An Apostolate for All Seasons
Catholics United for the Faith Prepares for the Future

Mike Sullivan
From the Jan/Feb 2006 Issue of Lay Witness Magazine

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Amidst the winter of confusion and dissent that descended upon the Church in the period following the Second Vatican Council (1962–65), traces of a new springtime have emerged. Yet we still find ourselves in a time of preparation, awaiting the full blossoming of the "new evangelization."

Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI have said that this preparation necessarily entails a faithful, renewed application of the teachings of Vatican II to the life of the Church and the whole world.

Heeding the Church’s call, Catholics United for the Faith (CUF) was founded in response to Vatican II’s Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity, which highlights the proper role of laypersons in building up the Church. For almost 40 years, CUF has called the faithful to "think with the Church," providing a means for lay Catholics to come together to support, defend, and advance the efforts of the teaching Church.

As CUF continues to serve the Church, we are increasingly aware of the advent of this new springtime. So as to respond faithfully and proactively to the immense challenge of the new evangelization, we are embarking on an initiative unprecedented in the history of CUF: a $1.25 million capital campaign that will enable CUF to build upon its storied history.

The theme of the campaign is "Lay Witnesses for Christ: Faithful to the Mission . . . Focused on the Future." This theme reflects the perennial focus of CUF, namely, to affix ourselves to Christ and to intrepidly move forward to meet contemporary needs in continuity with our mission and in profound solidarity with our predecessors in the apostolate.

With an eye toward the future, let’s take a brief look at what CUF is, what it has done, and what it is doing to strengthen the Church and spread the Gospel.

Faithful to the Mission
In order to best understand what CUF is, we must first understand a little more about what Vatican II has to say about the laity’s response to the "universal call to holiness." This call quite simply means that our first order of business is to recommit ourselves wholly and unreservedly to Jesus Christ and His Church. We must be saints, but also do apostolic work. For as members of Christ’s body, the Church, we all have a special task of reaching out to the world and sharing the message of the Gospel. We are called to become leaven in the world, allowing Christ’s message to reach the ends of the earth. These are our marching orders.

As explained in Vatican II’s Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, the laity, in a particular way, have the challenging mission of bringing the faith to our secular world, getting into the nooks and crannies of our society. We’re not expected to do this alone, however. Recognizing that man is social by nature, the Church encourages the faithful to join together in group apostolates. These group apostolates, or "associations of lay faithful" allow us to make an effort on behalf of the Gospel, while at the same time drawing upon the fellowship and support of like-minded believers.

Accordingly, CUF encourages and assists lay men and women in the pursuit of holiness and equips them for active participation in the Church, in keeping with their state in life. By offering membership in our international apostolate—and through members’ participation in local chapters—CUF has been at the forefront of this new era of group endeavors within the Church.

The Catholic Church, established by Christ, is the sole possessor of the fullness of the means of salvation. Thus, only in uncompromising loyalty to His Church do we succeed in our efforts on behalf of the Gospel.

Marching Orders "At a time when new questions are being posed and when grave errors aiming at undermining religion, the moral order and human society itself are rampant, the Council earnestly exhorts the laity to take a more active part, each according to his talents and knowledge and in fidelity to the mind of the Church, in the explanation and defense of Christian principles and in the correct application of them to the problems of our times." —Vatican II’s Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity, no. 6

As was stated in CUF’s declaration of purpose, "We, therefore, wish to affirm our unshakable loyalty to the Pope, and thus to the Church, and thus to Christ." This loyalty demands of us more than a mere acceptance of the Church’s teachings—although that is essential. Ultimately, it requires that we imbibe Christ’s spirit and truly "think with the Church," believing what she teaches, studying in order to deepen our understanding, and teaching others. This is precisely how we fulfill CUF’s mission "to support, defend, and advance the efforts of the teaching Church."

One does not have to look far to see that the Church’s agenda today is the new evangelization. Indeed, all the Church’s resources must be placed at its service. At CUF, all of our endeavors, from daily prayers to the many outreaches of the apostolate, are geared toward this new evangelization, which in many cases is a re-evangelization of our culture and the world.

Despite the wide range of CUF’s apostolic activities, the primary focus of CUF’s work will always be spiritual: the interior conversion of souls, beginning with our own, but not ending there. This is captured in the CUF prayer, which reads, "Teach us of Catholics United for the Faith to direct our zeal first of all to the renewal of our own hearts." As a lay association, CUF urges all members in this renewal so that, united in the faith, we can further our shared apostolate of bringing about this renewal among the rest of the faithful and, ultimately, the entire world.

apos•to•late n 1. the office or mission of an apostle 2. the work of bringing Christ to the world, which is the call of all baptized Catholics lay as•so•ci•a•tion n . an organized group of Catholics, recognized by the Church, and centered around a common interest or goal Cath•o•lics Unit•ed for the Faith n 1. a dynamic lay association whose goal is the renewal of the Church, beginning with the renewal of our own hearts 2. an apostolate that delivers true Catholic doctrine, making Catholics of unbelievers and making Catholics into better Catholics

Lay Witnesses for Christ
In order to accomplish our apostolic work more effectively, CUF has always encouraged members to form chapters whenever feasible. The first task of a CUF chapter is to unite Catholics who are loyal to the Pope and who accept—or are open to accepting—the spirit and principles of the CUF apostolate. By establishing a local community of believers, CUF chapters truly act as a leaven for the faith. Bringing Catholics together on a regular basis for prayer, study, and companionship reinforces and strengthens their faith, and thereby strengthens the Church.

Many faithful Catholics today feel isolated and alienated by the rampant confusion brought about by dissent and secularism. Shortly after entering the Catholic Church, theologian and author Scott Hahn encountered precisely this kind of isolation. "I didn’t know many Catholics who shared my enthusiasm for the faith," says Hahn. "I was elated about my ‘new discoveries’ of the sacraments, the Blessed Mother, the papacy, and Sacred Tradition, yet I felt quite alone."

One night Hahn happened to attend a CUF chapter meeting, and there he found what he had been looking for. "I thought to myself, this was too good to be true! They embraced me as a new member of the family." Hahn was so encouraged by CUF’s dynamic orthodoxy and lay diplomacy, he became a member and now serves as chairman of our board of directors.

Hail to the Chief! A Look at the Presidents of Catholics United for the Faith H. Lyman Stebbins (1968–80) First president; founded CUF in response to dissent against Church teaching; died in 1989. Madeleine Stebbins (1981–84) Wife of H. Lyman Stebbins; helped initiate the publication of the Faith and Life catechism series. Donald McClane (1985–87) A former director of religious education; oversaw the completion of the Faith and Life series. James Likoudis (1988–94) Introduced CUF internationally; helped to fight defective catechesis and dangerous "sex ed" programs. Curtis Martin (1995–98) Oversaw CUF’s move to Steubenville; launched Emmaus Road Publishing and founded FOCUS. Leon Suprenant (1999–present) Continues to cultivate exemplary lay diplomacy and revitalize CUF’s ever-growing network of chapters.

In fact, there are countless devout Catholics who have found their need for fellowship and support fulfilled by the warm welcome of CUF chapters. When Gail Buckley became the chairman of her local CUF chapter, she realized that they needed to do more in reaching out to Catholics in the area. In the years since, the chapter membership has grown from about a dozen to well over 100!

The chapter now hosts an annual conference, as well as frequent Bible studies and talks. "We get dynamic, faithful speakers and we keep the events open to everyone," explains Buckley. "Our events have become so popular, people are constantly asking me to let them know about upcoming chapter meetings. They just can’t wait to get involved and learn more about their faith."

At other times, as CUF has striven to support and advance the faith, we have met with adversity, not only from outside the Church, but also from within. It is in these occasions that CUF members—often organized in chapters—have proven their commitment to defending the faith. Whether in combating liturgical abuses, harmful sex education programs, or doctrinally deficient catechisms, CUF has offered consistent resistance to attacks on the Church, all the while maintaining charity and civility.

This is especially true in cases where members of the clergy are involved. Former CUF executive director E. William Sockey recalls, "When communicating with priests and bishops, we at CUF headquarters used to ask ourselves, ‘How would I want my children to bring a matter such as this to my attention, especially if I were at fault?’"

Sincere respect toward our spiritual fathers is essential. Further, CUF’s principled stand has resulted in the development of important relationships with priests and bishops, as well as with the Holy See. These relationships have proven to be an invaluable gift from God in CUF’s advocacy for its members.  

Equipping the Laity
Many CUF chapters work closely with our staff at CUF’s headquarters to find resources for spiritual enrichment and study as well as to promote local programs. Among the resources that CUF makes available are FAITH FACTS, which are short, detailed explanations of the teachings of the Catholic faith that are researched and written by our Catholic Responses department.

CUF member Chris Lyons reflects on how useful the FAITH FACTS were in teaching his high school religion class about the faith: "These youngsters had so many questions that I could have passed the entire year without touching the course objectives," he laughs. "At the beginning of the year, not one of them knew all of the Ten Commandments and a disturbing number thought that divorce was one of the seven sacraments."

Feeling overwhelmed, Lyons contacted the CUF office for help. "I felt it necessary to focus on the basics of the faith with my students. By making FAITH FACTS available to these kids, they were able to find, independently, many of the answers to their questions."

The FAITH FACTS had an even greater impact than he had hoped: "By the end of the year, they not only knew the sacraments and Ten Commandments, they could explain the biblical basis of Reconciliation, Christ’s Real Presence in the Eucharist, and the Church’s teaching on capital punishment." He adds with a grin, "Some even understood the principle of double effect."

If the goal of CUF is to "think with the Church," then our apostolic work can perhaps best be described as delivering true Catholic doctrine to the laity and to the world. Much as Chris Lyons had realized with his students, it became apparent to CUF that, during the years of confusion following Humanae Vitae, basic catechesis was suffering neglect. In an attempt to "overcome evil with good," CUF set out to produce the Faith and Life catechism series, which has drawn praise from such leaders in the Church as then- Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, Mother Teresa of Calcutta, and the chief architect for the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Cardinal Christoph Schönborn.

In more recent years, CUF has been responsible for the development and publication of numerous resources that equip the laity to better understand the faith and spread the new evangelization. A few examples include:

• Lay Witness, CUF’s monthly newsletter that was expanded in 1996 and has since established itself as an award-winning Catholic magazine. 
• Hundreds of FAITH FACTS on topics ranging from purgatory to biblical inerrancy.
• Bible studies from Emmaus Road Publishing such as the Courageous and Kingdom series, which lead Catholics to read Scripture from the heart of the Church.

It is our fervent desire to get these valuable resources in the hands of as many people as possible. Our recently updated website (www.cuf.org) now serves tens of thousands and provides free online access to both FAITH FACTS and past issues of Lay Witness. Also, our Catholic Responses department provides assistance to thousands of people with questions on the faith; whether they write, email, or call our toll-free hotline, they are sure to receive faithful, thorough answers.

In our longing for the new springtime, CUF has continued to expand its evangelistic efforts, launching the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS) in 1997 and Emmaus Road Publishing, the publishing division of CUF, in 1998. It is with great joy that we have seen these apostolic endeavors expand: Now operating entirely on its own, FOCUS is present on almost 30 college campuses, involving over 2,000 students in its mission to reclaim colleges for Christ. Likewise, as it enters its eighth year, Emmaus Road Publishing has produced more than 30 books in the last several years, including numerous Bible studies as well as resources for lay formation—all materials that assist the laity in deepening their faith.

Focused on the Future
Since its inception 38 years ago, CUF has been undeterred in "proclaiming Christ to every generation," in partnership with thousands of members and dozens of CUF chapters around the country. We are making a real difference for Christ and His Church in the new millennium.

As CUF looks ahead in planning to meet the challenges and opportunities of the coming years, we are convinced that we must place all of our resources at the service of the new evangelization. It is with this in mind, during this pivotal moment in the Church’s history, that CUF is boldly "putting out into the deep" in launching its first capital campaign.

From CUF’s founding in 1968 to the present day, we have always striven to make the best use of what God has given us. By His grace, CUF’s service of the Church has had a profound influence among the clergy and laity alike. We’ve taught the faith to thousands and have been witnesses to the truth in countless ways. CUF has touched hearts, minds, and souls through conferences, publications, correspondence, position papers, personal meetings, radio and TV, articles in Catholic and secular publications, and countless editorial letters. It is a testament to CUF’s good stewardship that people are amazed to learn that we do what we do with such limited staff and resources.

But we can only do so much with what we have, and we’ve reached a decisive moment in the history of the CUF apostolate. The current CUF headquarters in Steubenville, while a blessing to us for over a decade, has reached its maximum capacity. A larger building, new offices, and up-to-date equipment are desperately needed to keep up with our steady growth.

With this impending hurdle on the horizon, CUF board members and staff fasted and invoked the Blessed Virgin Mary’s special assistance during the Year of the Rosary (2002-03). The result was CUF’s acquisition from the Diocese of Steubenville of what used to be Our Lady of the North American Martyrs Catholic Church, located just ten minutes north of our current facility.

The parish property is situated on 15 acres and includes the former church, a rectory, and a pavilion. This property will provide ample space for our much-needed expansion. We truly believe that the opportunity to move to this new facility is a direct result of our prayers and sacrifices. In launching this unprecedented capital campaign, CUF is relying on the prayers and generosity of all Catholics who are united in our efforts to go boldly forward in furthering the new evangelization. Funds will be used to remodel the church and rectory into the North American Martyrs Chapel and the Pope John Paul II Center for Lay Formation, as well as to build the Emmaus Road Distribution Center. This complex will allow for the sustained growth of CUF’s diverse family of evangelistic and catechetical outreaches in a peaceful, prayerful setting.

New CUF Headquarters Pope John Paul II Center for Lay Formation This building, formerly Our Lady of the North American Martyrs church, will be remodeled and will become the new headquarters for Catholics United for the Faith. There will be over 15 offices, a Catholic resource library, a kitchen, a conference room, and the North American Martyrs Chapel. This complex will allow for sustained growth of CUF’s multi-faceted family of evangelistic and catechetical outreaches in a peaceful, idyllic setting. ‘‘The campaign represents a thoughtful and cost-effective way to help ensure that Catholics United for the Faith will continue to play a pivotal role in the new evangelization that both Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict the XVI have so earnestly promoted.’’ Archbishop Raymond L. Burke The new Emmaus Road Distribution Center will be approximately 10,000 square feet and will contain the shipping/receiving offices for Emmaus Road Publishing, as well as ample storage for our ever-growing inventory of great Catholic books and other materials. For more information on this special project, call (800) MY-FAITH or email nash@cuf.org.

The North American Martyrs Chapel will give our staff a place to refresh themselves with daily prayers, weekly Rosaries, and regular Masses offered for our work, our members and benefactors, and the needs of the universal Church. The Pope John Paul II Center for Lay Formation will house most of our offices and will include a kitchen, common meeting areas, and ample room for growth. The Emmaus Road Distribution Center will provide us with the means to ship and store our growing inventory of great Catholic books, Bible studies, and other formational materials produced by Emmaus Road Publishing.

This three-year campaign will culminate in 2008 with a conference celebrating CUF’s 40th anniversary. It is our fervent hope that this campaign, the fruit of prayer, careful planning, and sound stewardship of CUF’s resources, will enable CUF to build upon its many years of service to Christ and His Church.

There are various ways of contributing to the growth of the CUF apostolate. As always, CUF asks for constant prayer. Further, the apostolate to which Vatican II calls us is unique to the laity. In response to the needs of the new evangelization, we must make every attempt to engage in apostolic work, both corporately and individually.

As the new springtime continues to unfold, bringing with it new opportunities and challenges, CUF relies on the generosity of those who wish to contribute to this great apostolic work.

With renewed vigor and zeal, CUF continues our mission to support, defend, and advance the efforts of the teaching Church. With your charitable partnership and God’s grace, we can continue to give light and guidance to a confused and frightened world.

To aid us in this worthy and needed apostolic endeavor, we turn to you, who over the years have faithfully supported our efforts "to support, defend, and advance the efforts of the teaching Church." Without faithful and generous supporters like you, CUF simply would not exist. We would not have served so many people in so many ways, and we would not be moving toward our 40th anniversary in 2008. In discerning how you might support our campaign, we have designated several giving levels for you to consider, each one named after a special CUF patron. Giving Levels $50,000+ Divine Mercy Our merciful Lord Jesus Christ is the Church’s first Teacher. $25,000+ Immaculate Heart of Mary CUF has always been devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church. Further, in October 1981, CUF was consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate of Heart of Mary. $10,000+ St. Joseph Invoked as the Patron of the Universal Church, St. Joseph is a powerful intercessor in an age when the Church and the family are assailed on every side. $5,000+ Sts. Peter and Paul The "twin pillars of the Church," St. Peter keeps us steadfast in our support of his successor and Christ’s Vicar, the Pope, while the Apostle to the Gentiles, St. Paul, encourages us to proclaim the faith to all. $2,500+ St. Thomas More A courageous and eloquent defender of the papacy and a devoted husband and father. As Pope John Paul II summarized, "Thomas More was a model layman living the Gospel to the full," and he remains a quintessential role model for a lay apostolate. $1,000+ North American Martyrs Much as the North American Martyrs’ blood became the seed of the Church here in America, so too have the sacrifices of CUF members of the 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s prepared for this budding new springtime for CUF and for the Church. $300+ Communion of Saints The communion of saints includes the Church Militant on earth, who are called to advance the Church’s mission to make disciples of all nations (Mt. 28:18–20). Donors at each level will be given appropriate recognition, not only in Lay Witness, but also at our new headquarters. We ask you to prayerfully consider a generous gift or pledge to CUF for our capital campaign, keeping in mind how vital our apostolate is today and realizing that any contribution may be made over a three-year period, if needed.

Departments Bearing Witness to the Truth Lay Witness, the flagship publication of CUF, is an award-winning, bimonthly magazine focused on presenting the timeless truths of the Catholic faith. Combining clear and helpful teaching, spiritual nourishment, and practical application, Lay Witness enables its readers to grow to be drawn closer to the heart of the Church. "We want the faith to inform every aspect of our lives and the lives of our readers," says editor-in-chief Mike Sullivan (center). "It is our single goal to teach Christ and the Church He founded, so that our readers may teach others." Initially CUF’s regular newsletter, Lay Witness was started in an effort to provide ongoing doctrinal formation for CUF members. Since its expansion to a magazine in 1996, Lay Witness has continued to supply inspirational articles on the faith, writings of the Holy Father, solid biblical teachings, tips for Christian family living, book reviews, chapter news, and other matters of interest to the laity, all in an attractive, easy-to-read format. It is no wonder that Archbishop John Myers of Newark, New Jersey, calls Lay Witness "One of the most helpful and effective instruments of evangelization and catechesis in the United States." You Can Handle the Truth For almost 40 years, CUF’s Catholic Responses department has been answering questions about the faith. Although they can receive up to one hundred inquiries in a given week, Catholic Responses doesn’t simply answer questions, they answer people. "Our goal is to witness to the faith as we serve each person who contacts us," says department head Eric Stoutz (top row, center). "We listen and respond to real needs, concerns, fears, and issues, and in doing so, the answers we provide are thoroughly researched and faithfully Catholic." In addition to writing thousands of research letters, Catholic Responses has also produced more than two hundred FAITH FACTS—answers to frequently asked questions—all of which are available at www.cuf.org. Because of their proven fidelity to the Church and her teachings, Catholic Responses is in a unique position to present the laity’s questions and concerns to Vatican officials, U.S. bishops, and local Church offices, thus providing a voice for Catholic faithful everywhere. Did Not Our Hearts Burn Within Us? Emmaus Road Publishing takes its name from the encounter of Our Lord with the two disciples on the very first Easter Sunday. As the publishing division of CUF, Emmaus Road is dedicated to producing materials that "open the Scriptures," leading readers to experience the life-giving power of God’s Word. "There are a lot of Bible studies out there," says Emmaus Road editor-in-chief Regis Flaherty (top row, center), "but what sets us apart is our combination of popular accessibility with CUF’s unflinching faithfulness to Church teaching." Since its establishment in 1998, Emmaus Road books and Bible studies have encouraged tens of thousands of Catholics to revisit the very foundation and center of the Catholic faith: Jesus Christ and His Gospel. In addition to Bible studies, Emmaus Road also offers books on catechetics, Christian living, and apologetics, including the best-selling Catholic for a Reason. As it continues to respond to the needs of the new evangelization, Emmaus Road Publishing is committed to its tradition of providing the laity with faithful, dynamic Catholic books and media. Proclaiming Christ to Every Generation CUF’s capital campaign reflects our distinctive inter-generational nature. President Leon Suprenant explains, "For decades, CUF has been there for Catholics in need of assistance, as well as those who are just looking for the truth. In launching this campaign, we are ensuring that we’ll also be there for their children and grandchildren." For more information on CUF’s capital campaign, contact Shannon Hughes by calling (740) 283-2484.