The Singles for Christ Pastoral Formation Track v2011

CFC SINGLES FOR CHRIST

The Singles for Christ Pastoral Formation Manual V.2011 Members Formation

Mike Serapio, MK Guano, Joy Katigbak

THE SINGLES FOR CHRIST PASTORAL FORMATION TRACK ( U P D A TE D O C TO B E R 2 0 1 1 )

Pastoral formation is one of the most important aspects of our life in community. Being spiritually nourished and formed according to God’s ways makes us true living witnesses of Christ and empowers us to evangelize in both word and action. After 18 years as a ministry, we put even greater emphasis on formation. Indeed we can say that we are in SFC to be formed so that we can evangelize. The new Singles for Christ Pastoral Formation track is the ministry’s response to the need of SFC members to be molded in the ways of the Lord and to continuously grow in their faith journey. It is an important element in achieving the SFC vision of “Every single man and woman all over the world experiencing Christ” and in fulfilling our mission of “Building the Church of the Home and Building the Church of the Poor.” The SFC Pastoral Formation Track is one of our most important tools for bringing to reality SFC’s expanded vision: “Every single man and woman all over the world experiencing Christ”

“Singles for Christ is the next generation of Couples for Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit to journey and witness with single men and women in their discovery and pursuit of vocations and the fullness of the mission towards building a Christ-centered society”

WHAT’S NEW IN OUR PFO? After 18 years, we in Singles for Christ LEVEL UP in our FORMATION. Our new pastoral formation track aims to 1) deepen our knowledge and understanding of our Catholic Faith and Christian living, 2) equip us to translate this knowledge and understanding into a lifestyle, and 3) prepare us to influence and affect others to also take on this Christian lifestyle. Our new Pastoral Formation track consists of: 1. Existing retreats and teachings that have been updated and modified to respond to the needs of the times 2. New retreats and teachings that meet specific needs of a single person in the major areas of his life

3. Formation weekends that make use of a Head and Heart Experience, i.e., we enrich the mind to transform the heart; we equip with knowledge so that this translates to behaviors that characterize the SFC culture and lifestyle. a. Increased focus on knowing and understanding what our faith teaches us b. More time for personal encounter with God through prayer c. Time for intimate encounter with brothers and sisters d. Time for learning and pondering how this will impact our lives e. Use of group activities/reflection/journaling to deepen impact of the message 4. More detailed outlines that help the speaker understand the spirit behind the retreat and its individual messages. We Level Up from Being Builders to Leaders Formation in SFC aims to empower SFCs to be Lifestyle Leaders, i.e., singles who will bring about positive change and renewal in the Church, in the family, in the workplace, and in society.

PRINCIPLES OF PASTORAL FORMATION The new SFC Pastoral Formation Track is based on the following principles: 1.

The life of the single person in SFC must be one with purpose, focused on the vision and mission of the ministry and on one’s discerned personal vocation and mission in response to this.

2. The SFC community should be a relevant and meaningful source of nourishment for its members, aside from being a body of Christian support in each member’s faith journey. 3. The formation of members in the ministry must be : a. Purposeful and deliberate. Seeking and receiving spiritual or pastoral formation should be an intentional effort on the part of both the ministry and each individual member. b. Relevant. The PF track is such that a member’s formation equips him with what he will need to live a fruitful and meaningful Christian life, covering different aspects of his life, and deepening as he progresses in the track. It should answer the needs of singles today, the challenges they face in the different aspects of their life: faith, family, career, relationships, vocation, and service.

c. Supporting the call and teachings of the Church. Even before we are members of a Christian community we are all part of the Church, the Body of Christ. Thus, pastoral formation in SFC should help members live out the faith and also be active contributing members of the Church, faithful to its teachings. d. Ongoing and continuous. Formation in a person’s faith life never ends. Thus, even after all the formation weekends and teachings have been completed, each member must be moved and supported in seeking other avenues for formation. At the same time, leaders who look after the formation of their members also proactively help provide them with various opportunities for spiritual growth and nourishment. 4. Formation must be holistic and integrated. One’s faith life must permeate all other aspects of life: family, career, relationships, citizenship. Thus, there is no “double-life”; rather, each one becomes a witness of Christ in and out of community. 5. The formation of SFC is anchored on the ministry’s vision: “Every single man and woman all over the world experiencing Christ.” We are formed that we may experience Christ and see Him in everything that happens in our lives, and thus be empowered to make this a reality in the lives of others. Formation brings the vision to life and aims at making it a reality.

STAGES OF FORMATION The SFC PF Track is divided into three periods representing the three stages of formation in the life of a Singles for Christ member. Each period or stage aims to meet specific pastoral goals covering the following areas of formation: 1. 2. 3. 4.

Spiritual Deepening (Relationship with God) Personal Relationship with Others Life and Service in Community Personal Identity and Vocation

Stage 1: Nurturing and Supporting This period reinforces the core teachings of the CLP, providing the teachings necessary to equip and strengthen SFCs’ resolve to begin to live out their covenant as Singles for Christ. It also introduces the culture of the CFC community and helps SFCs begin their discernment of their vocation based on their identity as man or woman. Stage 2: Strengthening and Fortifying As formation deepens, so, we expect, also the SFC’s desire to grow in his faith life and to serve and share with others how Christ has worked in his life. There is also more focus in this stage on strengthening relationships in and out of the community and making a more definite and deliberate discernment of vocation. Stage 3: Deepening and Empowering

In this stage, SFCs become more active witnesses of Christ as they grow deeper in spiritual maturity, in their service, and in living out their calling as Singles for Christ. This stage strengthens their missionary spirit and their servant’s heart, empowering them to be committed Christian men and women actively living out their calling in the world today.

SINGLES FOR CHRIST PASTORAL FORMATION GOALS Nurturing and Supporting Spiritual Deepening

Strengthening and Fortifying

Deepening and Empowering

Grow in their knowledge of and personal relationship with God Grow in their commitment to a deep and faithful prayer life anchored on a strong personal relationship with God Grow in their knowledge of love for God through an active scripture life

Take concrete steps to deepen their prayer and scripture life

Deepen in their life of prayer by appreciating different prayer methods

Grow in their understanding of the spiritual gifts Understand the importance of the sacraments in their spiritual growth and begin to take steps to grow in their sacramental life.

Grow in their understanding of and love for the sacraments towards a richer sacramental life

Further deepen in their understanding and love for the sacraments

Grow in their knowledge of the faith and be defenders of the Catholic faith

Personal Relationship with Others

Know how to begin to live the life of a Christian single person in the family, in the workplace, in their relationships, and in the bigger community

Begin to grow in Christian character and virtues

Grow in Christian character and virtues

Be models of Christ's love in action in their relationships with others

Know and appreciate life in community and begin to relate to others as brothers and sisters

Share the gift of Christ and community with their family

Be empowered and committed to live out their Christian calling in the world today

Imbibe the culture of the community especially in relating to brothers and sisters

Begin to live out faith by loving and serving the poor

Deepen in love for others, especially the poor, as an overflow of God's love for them

SINGLES FOR CHRIST PASTORAL FORMATION GOALS Nurturing and Supporting Life and Service in the Community

Have a greater understanding of the SFC vision and desire to make it happen

Desire to evangelize and offer oneself in service to do God’s work

Strengthening and Fortifying Develop themselves as a leader and as a servant of God

Deepening and Empowering Deepen in their commitment as a servant-leader Help develop leaders in the community

Articulate and understand the SFC vision and mission

Personal Identity and Vocation

Actively live out the SFC mission as part of their lifestyle Understand and appreciate their calling to be a missionary wherever they may be

Actively participate in evangelization and mission in one’s personal capacity and as part of SFC

Begin to use the spiritual gifts

Deepen and grow in their use of the spiritual gifts

Deepen in their use of the spiritual gifts

Appreciate the importance of proper stewardship of their resources

Develop in their faithfulness in supporting God’s work financially

Actively work for the upbuilding of the community and what it stands for

Grow in their understanding of spiritual warfare

Be empowered for spiritual warfare

Understand and appreciate their identity and purpose as male or female as created by God

Actively discern their vocation in life

Live out their discerned calling in the community

Understand God’s design and purpose for human sexuality

Be equipped in discerning God's will

Grow in discernment of God’s will

Desire and take steps to live a life of purity

Be empowered to live a life of purity, freedom, and responsibility

Actively advocate pro-life values as a lifestyle

THE SINGLES FOR CHRIST PASTORAL FORMATION TRACK FOR MEMBERS (OCTOBER 2011) FORMATION WEEKENDS

Stage 1: Nurturing and Supporting

Stage 2: Strengthening and Fortifying

Stage 3: Deepening and Empowering

Covenant Orientation Weekend (prerequisite to all formation weekends)

Christ Pursuit Weekend

Ablaze Weekend (for upload)

Men’s Weekend I: A Knight’s Tale (prerequisite to MW II) Women’s Weekend I: Princess Diaries (prerequisite to MW II)

Men and Women’s Weekend II (combined): Intimacy Weekend (prerequisite to MW III and WW III)

Men’s Weekend III (for upload) Women’s Weekend III (for upload)

Christian Character Weekend

Christian Personal Relationships Weekend (for upload)

Crossroads Weekend I (prerequisite to CW II) (for upload) Crossroads Weekend II (for upload) *Note: Each stage does not necessarily correspond to one year, and may take more than a year to complete. See Guidelines for the proper implementation of each stage of formation.

MEMBERS’ TEACHINGS SFC members undergo monthly teachings on the following topics below. Other topics may also be taken up in the monthly teachings on top of these, depending on the needs of the SFCs in the particular area. This is a growing list of teachings as we develop more materials for our members.

Evangelization Training Training of Spiritual Gifts Fruits of the Holy Spirit SFC Courtship Talks

The Sacraments (For upload in the SFC website) Theology of the Body Module (For upload in the SFC website) Time Management Heart of Worship

GUIDELINES FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF MEMBERS’ TRACK 1. The basic SFC Pastoral Formation Track is but one of the sources of formation of SFC members. Although it is the main source in the ministry, it does not diminish the need for other more focused, needs-based teachings that pastoral leaders should provide in households and assemblies. Other sources of formation in the ministry include SFC annual conferences (International Conferences, Regional Conferences), Core Group Weekends, Leaders Assemblies, and Mission Core teachings. 2. This track is for all SFC members, including leaders (because they are also still members of the ministry). A separate Pastoral Formation Manual for Leaders is provided, containing the Leaders Track and guidelines for implementing this. The manual for Leaders recommends the formation weekends a member should go through before being assigned different levels of service. 3. SFC members are also encouraged to seek further formation and spiritual nourishment by attending talks, recollections, and retreats that may be made available by their parishes, and through frequent participation in the Mass. Implementing the Formation Weekends 4. Sequence of Weekends per Stage. The PF Track consists of three stages: Stage 1: Nourishing and Supporting, Stage 2: Strengthening and Fortifying, and Stage 3: Deepening and Empowering. The formation weekends in one formation stage need not be done in the exact sequence presented, except for the Covenant Orientation Weekend which must be taken at least three months after the Christian Life Program, prior to the other weekends. Thus, after the CO Weekend, members may attend either the Men’s/Women’s Weekend I or the Christian Character Weekend, depending on the discernment of the area leaders. 5. Prerequisites. The following are prerequisites to some formation weekends: a. Men’s Weekend I and Women’s Weekend I (prerequisite to Men’s and Women’s Weekend II) b. Men’s and Women’s Weekend II (Combined) (prerequisite to Men’s Weekend III and Women’s Weekend III) c. Crossroads Weekend I (prerequisite to Crossroads Weekend II) 6. Sequence of Stages. Because the pastoral formation stages are based on goals that are deepening as members progress from one stage to the next, they also represent the ideal sequence to be followed in conducting the formation weekends, i.e., Formation Weekends in Stage 1 (Nurturing and Supporting) are ideally taken prior to those in Stage 2 (Strengthening and Fortifying), those in Stage 2 before Stage 3 (Deepening and Empowering). However, as each member is different and joins SFC at different levels of spiritual maturity, pastoral leaders (Chapter Heads and up) are free to determine if certain members are ready to take formation weekends in a more advanced stage, e.g., Stage 2 even before they have finished tracks in the earlier stage (Stage 1). This, however, is more the exception rather than the rule.

7. Pastoral leaders (Household Heads and up) are responsible for ensuring that their members are on track, based on the pastoral formation goals and the members’ needs, experience, emotional and spiritual maturity, and length of membership in the community. 8. It is strongly recommended that members who have taken the formation weekends in this new PF track in the past take the opportunity to attend them again, perhaps this time as service team members or even as participants, as significant revisions and modifications have been done. On Members’ Teachings 9. The specified Members’ Teachings in the Pastoral Formation track are varying in length. Some are modules consisting of several talks, others may be single stand-alone talks. Those in modules may be done as a series of talks across several meetings (e.g., 4 Saturday mornings) or as one half-day or whole-day session. Pastoral leaders are advised to study the teachings to determine the schedule best suited for their members. 10. Teachings may be conducted in any sequence in the unit, chapter, sector or provincial level, depending on the needs and situation of the membership or area. What is important is for every member to be given the opportunity to attend the teachings at several points in his life in community. An assembly with a teaching may follow the schedule below: Time

Activity

7:00 7:30 8:00 8:30 9:15 10:00

Gathering / Registration Worship Ice Breaker or Group Dynamics Related to Topic Teaching Big or Small Group Sharing Closing

CLP Seasons 11. It is strongly recommended that regions identify two CLP seasons for each year, taking into account the schedule of the regional/national conferences and other activities of the area. For example, March to May and September to November will be the designated CLP seasons for Metro Manila. This enables chapters in the sector to share resources for formation weekends, which may be conducted back-to-back in one or several nearby venues. (See sample schedules for illustration.) Sample Schedules 12. Sample schedules in the Annex illustrate how formation weekends may be scheduled. These need not be followed to the letter but are meant to serve as a guide on how heads can ensure that all CLP graduates are able to undergo the formation track.

ROLE OF TOP SFC LEADERSHIP AND FULLTIME PASTORAL WORKERS IN PASTORAL FORMATION Taking the lead in implementing the pastoral formation program of the ministry are the top leaders of SFC in the area in close collaboration with the ministry fulltime pastoral workers. Their role is to: •

Be the PRIMARY MOVERS and ADVOCATES of this new pastoral formation program

•

Foster a Love for Learning (no one is too old to grow nor to learn)

•

Infect others with a Passion for Formation

•

Guide areas in the conduct of the retreats

•

Train leaders and future service team members

•

Carefully study the PFO Manual and each retreat manual and have a discerning attitude in its application

•

Develop more tracks. The role of the new pastoral formation track is to address the needs of SFC at present and is a launching pad for future pastoral tracks as we continue to respond to the needs of the times.

•

Be living examples of the qualities we aim for in our PFO Goals.

For any questions or feedback on the Pastoral Formation track, please email: [email protected].

ANNEX

ANNEX 1: SAMPLE SCHEDULE A - 2 FORMATION WEEKENDS PER YEAR (METRO MANILA) Mo

Jan Feb Mar Apr

Year 1 Evangelization Training*

Evangelization Training*

CLP A CLP A

CLP C CLP C

May CLP A Jun Jul

Aug Sep

Oct

Nov Dec

Year 2

CLP C/Christian Character Batch A/ CO Batch B

CLP B

CLP D

CLP B/CO Batch A

CLP D/Men's and Women's Weekend I Batch A/ Christian Character Batch B/CO Batch C

CLP B

CLP D

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Year 6

Year 7


Evangelization Training* ICon




Christ Pursuit Batch A/ Men's and Women's Weekend I Batch B/Men's and Women's Weekend 1 Batch C/ CO Batch D

CPR Batch A/ CPR Batch B/Christ Pursuit Batch C/Men's and Women's Weekend I Batch D CFC Anniversary MMC

Ablaze Batch A/Men's and Women's Weekend II Batch B/Men's and Women's Weekend II Batch C/Christ Pursuit or Men's and Women's Weekend II Batch D

Crossroads II Batch A/Ablaze or Intimacy Batch B/Ablaze or MW III Batch C/CPR Batch D

Ablaze or MW III Batch D/ Crossroads II Batch C

Crossroads I Batch A/Crossroads I Batch B/Crossroads I Batch C/Crossroads I or Christ Pursuit Batch D

Intimacy Batch A/Men’s and Women’s III or Ablaze Batch B/CPR Batch C/Crossroads I or Men's and Women's Weekend I Batch D

Crossroads II Batch B/Ablaze or MW III Batch C/Ablaze or MW III Batch D

Crossroads II Batch D

Men’s' and Women's Weekend II Batch A/ Christ Pursuit Batch B/Christian Character Batch C/Christian Character Batch D

Area Planning

SAMPLE SCHEDULE B - 2 FORMATION WEEKENDS PER YEAR (PHILIPPINE MISSIONS; AUG. RECON) Mo

Jan Feb Mar

Year 1 MMLA/ Evangelization Training*


CLP A

CLP C

Apr CLP A May CLP A Jun Jul Aug Sep CLP B

Oct Nov Dec

Year 2

CLP B/CO Batch A

CLP C/Christian Character Batch A/ CO Batch B CLP C

Year 3

Year 4




CPR Batch A/ CPR Batch B/Christ Pursuit Batch C/Men's and Women's Weekend I Batch D

Year 5

Year 6

Year 7







Intimacy Batch A/Intimacy or Ablaze Batch B/ CPR Batch C/ Crossroads I or Men's and Women's Weekend I Batch D

Crossroads II Batch B/Ablaze or Intimacy Batch C/Ablaze or Intimacy Batch D


CFC Anniversary SFC Regional Conference CLP D CLP D/Men's and Women's Weekend I Batch A/ Christian Character Batch B/CO Batch C

Mens' and Women's Weekend II Batch A/ Christ Pursuit Batch B/Christian Character Batch C/Christian Character Batch D

Crossroads I Batch A/Crossroads I Batch B/Crossroads I Batch C/ Crossroads I or Christ Pursuit Batch D

Area Planning

SAMPLE SCHEDULE C- 2 FORMATION WEEKENDS PER YEAR (PHILIPPINE MISSIONS; OCT. RECON) Mo

Jan Feb Mar

Year 1

Year 2

MMLA/ Evangelization Training*


CLP A

CLP C

Apr CLP A May CLP A Jun Jul

CLP C/Christian Character Batch A/ CO Batch B CLP C

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Year 6

Year 7







CPR Batch A/ CPR Batch B/Christ Pursuit Batch C/Men's and Women's Weekend I Batch D




Intimacy Batch A/Intimacy or Ablaze Batch B/ CPR Batch C/ Crossroads I or Men's and Women's Weekend I Batch D

Crossroads II Batch B/Ablaze or Intimacy Batch C/Ablaze or Intimacy Batch D


CFC Anniversary

Aug Sep

CLP B CLP B /CO

CLP D/Men's and Women's Weekend I Batch A/ Christian Character Batch B/CO Batch C CLP

Oct Nov Dec

CLP B

CLP

Mens' and Women's Weekend II Batch A/ Christ Pursuit Batch B/Christian Character Batch C/Christian Character Batch D

Crossroads I Batch A/Crossroads I Batch B/Crossroads I Batch C/Crossroads I or Christ Pursuit Batch D

SFC Regional Conference Area Planning

SAMPLE SCHEDULE D - 2 FORMATION WEEKENDS PER YEAR (METRO MANILA) This schedule takes into account old members who have already finished some of the weekends (including those that were used as conferences in the past, e.g., Princess Diaries, A Knight’s Tale, Christ Pursuit, and Ablaze) Year 1 Jan Feb Mar

Evangelization Training

Year 3

Year 4



Evangelization Training ICon

CO Batch B/Men's and Women's Weekend I Batch A/Christ Pursuit or MW Weekend II or Crossroads I

Men's and Women's Weekend I Batch B/Christ Pursuit or MW Weekend II or Crossroads I (also for Batch A)

Year 5

Year 6


CLP Batch A

Apr CLP A May CLP A June Jul Aug Sep CLP Batch B

Oct Nov Dec

Year 2

CLP B /CO Batch A CLP B

CPR (for both CLP batches)/MW III or Ablaze

Crossroads I Batch B/Crossroads II (also for Batch A)

MW III (for both CLP batches)

Ablaze (for both CLP batches)

Crossroads II for Batch B

Anniversary MMC

Christian Character (for both CLP batches)/Crossroads I or MW Weekend I or Christ Pursuit

Christ Pursuit (for both CLP batches)/Ablaze or CPR

Men's and Women's Weekend II (for both CLP batches)/MW III or Ablaze

Planning

Note: Formation weekends in italics show track for old members who have taken some of the weekends as conferences. Flexibility in sequence of the weekends in one stage allow CLP graduates from different batches to take the same weekends together, taking into account those with prerequisites and ensuring that all tracks in one stage are finished before those in the next stage are taken.

Notes for schedules above: 1. *Evangelization training is done once a year, e.g., in this case ideally at the beginning of the year. This prepares and rallies everyone in the area (unit/chapter/cluster/sector) for the mission of evangelization for the whole year. 2. CLPs are done twice a year, e.g., March to May and Sept. to Nov. every year depending on the schedule of the Metro Manila or Regional Conference. (CLP schedules are indicated only in the first two years but they are to be conducted every year on the same months.) 3. Colors/Batch Names (A, B, C, D) indicate different CLP batches/units. Thus, all items in red or indicated as Batch A show the formation track that one batch of CLP graduates will go through in a 4-year period, blue or Batch B represents another batch, and so on. 4. Formation weekends may be done back-to-back in the same venue or separately, each retreat organized by a unit (chapter-wide) or chapter (cluster-wide). This enables units or chapters to share resources—e.g., members from Chapter A can attend formation weekend with members from Chapter B, etc. 5. Flexibility in the sequence of the weekends in one stage allow CLP graduates from different batches to take the same weekends together, taking into account those with prerequisites and ensuring that all tracks in one stage are finished before those in the next stage are taken. For example, 2 batches of CLP graduates can take the Men’s/Women’s Weekend I together (even if only one batch has taken the Christian Character Weekend since this is not a prerequisite to Men’s/Women’s Weekend I). 6. The Leaders Track can also be spread out the rest of the year (as modules or as single teaching sessions). Possible schedule shown in samples above.

The Singles for Christ Pastoral Formation Track v2011

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