Pioneer family organization

In these modern day and age, several practices and methods seriously eroding family solidarity and devaluing human life are gradually and deceptively creeping into our society. The present generation is constantly and subtly undergoing so many pressures to change their values and traditions of love of God and neighbor with love of self and material things of this world. So far recent events have shown that most Filipinos and their families have not totally succumbed to these pressures as they continue to display that spirit of selflessness and solidarity within the family and with their fellowmen in need of help.

One of the organizations that has played and continued to play a great role in preserving these values and traditions and in strengthening marriage as the foundation of the family and solidifying the family as the foundation of this nation is the Christian Family Movement (CFM). It is one of the Catholic lay movements which my wife Josie and I joined during the early years of our marriage that has enabled us and other Filipino families to resist the pressures of this modern materialistic world. 

The CFM is the pioneer family organization in the Philippines. It was founded in America by Pat and Patty Crowley and introduced here by Tony and Teresa Nieva in 1956. It is the only organization composed of families — married couples or single/solo parents and their sons and daughters.

Our marriage has lasted for 46 years and continues to grow stronger mainly because of the CFM and the CFM families we have been associated with. Indeed the CFM families have ably performed their role of evangelizing other Filipino families with their family life and social action programs.

It is in the CFM where we first learned about the true concept of responsible parenthood that enabled us to raise our family in accordance with God’s plan. We learned that “responsible parenthood is exercised either by the mature and generous decision to raise a large family, or by the decision, made for grave motives, and with respect for the moral law, to avoid a new birth for the time being or even for an indeterminate period (Paul VI Enc. Humanae Vitae 10).

It is in our bi-monthly CFM meetings where we learned that determining the grave reasons for avoiding birth for the time being is left to us married couples bearing in mind the purpose of marriage which is to participate in the creation of life or procreation. The couples decide on this after forming their conscience in accordance with the teachings of the Church.

We CFMers also learned that when it comes to regulating births, there are licit and illicit methods. The artificial methods are illicit, while the natural methods are licit. We discussed the Papal Encyclicals Humanae Vitae and Familiaris Consortio which taught us that birth spacing for grave reasons requires couples to abstain from marital acts except during periods of the women’s infertility when conception cannot take place. This is the natural family planning which has been proven to be 99.9% effective and does not entail any expense on the part of couples.

Artificial methods on the other hand are illicit because some of the artificial contraceptives made available to women and mothers not only entails so much expense benefitting only big pharmaceutical companies but also because they cause abortion which is nothing more than the killing of the fetus or an innocent human being in the womb of the mother. This is intrinsically evil not only from the Church’s point of view but also according to all persons with upright conscience. Indeed CFMers are at the forefront of the fight against the passage of the RH bill now pending in Congress because it makes available these contraceptives.

Starting today October 23 at 2 p.m. up to October 26, 2009, the CFM is having its 30th National Convention at the Grand Caprice in Cagayan de Oro. The gathering of members all over the country also welcomes interested family and life workers. With the theme “CFM’s Response to the Challenge of Stewardship”, the convention expects to produce apostolic plans and strategies to enable the movement to respond to the Church’s call to its faithful to be stewards of God’s creation.

Cagayan de Oro Mayor Tinnex Jaraula will welcome the delegates. Keynote speaker is Dr. Lourdes “Honey” Carandang. On Saturday and Sunday, there will be Eucharistic Celebrations by Archbishop Tony Ledesma and Bishop Honesto Pacana respectively. Workshops on various topics regarding stewardship will be conducted by Msgr. Vic Rivas, Msgr. Rey Monsanto, Bishop Elenito Galido and Jorge and Josie Santamaria. Seminars on “Solo Parenting” will also be conducted by Linda Santos and Sony Sison, “Developing Facilitating Skills” by Dette Pascual, “Spirituality of Stewardship” by Rene and Inday Pronstroller. Atty. Rolly Vinluan will talk on “How to Prevent Domestic Violence”.

The incoming President Couple is Roger and Naty Dayan, the incumbent executive vice president who will take over from the outgoing president Joe and Zeny Capistrano effective January 1, 2010. By tradition in this 53-year old organization, the EVP and area presidents are elected during the convention for a term of two calendar years. The EVP then assumes the Presidency after two years. No reelection is allowed for the two top positions.

Before relinquishing their post, Joe and Zeny Capistrano will give their two-year report. Mel and Emma Ricafrente, the Continental Asia CFN/CF-SM president will also report focusing on the recent assembly of Asian delegates in Thailand. Also updating the delegates on the CFM Foundation which is the funding arm of the CFM are Rene and Inday Pronstroller its president. Mario and Inday Nery on the other hand will speak on “Revitalization and Expansion Strategies while Rene and Conce Peronilla will share on their Christ the King, Green Meadows Experience.

This year’s convention is bound to be another well attended and fruitful gathering as it is hosted by the CFM Diocesan groups of Mindanao under area VP Remy and Leda Gonzales. Convention chair couple is Boy and Ann Pozon assisted by Rodel and Badette Reyes. Registration Committee chair couple is Boy and Ging Neri while the Secretariat is headed by Hermie and Penny Nicdao.