Catholic Christian Outreach
Catholic Christian Outreach Canada (CCO) is a Catholic missionary organization 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]
 | |
| Abbreviation | CCO |
|---|---|
| Established | October 6, 1988 |
| Founders | André and Angèle Regnier |
| Focus | Evangelization on Canadian University campuses |
| Headquarters | Ottawa |
Region | Canada |
Staff | 126 (2019) |
| Website | cco |
CCO's Mission statement: "...a university student movement dedicated to evangelization. We challenge students to live in the fullness of the Catholic faith with a strong emphasis on becoming leaders in the renewal of the world."[2]
History
CCO was founded in 1988 by André and Angèle Regnier at the University of Saskatchewan. The Regniers had participated in Evangelical activities with Campus Crusade for Christ at the University of Saskatchewan and were inspired by the zeal and devotion they found there, and they wanted to see a similar zeal within the Catholic Church. They found this zeal in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, whose spiritual disposition they adopted in their approach to evangelization. They collaborated with their parish priest to develop CCO as a faith outreach program to bring this approach to Catholic university students, helping them to grow in their faith and learn to share it with others.[3]
In 1992 CCO became an incorporated non-profit organization with its headquarters in Saskatoon;[4] its headquarters moved to Ottawa in 2006.[5]
Current Campuses
CCO began with four missionaries at the University of Saskatchewan. As of April 2019 it had expanded to over 126 staff[6] at headquarters and sixteen universities[7] and has plans to expand by 20 campuses between 2008 and 2028.[8]
British Columbia
| Year | University | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Simon Fraser University | Vancouver, British Columbia |
| 2008 | University of British Columbia | Vancouver, British Columbia |
| 2014 | University of Victoria | Victoria, British Columbia |
Alberta
| Year | University | City |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | University of Calgary | Calgary, Alberta |
| 2014 | Mount Royal University | Calgary, Alberta |
Saskatchewan
| Year | University | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | University of Saskatchewan | Saskatoon, Saskatchewan |
Manitoba
| Year | University | City |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | University of Winnipeg | Winnipeg, Manitoba |
Ontario
| Year | University | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Carleton University | Ottawa, Ontario |
| 2000 | University of Ottawa | Ottawa, Ontario |
| 2007 | Queen's University | Kingston, Ontario |
| 2013 | Ryerson University | Toronto, Ontario |
| 2018 | Trent University | Peterborough, Ontario |
Quebec
| Year | University | City |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Concordia University | Montreal, Quebec |
Nova Scotia
| Year | University | City |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Dalhousie University | Halifax, Nova Scotia |
| 2010 | Saint Mary's University | Halifax, Nova Scotia |
Newfoundland and Labrador
| Year | University | City |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Memorial University | St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador |
Former Campuses
| Year | University | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | University of Regina | Regina, Saskatchewan |
| 2003 | Douglas College | Vancouver, British Columbia |
| 2004 | Capilano College | Vancouver, British Columbia |
| 2009 | Laval University | Quebec City, Quebec |
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 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. This booklet has been translated into over a dozen languages, and one million copies were printed and distributed at World Youth Day 2016 in Kraków, Poland.[9]
Rise Up
CCO organizes an annual Christmas conference called "Rise Up". It is the second-largest Catholic conference for youth in Canada (behind Steubenville Toronto),[10] and drew 850 participants to the 2013 conference in Ottawa.[11]
Rise Up takes place every year from December 28 to January 1. It includes presentations, workshops, live worship, adoration, reconciliation, and a New Year's banquet and dance.[12] It is designed to deepen students' spiritual life and to motivate them to share their faith with others.[13]
Mission projects
CCO has facilitated several domestic and overseas missions throughout its existence, 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.[14] Impact also features a weekly event called Cornerstone that involves skits, worship, testimonies, and Catholic teaching,[15] a Courageous Catholic program that teaches people how to share their faith, and a monthly Summit event involving worship, Eucharistic adoration, and Reconciliation.[14]
| Year | City |
|---|---|
| 1999 | Ottawa, Ontario |
| 2002 | Ottawa, Ontario |
| 2004 | Halifax, Nova Scotia |
| 2007 | Vancouver, British Columbia |
| 2009 | Saskatoon, Saskatchewan |
| 2010 | Calgary, Alberta |
| 2011 | Ottawa, Ontario |
| 2012 | Halifax, Nova Scotia |
| 2014 | Victoria, British Columbia |
| 2015 | Vancouver, British Columbia |
| 2018 | Vancouver, British Columbia |
Other missions
Every Spring and Summer, CCO missionaries lead teams of students on foreign or domestic missions. The purpose of these trips are to help share the gospel in other areas, equip the locals on how to share their faith, and to build up the student participants in their confidence and love for Jesus.
Mission Locations
| Year | Region |
|---|---|
| 2010 | China |
| 2012 | India |
| 2012 | Uganda |
| 2014 | Yukon |
| 2015 | British Columbia |
| 2016 | Brazil |
| 2016 | Poland |
| 2016-19 | Mexico |
| 2017 | Malaysia |
| 2017-19 | Honduras |
| 2019 | Cameroon |
| 2019 | St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador |
| 2019 | New York City |
| 2019 | Panama |
| 2019 | Scotland |
References
- O'Reilly, Pierre. "What is CCO Canada?" (PDF). Companions of the Cross, spring 2002. Companions of the Cross. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-24. Retrieved 2011-05-19.
- "Our Mission Statement". Catholic Christian Outreach.
- Scalisi, Patrick (December 2008). "Higher Learning, Higher Power" (PDF). Columbia Magazine: 12. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-24. Retrieved 2011-05-19.
- "CCO FAQ". Catholic Christian Outreach. Archived from the original on 2012-09-13. Retrieved 2011-05-19.
- "CCO News". Catholic Christian Outreach. Archived from the original on 2007-08-16. Retrieved 2011-05-19.
- "CATHOLIC CHRISTIAN OUTREACH CANADA INC — Quick View". Canada Revenue Agency.
- "CCO Campuses". Catholic Christian Outreach. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
- Girard, Carolyn (2008-11-10). "20 years of mission for Catholic Christian Outreach". The Catholic Register. Archived from the original on 2015-11-24. Retrieved 2015-02-25.
- Prendergast, Terrence (July 30, 2016). "World Youth Day a chance for young Christians to become modern pilgrims". Ottawa Sun. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
- Remy, Ruane (2014-07-09). "Steubenville rocks Toronto". The Catholic Register. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
- Gyapong, Deborah (2014-01-08). "Nun's witness sends students scrambling to confessionals". Western Catholic Reporter. Retrieved 2014-07-15.
- Brown, Emma (2012-12-14). "Youth 'Rise Up' to party in two cities". The Catholic Register. Archived from the original on 2014-12-13. Retrieved 2015-02-25.
- Yaworski, Kiply Lukan (2013-01-14). "Young Catholics 'Rise Up' in two locations". The B.C. Catholic. Archived from the original on 2014-12-13. Retrieved 2015-02-25.
- Yaworski, Kiply Lukan (2009-05-27). "Catholic Christian Outreach (CCO) returns to city of its birth for summer Impact 2009 mission: diocese welcomes 60 young missionaries" (PDF). News Archive: Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-02-25. Retrieved 2015-02-25.
- Groot, Christina (September 2007). "Catholic initiative has national IMPACT!". CanadianChristianity. Archived from the original on 2015-02-26. Retrieved 1 June 2012.
