Catholic Christian Outreach
Catholic Christian Outreach Canada (CCO) is a Catholic missionary movement that is present at several Canadian universities. It seeks to bring students into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, equip them to live in the fullness of the Catholic faith, and build them up as leaders in evangelization.[1]
History
CCO was founded in 1988 by André and Angèle Regnier at the University of Saskatchewan as a reaction to the lack and curbing of enthusiasm they saw in their fellow Catholic students. Having participated in evangelical activities such as Campus Crusade for Christ, they wanted to see a similar zeal within the Catholic Church. In addition, they brought the spiritual disposition of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal to CCO as part of their approach to evangelization. They collaborated with their parish priest to develop CCO as a faith outreach program to help Catholic university students grow in their faith and learn to share it with others.[2]
In 1992 CCO became an incorporated non-profit organization with its headquarters in Saskatoon;[3] its headquarters moved to Ottawa in 2006.[4]
Expansion of CCO
CCO began with only four missionaries at the University of Saskatchewan. As of August 2013 it has expanded to over 70 missionaries at eleven universities[5] and has plans to expand by 20 campuses between 2008 and 2028.[6]
| Year | University | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | University of Saskatchewan | Saskatoon, Saskatchewan |
| 1994 | University of Regina[*] | Regina, Saskatchewan |
| 1997 | Carleton University | Ottawa, Ontario |
| 1998 | Simon Fraser University | Vancouver, British Columbia |
| 2000 | University of Ottawa | Ottawa, Ontario |
| 2003 | Douglas College[*] | Vancouver, British Columbia |
| 2004 | Capilano College[*] | Vancouver, British Columbia |
| 2004 | Dalhousie University | Halifax, Nova Scotia |
| 2007 | Queen's University | Kingston, Ontario |
| 2008 | University of British Columbia | Vancouver, British Columbia |
| 2009 | Laval University[*] | Quebec City, Quebec |
| 2010 | University of Calgary | Calgary, Alberta |
| 2010 | Saint Mary's University | Halifax, Nova Scotia |
| 2013 | Ryerson University | Toronto, Ontario |
| 2014 | University of Victoria | Victoria, British Columbia |
* CCO is no longer present at these universities, but still maintains a presence in Quebec City.
Mission Projects
CCO has facilitated several domestic and overseas missions throughout its existence, an annual national Christmas conference called "Rise Up", and has attended several World Youth Days.
IMPACT Canada
The annual IMPACT mission consists of students from across Canada gathering in one city for a summer of missionary work. Participants live in community and are assigned to teams at various parishes, where they lead faith studies and organize retreats and special events.[7] Impact also features a weekly event called Cornerstone that involves skits, worship, testimonies, and Catholic teaching,[8] a Courageous Catholic program that teaches people how to share their faith, and a monthly Summit event involving worship, Eucharistic adoration, and Reconciliation.[7]
| Year | City |
|---|---|
| 2002 | Ottawa, Ontario |
| 2004 | Halifax, Nova Scotia |
| 2007 | Vancouver, British Columbia |
| 2009 | Saskatoon, Saskatchewan |
| 2010 | Calgary, Alberta |
| 2011 | Ottawa, Ontario |
| 2012 | Halifax, Nova Scotia |
Other missions
Other mission trips organised by CCO include Rencontrez Jésus and trips to World Youth Day. Recent international trips have also been made to China and Uganda.
Methods and Materials
Students involved with CCO lead and attend weekly faith studies on campus. These faith studies help students learn more about their faith and how they can live it out. The material references Scripture verses from the Bible, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and other Christian writings. They also employ analogies, useful in sharing spiritual realities in common terms. The studies are intended to fuel discussion in a comfortable, small group setting. The five studies are called Discovery, Source, Growth, Obedience, and Commission.
Another popular method of evangelism used by CCO is on-campus events for large groups of students. One-on-one ministry training and leadership opportunities are available. Students attend retreats, recreational events, and other social and prayer related activities as well.
CCO has created a booklet entitled The Ultimate Relationship which serves as an introduction to basic Christian faith.
References
- ↑ O'Reilly, Pierre. "What is CCO Canada?". Companions of the Cross, spring 2002. Companions of the Cross. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
- ↑ Scalisi, Patrick (December 2008). "Higher Learning, Higher Power". Columbia Magazine: 12. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
- ↑ "CCO FAQ". Catholic Christian Outreach. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
- ↑ "CCO News". Catholic Christian Outreach. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
- ↑ Gyapong, Deborah (September 6, 2010). "Activate the Holy Spirit's spiritual gifts". Western Catholic Reporter. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
- ↑ Girard, Carolyn (November 10, 2008). "20 years of mission for Catholic Christian Outreach". The Catholic Register.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Yaworski, Kiply Lukan (27 May 2009). "Catholic Christian Outreach (CCO) returns to city of its birth for summer Impact 2009 mission: diocese welcomes 60 young missionaries". News Archive: Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon. Retrieved 1 June 2012.
- ↑ Groot, Christina (September 2007). "Catholic initiative has national IMPACT!". CanadianChristianity. Retrieved 1 June 2012.
External links
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