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http://www.familyland.org/home.asp
Founders of the Apostolate for Family Consecration
An international association of Christ's Faithful
Jerome F. and Gwen C. Coniker were both born (1938 and 1939, respectively) and raised in Chicago. Jerome was educated at de Paul University and while growing up, he worked at the law firm of Sidley and Austin. They were high school sweethearts and were married on August 15, 1959. Forty-two years and 13 children later, they are as much in love as the day they were married. They have 58 grandchildren and counting.
In 1961, when he was twenty-three years old, Jerry founded Coniker Systems, a systems and manufacturing company. His business career included invention of several communications and time management and sales control systems, methods, and products, including the "Taskmaster" and "Controlmaster." He has successfully installed his programs in leading Fortune 500 firms throughout the United States and Canada, such as Baxter Laboratories, Walgreen's, Kraft Foods, IBM, Bell Systems, Culligan, Wilson Sporting Goods, etc.
Beginning in the 1960's, the Conikers became increasingly concerned with the erosion of the Christian values all around them. As parents, they saw the negative peer pressure that threatened to weaken the faith and morality of their children. They were particularly concerned about abortion, sex education in the schools, and the threat to the moral fiber of our country.
They invested eleven years in an effort to wake up people to this incredible, insidious movement that was threatening family life. The Conikers observed that their neighbors were becoming more and more isolated from God and from each other. Consequently, they felt a call to grow closer to God and to seek His wisdom for keeping their family together.
On April 28, 1971, they gave their life to Jesus through Mary through the 33-day de Montfort consecration. Five months later, on September 8th, after having sold their business, Jerry and Gwen and their seven children (with one on the way) moved to Fatima, Portugal. Jerry was thirty-three years old at the time. Their stay in Fatima actually became a two-year "novitiate" during which they were being prepared to do what God was calling them to do.
Two years of prayer and waiting led to their decision to devote full-time to combating the atheistic influences in the world, especially as they affected the family. In June of 1973, they returned to the United States, where Jerry served as the Executive Director of St. Kolbe's "Knights of the Immaculata" under Fr. Bernard Geiger, OFM, Conv., who has been Jerry's spiritual director since that time. In the Holy Year of 1975, on the 18th of June, the Feast of the Sacred Heart, Jerry and Gwen founded the Apostolate for Family Consecration. The Apostolate was officially approved by the Church that same year on the 3rd day of October, the month of the Holy Rosary.
On March 25, the Feast of the Annunciation, in 1986, Jerry and Gwen adopted the Christ-centered, Marian, and family spirituality of Pope John Paul II as the spirituality of the Apostolate for Family Consecration. Rather than spend years developing and prospecting for a spirituality that uniquely characterized their family movement, the Family Apostolate preferred to mine the rich vein of Karol Wojtyla's (Pope John Paul II) vision for the Church, for family life, and his emphasis on consecration and the dignity of the human person.
The Apostolate for Family Consecration is an international association seeking to simultaneously sanctify family and parish life in the spirit of Pope John Paul II. Its mission is to nourish families through the Catholic Faith in the Eucharistic and Marian spirit of Pope John Paul II. The Family Apostolate provides continuous tri-media evangelization and catechetical programs to transform neighborhoods into God-centered communities through Lay Ecclesial Teams open to individuals of diverse Church-approved associations.
The Apostolate's motto is "All for the Sacred and Eucharistic Heart of Jesus; all through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary; all in union with St. Joseph."
The Apostolate's Canonical Global Center is located in the Archdiocese of New York. Its largest center (950 acres) is located at the John Paul II Holy Family Center, known as "Catholic Familyland," in Bloomingdale, Ohio. This center includes over 170,000 square feet of buildings under roof which house a conference center, retreat center, print shop, television and duplicating studios, graphic arts department and office buildings. Its major center in Asia is located in the Archdiocese of Manila, Philippines at the St. Joseph Center, which is part of the Elizabeth Ann Seton School Complex in Las Pinas, Manila. The Apostolate has a center in Ireland, under the direction of Cahal Magee. It also has a major (18-building) center in Mexico and a center in Puerto Rico. The AFC has members in the United States, Canada, the Philippines, Africa, Pakistan, Russia and Central and South America.
On April 29, 1999, Pope John Paul II appointed Jerry and Gwen Coniker to a five-year term, as one of twenty couples throughout the world, to be Roman Curia members of the Pontifical Council for the Family.
On September 3, 1999, the "Daily Catholic" conducted a survey of 23,455 prominent Catholics, who nominated 728 candidates for the "Top 100 Catholics of the 20th Century." Voters chose as the 70th selection the team of Jerome and Gwen Coniker. Though Jerry received the bulk of the votes, the fact that they have been in this ministry together for the past 28 years and have been married forty years, the voters considered them as one.
The Family Apostolate's ministries include:
Totus Tuus "Consecrate Them in Truth" Family Conferences
Week-long Holy Family Fests for uniting families with God and one another and sending them home with the programs to evangelize
Marriage "Get-away" weekends
Evangelization and catechetical institute training
The 24-hour Familylandâ„¢ Television Network, featuring heaven-bound family entertainment and spiritual programming. Broadcast off the DBS Sky Angel satellite
A comprehensive "Family Wisdom Curriculum" that includes the multimedia programs of:
weekly "Be Not Afraid Family Hours" on video originally inspired by Mother Teresa of Calcutta for home and parish evangelization, with a
pro-life focus First Saturday Cenacle video programs
Divine Mercy Sunday perpetual multimedia programs
neighborhood "Peace of Heart Forums" focused on a spiritual book each month with weekly gatherings to view videos featuring experts expounding on Scripture, papal documents and lives of the saints. These Forums help to build community and provide support groups for learning and sharing on a spiritual level.
Lay Ecclesial Team Evangelization System for neighborhood evangelization in parishes and dioceses, open to diverse Church-approved spiritualities and associations. This system utilizes the Family Apostolate's tri-media catechetical and evangelization programs.
Television and radio program series. A video library of over 15,000 exclusive interviews and programs: "Family Covenant" (daily) "Holy Family Fests" "Spirit of John Paul II" (weekly) "Be Not Afraid Family Hours" (weekly) "Healing our Families" (weekly) "First Saturday Cenacles" (monthly) various devotional novena series and specials
· Familyland Television Network that broadcasts 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Entertains, educates and edifies. A TV network you can trust that includes all of the above series plus edited movies, sitcoms, sports and nature shows-all carefully reviewed and edited for immodesty, excessive violence, disrespect for authority and bad language. Familyland is broadcast throughout the USA on satellite and cable and is aired on national cable television in the Philippines. Also includes "Meet My Friend" and "The Meeting Place" children's shows and "Destiny Generation" teen shows.
The Clara+vision Catholic Spanish Network that carries our call-in programs and broadcasts "Be Not Afraid Family Hours" daily.
The Apostolate for Family Consecration® was founded by Jerome F. and Gwen C. Coniker, who were married on August 15, 1959. Today they have 13 children (one with the Lord) and over 56 grandchildren.
On April 29, 1999, Pope John Paul II appointed Jerry and Gwen Coniker to a five-year term, as one of twenty couples throughout the world, to be Roman Curia members of the Pontifical Council for the Family.
June 15, 2002 Gwen C. Coniker passed onto eternity in her home at Catholic Familyland with her husband and children by her side.
August 6, 2004 Pope John Paul II appointed Mr. Jerry Coniker to be Consultor of the Pontifical Council for the Family for a period of Five Years.
© 2006 AFC | Privacy Policy | Contact Us | Donate | Address: 3375 County Rd.36 Bloomingdale, OH 43910 Phone: 1-800-77-FAMILY
Blessed Teresa was the inspiration for our "Be Not Afraid Holy Hours".
"Your Be Not Afraid Weekly Eucharistic Family Hours will bring down many graces for the Church and especially for our families. I encourage all families to participate in this powerful devotion which is calling down the mercy of God upon all of us. God bless you" -Mother Teresa
Blessed Teresa has been a very dear friend of the Apostolate for many years. Our Founders Jerry & Gwen Coniker have had many encounters with Mother Teresa, most of which have been captured on video. Encounters with Mother Teresa insights into Family Life, is a beautiful and inspiring collection of videos and audios featuring Mother Teresa.
The image above is Blessed Teresa embracing our co-founder Gwen Coniker.
Introduction to Total Consecration The goal of this website and podcast is to help you consecrate yourself and your family. Come back to this website everyday to read and listen or to subscribe to our Consecration Podcasts. You will find a subscription button on every introduction page of Part 1 to Part 6. Clicking on it will immediately download the audio files to iTunes. So take advantage of this new technology and also listen to these teachings on-the-go.
1. You are about to enter upon the most powerful spiritual adventure for you and your family in your pilgrimage of faith on earth. That adventure is following Pope John Paul II on the journey to union with God through Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary, in union with St. Joseph.
Early in his life, Pope John Paul II made his Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary according to the formula of St. Louis de Montfort. This union with Jesus through His Mother has been the guiding force for his priesthood, episcopate and papacy, giving him the strength and wisdom to have led the universal Church into the Third Christian Millennium of hope. Pope John Paul II is an inspiration to us all at this crossroads in history, and we believe his teachings will go on until the end of time.
Two dimensions of consecration
2. The first dimension of Pope John Paul's consecration is Totus Tuus (translated "Totally Yours" from Latin), giving everything to Jesus through Mary. Cardinal Mario Luigi Ciappi, the Pope's former teacher and personal theologian, wrote to me on August 24, 1989:
"... when we give all our merits to Mary, she multiplies them by her own incalculable merits. This puts into motion positive spiritual forces to repair the damage due to sin and can significantly change the course of history, if enough make this commitment." (Cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, par. 1475 and 1477.)
The second dimension of Pope John Paul's consecration is Consecrate them in Truth. It is summarized in the Gospel of John, Chapter 17, when Our Lord said:
"Father...eternal life is this: to know you... I have glorified you on earth and finished the work that you gave me to do... I am not asking you to remove them from the world but to protect them from the evil one... Consecrate them in the truth; your word is truth... that they may be one as we are one... that the love with which you loved me may be in them and so that I may be in them."
The importance of consecration
3. Consecration is a way of life that will protect you and your family in these perilous times. It will help you become totally docile to Mary, who is one spirit with her Son, becoming her "consecrated slave," or as we say in the Apostolate for Family Consecration, her "spiritual child," whom she molds into the image and likeness of her Son.
Pope John Paul II explains this devotion in his book Crossing the Threshold of Hope:
"Totus Tuus. This phrase is not only an expression of piety, or simply an expression of devotion. It is more. During the Second World War, while I was employed as a factory worker, I came to be attracted to Marian devotion. At first, it had seemed to me that I should distance myself a bit from the Marian devotion of my childhood, in order to focus more on Christ.
"Thanks to Saint Louis of Montfort, I came to understand that true devotion to the Mother of God is actually Christocentric, indeed, it is very profoundly rooted in the Mystery of the Blessed Trinity, and the mysteries of the Incarnation and Redemption.
"And so, I rediscovered Marian piety, this time with a deeper understanding. This mature form of devotion to the Mother of God has stayed with me over the years, bearing fruit in the encyclicals Redemptoris Mater and Mulieris Dignitatem."
Pope John Paul II went on to say:
"In regard to Marian devotion, each of us must understand that such devotion not only addresses a need of the heart, a sentimental inclination, but that it also corresponds to the objective truth about the Mother of God. Mary is the new Eve, placed by God in close relation to Christ, the new Adam, beginning with the Annunciation, through the night of His birth in Bethlehem, through the wedding feast at Cana of Galilee, through the Cross at Calvary, and up to the gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The Mother of Christ the Redeemer is the Mother of the Church."
The Apostolate for Family Consecration was founded to help individuals, families, and members of various Church movements to make this consecration and to assist them in faithfully living it. This is done through continuous formation in the truth, using our vast audio and video resources and free resources that are available on our Familyland Television Network, podcasts, and website (go to the "Family Consecration" section of www.familyland.org).
This website has been prepared to make it easy for you and your family to make your Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary, Totus Tuus, while being consecrated in Truth. The excerpts from Pope John Paul II's major documents present both dimensions of this consecration (Totus Tuus and "Consecrate them in Truth").
Pope John Paul II was the prophet for our times and for the "Fatima Formula for Divine Mercy"-which we believe is the era of peace (civilization of love) that Our Lady promised at Fatima. We are confident that this era of peace will be granted once enough people make and sacrificially live this consecration.
It is important to note that Pope John Paul II died at 9:30 p.m. on April 3, 2005, on First Saturday, which is a Fatima devotion day that the Pope observed throughout his pontificate. Since the Holy Father passed away on Saturday night, the Church was liturgically celebrating Divine Mercy Sunday-which is the first Sunday after Easter and which the Holy Father declared as a world-wide feast in 2000.
It is also important to note that on April 28, 2005, the feast of St. Louis de Montfort, the Vicar General of Rome and the Prefect for the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints asked Pope Benedict XVI to open the Pope's cause for beatification and to waive the usual five-year moratorium. Pope Benedict XVI approved this recommendation and made it public on May 13, 2005, the feast day of Our Lady of Fatima. In 1981, Pope John Paul II had been shot and miraculously saved on this feast day.
Pope John Paul II agreed with Andre Malraux when he said that "the twenty-first century would be the century of religion or it would not be at all" (Crossing the Threshold of Hope, p. 229). It is up to us, and this consecration is the key to the "threshold of hope".
Preparation for Total Consecration
4. This preparation for Total Consecration book is based on St. Louis de Montfort's 33-day formula. This formula consists of twelve Preliminary Days, in which the soul endeavors to rid itself of the "spirit of the world" (insofar as this spirit opposes the Spirit of Jesus Christ), followed by three weeks of prayer and meditation during which time the soul strives to acquire a better knowledge of self, of Mary, and of Jesus Christ. On the 34th day, the Act of Total Consecration is made, followed by six additional days of prayer and reflection on living that consecration-for a total of 40 days of prayer.
Why 40 Days?
5. In the Bible and in the Tradition of the Church, "40 days" has a symbolic and spiritual meaning. Biblically, for example:
•There were 40 days and nights of flooding in Noah's time (cf. Gen 7:4).
•Moses fasted for 40 days and nights before receiving the Ten Commandments, on two different occasions (cf. Exodus 24:18 and 34:28).
•When Elijah flees from the fury of Queen Jezebel, he walks for 40 days and nights on the strength given him by two hearth cakes and two jugs of water, which had been given to him by an angel (cf. 1 Kings 19:8).
•Jonah warns the people of Nineveh that God will destroy their city in 40 days, during which time the people repent and beg God's mercy by prayer and fasting (cf. Jonah 3:4).
•Jesus fasts for 40 days and nights in the desert before beginning His public ministry (cf. Matthew 4:2).
•Jesus appears to His Apostles and disciples for 40 days after His Resurrection and before His Ascension into Heaven (cf. Acts 1:3).
In the Church, there are 40 days of Lent, during which time we repent of and make reparation for our sins by self-denial, prayer and fasting. Also, many parishes have special Forty Hours Eucharistic devotions some time during the year.
Because of the spiritual symbolism of 40 days, we felt the inspiration to extend the traditional 33-day preparation for Total Consecration to include six additional days after the Consecration Day in order to deepen our understanding of living out our Total Consecration in our daily lives. As former papal theologian Cardinal Ciappi said, "Consecration is not just a prayer or a devotion but a commitment to a way of life which must be nourished through continuous formation in the eternal truths of our Faith."
During these additional days, you may also want to watch or listen to Cardinal Francis Arinze's audio/video commentaries on how to practically live your consecration.
How to use this website
6. It is recommended that you block out twenty to thirty minutes each day to read and prayerfully reflect on the meditations selected for the particular day of the preparation period. Pray and talk to God, His Mother, and St. Joseph about what you are reading. Invite the Holy Spirit to guide you, so that you don't rush through the readings and prayers.
The objective is not necessarily to completely read all the meditations for each day, but to set aside some time every day to reflect on all or just part of the daily meditations. You can always go back to them later after you have completed your consecration. In fact, you are encouraged to regularly reflect on these readings even after you have made your consecration.
Try not to become scrupulous; if you miss a day or two, it doesn't mean that you cannot make the consecration or that you need to start over again. Just keep proceeding and do your best; Our Lady understands.
Protect your family
7. We hope that you will adopt the daily family Rosary as a powerful way to sanctify and protect your family.
We suggest that you share the readings on this website with your entire family, possibly at dinner time. Just as a child is baptized and brought into the Church, so children can be consecrated and brought into this powerful relationship of Total Consecration. As parents, it is our obligation to help our children develop a relationship with God. Children can make the consecration also. It will be up to them to make faith-filled choices to continue living this Total Consecration as they grow older.
God will never interfere with our free will. He will never force us to love Him. As parents, we want to give everything we can to our children so that they, in turn, can make the right decisions. So we encourage you to enter into this consecration as a family.
Some Lay Ecclesial Teams and their families gather together to read and reflect on each day's meditation, prayer and spiritual exercise. Prayer groups and other associations or movements may do this as well.
You may be interested in using our other multimedia formation and devotional materials that will further consecrate your family in the truth and draw you more deeply into your relationship with Our Lord. These resources are explained on our website at www.familyland.org, under the "Family Consecration" ["Protect Your Family"] section. Many of the resources may be downloaded or viewed on-line. We particularly recommend The Apostolate's Family Catechism, which is one of the most faith and love-filled resources developed for families.
How to consecrate your entire family
8. When praying the Rosary together as a family, you may choose to read aloud small portions of the reflections in this book before each decade. You could alternate by day between reading the reflection by Pope John Paul II and the reflection by St. Louis de Montfort. At the end of the Rosary, you could then pray one of the recommended prayers or do one of the spiritual exercises for that particular day. Be careful, though, not to let it go on too long or you can "stretch" your children too far.
This technique is a good way for your entire family to prepare to make the consecration. If you think it is too much for your younger children, they would not need to participate in all of the reflections or say all of the prayers in order to make their consecration.
How do I get started?Sunday 19 February 2006 Go To Part 1
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