The CFC Mission Core Group held their annual weekend retreat last January 27 to 29, 2012 at Camp John Hay in Baguio. Over 2,000 leaders of CFC and its Ministries from Metro Manila and the provinces, Brunei, China, Macau, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, East Timor, Australia, Papua New Guinea, USA, Canada, the Middle East, Lebanon, and Qatar came to participate in the event, dubbed as the “Magnificat Weekend,” based on the community’s theme for the year, “Proclaim the Greatness of the Lord” (Luke 1:46). 
The retreat officially started on Friday afternoon, with the Sacrifice of the Holy Mass led by CFC’s Spiritual Director, Monsignor Allen Aganon. A new feature of the traditional annual retreat is the recitation of the Holy Rosary before the Holy Mass. The rosary will be recited prior to the Masses on Saturday and Sunday morning as well.
The Friday session was devoted to fun and fellowship with the different MM sectors exhibiting their talents in the “CFC Goes GLEE” show choir competition. But GLEE had a different meaning that night --the show was meant to showcase the community’s “GLEE spirit,” i.e. to become “Godly, Loving and Exciting Evangelizers.” CFC Metro Manila Central A sector ended up winning first place, with West B and South B sectors gaining second and third place respectively.
There were four talks slated for the entire weekend. Another new feature of the weekend retreat was the unveiling of four new original song compositions that embody the message of each of the talks. Monsignor Allen Aganon began the retreat with the Prologue, explaining Mary’s Magnificat as a “canticle of God’s love to the lowly,” and also a “canticle of adoration, trust and gratitude.” According to Msgr. Aganon, the Magnificat is not just the song of Mary, but the song of the Church and of CFC, for it expresses our being loved by God, despite our unworthiness, and reminds us that everything we have experienced is grace.
The first talk, “Proclaim the Greatness of the Lord,” was given CFC International Council (IC) member Jun Uriarte who explained that evangelization is CFC’s primary mission. Just like Mary, who carried forth the Good News and declared, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,” we in CFC are called to do the same. We are called, too, to go in haste and evangelize. However, we must first receive Christ in our hearts, and deepen our personal relationship with Him. CFC China Country Head Israel Silud and CFC USA Country Director Eric Villanueva each shared about how God is using CFC to evangelize the locals in their respective countries and mission areas.
Session Two: “All Ages Will Call Me Blessed: Call to Holiness and Discipleship,” was given by CFC Family Ministries International Coordinator Mannix Ocampo. He explained how Mary’s actions during her lifetime truly showed her as Jesus’ “first and most perfect disciple.” Each CFC member is called to follow her example, by living a life of deep faith, humility and obedience. We must also be willing to share in Jesus’ suffering, just as Mary did. CFC Gift of Life Core Team members Aldy and Joy Katigbak, and Nina Ponte, wife of CFC IC member Rouquel Ponte, shared their personal experiences on the topic.
Nonoy Dalman, CFC International Council member and Finance Head, then went onstage to discuss how CFC is called to “Lift Up the Lowly,” which is a consequence of “truly living out our faith as Christians.” Like Mary, CFC members are called to be courageous and generous, always advocating and fighting for a just society. This is why Our Lady of Banneux is CFC’s patroness for its work with the poor. Bob Penalosa of West B shared his sector’s experience in setting up the work with the poor, but with a difference – the work in the sector is dedicated to Mary, Our Lady of Banneux and evangelization, not physical accomplishments, is the main goal. A Muslim couple then took the stage to proclaim God’s goodness in their lives and how the fire that burned in their hearts during the Christian Life program which they attended as beneficiaries has led them to surrender their lives to Jesus.
The afternoon session ended with the exposition and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, again a welcome innovation and one that truly expresses the retreat’s goal of drawing the participants closer to our Mother. At the homily during the Sunday Mass, Monsignor Aganon exhorted everyone to remember all that they had learned, and would learn, during the retreat. He also told those gathered that “this year is a time for reconciliation and forgiveness,” saying that division does not have a place in God’s kingdom.
After Mass, the last session, “God is Faithful to All Generations,” was given by CFC Executive Director Melo Villaroman, Jr. He emphasized the importance of remembering God’s promise that He would be faithful to all generations, through all difficulties and trials. God is faithful and does not change and always keeps His promises; His love does not change. Villaroman’s sons Dave and Sam testified to this through their own inspiring experiences of God’s faithfulness. The weekend culminated in the imposition of the brown scapular of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, with the participants consecrating their families to Jesus through Mama Mary.
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