe my joy at this amazing program. I had to give them a talk on I am perfect, and I was not sure of what I must say to them because these little angels were so small. As a part of the talk, I told them interesting facts about their body, e.g how small their heart was and what was the size of their brain and they were amazed with these facts.
I was also in the dance ministry and I must say I have danced for hours together, but dancing with these kids was totally different. I was filled with a lot of joy to see them just stand there and watch us dance and then try to dance in the same way. I learnt one thing that, no matter whether you are happy or sad, these kids will just make you smile, laugh, shout and scream for no reason at all. My heart melted when Samuel, a CFCI-Kid jumped and hugged me. He said, I will miss you, Ryan. I am blessed to serve this beautiful creation of God. Thank you Lord. Ryan Rego - Goa
Kids Village, Mumbai
The Word according to the kids After the family rosary, four year old Jonathan insisted that he would read the Bible. Holding it upside down he announced: And Jesus said, all you naughty dinosaurs, stand in a line. This is not the place for you. Go home. Thats what Jesus says. Amen. Isabel with great enthusiasm goes to her mom and narrates a story of how the monkey and the crow didnt want to play together and claims that Jesus narrated the same story in the bible. Her mother told her that she had never heard such a story in the Bible. She promptly said, Thats because its from the Letters of St. Paul. (As witnessed by the Kids Village service team at Bengaluru.)
Photographs courtesy: Neshwin Noel Almeida, CFCI-Single, Margao, Goa. CFCI-Youth Raynol Dsouza leading the kids in a prayer. Service team with the CFCI-Kids of Bengaluru.
The I am royalty message of the Kids Village 2011 was also taken to Mumbai and Bengaluru chapters of CFCI Kids. Chapters that are interested in hosting this program in their areas can contact Pastoral Worker Abigail Ferrao at the CFCI Goa office. 37 CFCI Magazine | January 2012
Amusing Grace
Mama Marys birthday is a big celebration, especially at Mount Marys, Bandra, Mumbai. Last year was no different. Ralph Rebello, CFCI-Couple(Mumbai) and our featured columnist, muses about the great feast that he celebrated as a kid and how times have now changed.
they sold you had to choose the shape to match your petition. I guess it was a very, very busy time for Mother Mary, so this helped her decipher our prayers faster, and she could Green Channel them to the Father. I havent gone to the Fair in years. Rowdy crowds and commercialism have taken away the charm. I know Mother Mary is happy to see any and every one who drops in for her birthday party though Id prefer going at a quieter time. Wed get enough time together to talk and pray, without having to hurry along and getting a wax finger poked in my eye. As I type this, I look at a souvenir from the Mount on my desk a pic of Mother Mary with Baby Jesus. Its good to have her right in front of my face so I can pray right to her when Im stuck for an idea (like this article). And shes there to discipline me too, when I want to rant in the worst possible way about a client and what hes doing to my writing. Her calming presence, and an aura of motherly love comes through. Try keeping her on your desk too; youre sure to see the benefits. This was written on my mothers birthday, and were catching up that evening. Yup, two mothers birthdays in the same month; so Ive got a double blessing. Maybe you want to catch up with your mother too, today. Spend some time, chat, enjoy each others company... especially if you havent done it in a long time. Shes always close to you and to your heart, just like Mother Mary.
Mamas birthday
The month of September saw a grand feast day the birthday of our blessed Mother Mary. For us in Bandra (Mumbai), in the days when I still had hair, this day ranked right up there with Christmas and Easter. Especially for the lunch my Mum would prepare. Cousins and relatives would troop in after visiting the Mount and would stagger out, belts loosened to the max. The Fair had its charms too and as kids wed have to get the mandatory bubbles, wooden swords, toys, knick-knacks... even a cane which Dad would use to leave a delicate imprint on our posteriors when we misbehaved. And the rides, the freak shows, the music, the smell of roasting popcorn will never fade from memory. Yes, we had to say hello to Mother Mary first, jostling in the endless line, to get a three-second glimpse of her and whisper a prayer, before the tsunami of the crowd shoved you out of the church. What fascinated me were the candles
Graphics and images used in this publication are either original works of contributors within the CFCI community or have been sourced from www.creativecommons.org and www.creationswap.com, conforming to the rules of these websites that manage technical infrastructure to share and legally use unlicensed images for free. 38 CFCI Magazine | January 2012
Visiting Cards Pamphlets Banners E-Books Magazines Story Boarding E-learning
2D Animatics Flash animation Promotional and FX video 3D Product Designing Interior and Exterior Walkthroughs 3D Animated short film
Concept :- Neshwin Almeida Art Work :- Foxc studios
That is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each others faith. Romans 1:12
We are Heralds of
disciples of all people by

sharing the
Gods Kingdom, anointed by the Holy Spirit, sent forth by Christ, to make
Good News of love, life and family
Printed by: Microprints, Fort, Mumbai. 022-22630397 40
CFCI Magazine | January 2012

CFC India Magazine ISSUE 1

Caricato da

Informazioni sul documento

Copyright

Formati disponibili

Condividi questo documento

Condividi o incorpora il documento

Opzioni di condivisione

Hai trovato utile questo documento?

Questo contenuto è inappropriato?

Copyright:

Formati disponibili

CFC India Magazine ISSUE 1

Caricato da

Copyright:

Formati disponibili

I heard the call And I said YES

For private circulation only 1 CFCI Magazine | January 2012

January 2012 | Quarterly issue.

Carol Ferrao New logo. New beginning

By the burning bush... 6

Pastoral Formation Office... 10

National Singles Conference... 16

National Youth Conference... 22

North East Mission... 28

Special Thanks Savio and Louella Braganza

Carol Ferrao Roseann Dutton

Ralph and Frances Rebello Elda Dias Louis Gonsalves

Neshwin Almeida Mansel Alvares

From the vineyard

4 CFCI Magazine | January 2012

5 CFCI Magazine | January 2012

By the burning bush

I Heard the Call, I said YES

6 CFCI Magazine | January 2012

7 CFCI Magazine | January 2012

God is a hard task master but the salary is good.

8 CFCI Magazine | January 2012

Who me? Are you sure God?

10 CFCI Magazine | January 2012

Communication and Administration

Pastoral Insight & Support

12 CFCI Magazine | January 2012

We are heralds of Gods Kingdom.

Servant Orientation Program

13 CFCI Magazine | January 2012

4 Photographs courtesy: Ronan Barreto, CFCI-Singles, Goa.

14 CFCI Magazine | January 2012

OH CANT YOU SEE WHAT LOVE HAS DONE...

Ever since I got back from the conference, Ive had

16 CFCI Magazine | January 2012

For me personally, this community, this family,

Photographs courtesy: Neshwin Noel Almeida CFCI-Single, Margao, Goa.

17 CFCI Magazine | January 2012

18 CFCI Magazine | January 2012

Safe in His hands

20 CFCI Magazine | January 2012

21 CFCI Magazine | January 2012

22 CFCI Magazine | January 2012

Being a non-Catholic by birth, and not even a

23 CFCI Magazine | January 2012

The 100% Pure Weekend helped me open my

24 CFCI Magazine | January 2012

25 CFCI Magazine | January 2012

26 CFCI Magazine | January 2012

27 CFCI Magazine | January 2012

Map Graphic by- Ian Noronha, CFCI-Youth, Goa.

28 CFCI Magazine | January 2012

29 CFCI Magazine | January 2012

31 CFCI Magazine | January 2012

The CFCI Christian Life Seminar was very effective

32 CFCI Magazine | January 2012

CFCI Singles, Bengaluru

To begin with, I was seeking God with my own

My name is Rose Raj; Im 31 years old and a Hindu

33 CFCI Magazine | January 2012

Concept & Art:Mansel Alvares & Rahul Dsouza

34 CFCI Magazine | January 2012

Who is your Hero?

35 CFCI Magazine | January 2012