As an association of the faithful of Pontifical Right, CFC is one with the Catholic Church in developing and forming lay leaders who are ready to assume co-responsibility with the clergy and religious towards a renewed integral Evangelization in the Catholic Church in the Philippines.
Last October 4, 2025, CFC joined the Culmination of the National Laity Week held at the Ligaya ng Panginoon Formation Center, in Taguig City. Organized by the Sangguniang Laiko ng Pilipinas (Council of the Laity of the Philippines, CBCP Episcopal Commission on the Laity, or simply Laiko), the event was attended by other Catholic lay organizations throughout the country, including the Missionary Families for Christ (MFC), Legion of Mary (LoM), Ligaya ng Panginoon (LNP), and the Confraternity of Our Lady, Mediatrix Of All Grace—as well as delegates from the diocese of Pasig and the parishes of Sto. Niño de Tondo and Sto. Niño de Taguig.
With the theme “Empowered Laity Journeying Together as Pilgrims of Hope”, the culminating activity featured talks that encouraged the lay faithful towards a life of loving affirmation and faithful witnessing as individuals, families, and communities.
The program began with a celebration of the Holy Eucharist, led by Rev. Fr. Terrence Abranches, CSC, National Director of the Family Rosary Crusade Philippines. Attendees were then welcomed to the venue by LNP’s Bro. Melmarx Marcojos, who shared LNP’s history: from its humble beginnings as a weekly prayer meeting in Makati, Philippines, to a nationwide Catholic charismatic group that birthed global lay communities such as CFC, among others.
Bro. Xavy Padilla, MFC Servant-General, then shared in his opening remarks how the role of different national lay organizations was to make a difference beyond the slogans. How after 75 years of Sangguniang Laiko walking together with God’s people, now is a time to have a common mission and purpose.
The first session entitled “What is an Empowered Lay?” was delivered by Dr. Rene Josef Bullecer, Sangguniang Laiko’s Vice President for the Visayas Region, and the country’s former representative to Vatican City for the Pontifical Council for Life.
Dr. Bullecer reminded that the laity are the Catholic faithful who are baptized but not ordained with priestly duties. However, many members of the laity do not know they are empowered: they have authority, power, and ability because they are baptized in Christ. He also asserted that the lay is not only knowledgeable, confident, and capable of making decisions aligned with their faith, but also have responsibilities and rights that are recognized and upheld by the Church’s magisterium—specifically in the Code of Canon Law, and the encyclicals Evangelii Gaudium and Lumen Gentium.
The laity is empowered to be a light to the nations, and to sanctify the world as frontliners of Church life. Dr. Bullecer urged the faithful to move from being empowered laity to becoming pilgrims of hope—by knowing, living, sharing, and standing firm, even to the point of laying down their lives, for the Catholic faith. Because as pilgrims of hope, renewal is always possible, forgiveness is always available, and God’s mercy is endless.
Bro. Raymond Nobleza of the Lord’s Flock shared a personal testimony of how his professional setbacks, as well as his questions on identity and sexuality, became a backdrop for God’s power and revelation of His truth. By relying on the Holy Spirit to guide him through daily prayer, the corrections of community, engaging with Church authority, and forms of service that equipped him with new skills, Bro. Raymond found his true advocacy: Christ himself, who he strove to make known in the boardroom, in worship, and in the mission field.
For Bro. Raymond, it is the Holy Spirit that moves him to shepherd the young and tend to the wounds of the old—and it is the same Spirit that empowers, renews, and sanctifies him whenever he feels unworthy. His experiences highlighted how the laity is also “transformed and molded not for our own benefit, but for us to serve more.”
Another testimony, Hope Against Hope, was given by Jorge Bocobo with his wife Chi and their son Sancho. As a family, they shared their journey that began with Sancho’s diagnosis of type 2 spinal muscular atrophy at birth. Throughout more than ten years of treatment in the US, their experience of trusting in God’s goodness and providence has resulted in several positive outcomes for Sancho’s healing journey. With their experiences, the Bocobos urged attendees to stay close to the Lord, never grow complacent, and always trust in His plan—because every moment is a reminder of God’s grace, and no obstacle is too great when anchored in Him.
The second session, titled “Pilgrims of Hope”, was delivered by Bro. Bobby Quitain, LNP Evangelization Head and a lawyer by profession. He described having hope as choosing to see the greater picture of God’s plan of salvation, while recognizing all the Church’s challenges of time. For him, the goal of Catholics should be to look for evidence of hope amidst these challenges, and to H.O.P.E.: have faith, obey God, pray unceasingly, and evangelize. Bro. Bobby also identified a few “glimpses of hope” that he witnessed happening in the Philippines: people experiencing personal conversion of the heart by turning from their sinful lifestyles, and human kindness expressed in whatever form of ministry the individual might be in.
The program ended with a pray-over of the incoming members of the Sangguniang Laiko Board, as well as a pray-over of the attendees to say yes to God’s plan for them to live their best lives as Catholics, to witness and share His love and mercy, and to bring the lessons they learned from the culminating activity to their families, their communities, and to the whole world.
Official Photos: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1C4nb3odbm/
Credits:
Written by Angeli Arellano | Edited by Maia Tolentino | Photos by Digital Missions Team | Graphics and Layout by Jay Lucena