The CFC Leadership Development Program was launched on December 7, 2011, at the Lay Force Formation Center, San Carlos Seminary, Guadalupe, Makati City.
Describing the program as a “a threshold of a new beginning in CFC,” Joe Yamamoto, a member of the CFC International Council and Head of the Leadership Development Program, explained that the program is a response to the clamor of CFC leaders who, in a formal survey held during the Evangelization and Mission Congress last June, 2011, sought the “review and updating of the leaders’ manuals and the establishment of the CFC Leaders Forum/Institute.”
One of the highlights of the launch was the lecture of Fr. Mario Sobrejuanite of the Society of St. Paul, on “Discovering, Affirming and Exercising Christian Leadership.” He emphasized that “Christian leadership is equal to empowerment to service. The call to leadership is a call to be empowered.”
Fr. Mario enumerated the essence of being Christian leaders.
He clarified that Christian leaders should have the “consciousness to being called and sent.” The initiative is always from God; it is God who calls and sends. Fr. Mario explained that God first says, “Come,” which means “learn from me,” not as a mere acquaintance, but as one meant to have a deep personal knowledge of Him.
Fr. Mario stressed that, “Every call begins with discipleship,”and only thereafter will the Lord tell us to “Go!” He commented that, “Ang malaking pagkakamali ng marami, pumupunta kahit hindi pinadadala (The greatest mistake of many is going without being sent.).
The second essence of a Christian leader is he is “empowered by the Holy Spirit for the service of the Church.” The empowerment is aimed to make the leader fit and ready for service to renew and build up the Church. “Pagkumita sa service o sumarap ang buhay, hindi ito service to the Church.” (If one benefits from the service or begins to enjoy a comfortable life, this is not service to the Church.) True leaders must continue to remind himself and others that “Ako ay may pwesto dahil iniutos sa akin na kayo’y pagsilbihan.” (I am in a position of leadership only because I was instructed to serve.)
The third is a “deep conviction of being unworthy and incapable.” Just like St. Paul who described himself as “the least of all the apostles,” then as “a servant of Christ Jesus”, and as “the worst of all sinners,” Fr. Mario emphasized that “the nearer you are to the sun, the darker becomes your shadow.” This simply means that those who occupy positions of leadership face the great hazard of being engulfed by the darkness of pride and sin. Fr. Mario explained that this is the reason why CFC, and any other religious organization or movement, must have a Spiritual director to ensure the continued flow of guidance and counsel.
The fourth essence is the “complete dependence on God for strength and reward.” Citing Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, Fr. Mario said that, “The call is not to be successful, but to be faithful.” For “not everyone who does good, does it for the right reason.” Fr. Mario exhorted that “if your leader is no longer teachable, dapat bumaba na (he should step down). He will destroy your community.”
The fifth is that the Christian leader “suffers for being a servant and a prophet for God.” The leader knows that “right is right even if everybody is against it” and “wrong is wrong even if everybody is for it.” Power finds its greatness in him who accepts powerlessness and depends on the power from on High.
In his homily during the mass that he celebrated after the lecture, Fr. Mario enjoined CFC leaders to emulate the Blessed Mother, who as God’s servant was “never the bida (the star).” He reminded all that “as God empowers you, always keep close to Mary.”
The program concluded with a short workshop during which CFC leaders identified the topmost qualities of a CFC leader. Emerging as top desirable qualities were as: faithfulness, prayerful attitude, humility, obedience, servanthood and witnessing as a role model.
The lecture is the first in a series of offerings that the Program aims to bring down to the leadership.
The program is meant to “develop pastoral and corporate leadership capability to enable delivery of CFC global mission; develop the next generation of Christian leaders who will assume key roles in the transformation of society; lead others along the journey to personal holiness (thrive as lay leaders in society at large); use relevant corporate management skills to deliver evangelization and pastoral mission; review the training manuals for household heads (HH), unit heads(UH) and chapter heads (CH); enhance existing training tracks; and refine existing platforms.”
Top CFC leaders, including the members of the International Council, the Board of Elders, Metro Manila Sector Heads, Regional Heads, Provincial Area Heads and governance teams, the young and budding leaders in and from the Family Ministries, and non- CFC leaders who are eager and desirous to learn more about leadership, are expected to benefit from this program. By Marivie Dalman
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