Membership in the

Communal First Saturdays Apostolate (CFSA)

There are six basic types of membership: Candidacy for Active Membership, Active Membership, Auxiliary Membership, Prayer Membership, Associate Membership, and Honorary Membership. All members must be practicing Catholics in good standing with the Catholic Church. All members, except for Associate & Honorary Members, fulfill the duties of Prayer Members. None of the membership duties bind under sin.

All members share in the prayers and good works of all the other members of the CFSA. (Benefactors will be remembered in the prayers and good works of the CFSA.)

For all members, it will be a special glory in the life to come to have participated in the establishment of devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary in the world.

The first three types of membership presuppose that there is a CFSA Chapter in a nearby parish. For more information about starting a chapter as well as starting the Communal First Saturdays, please see click here.

Candidacy for Active Membership

Responsibilities of Candidates

The responsibilities of Candidates for Active Membership are the same as for Active Members except that Candidates need to complete initial formation and make the CFSA Promise.

It is the responsibility of the Chapter, and in particular, the Chair of the CFSA Chapter, to oversee this new candidate formation (cf. 5.33A).

The initial formation consists of the following:

• learn about and practice the Communal First Saturdays.
• work with one or more Active Member to promote and sustain the Communal First Saturdays in the parish and to complete various CFSA apostolic activities. The candidate would work with other candidates if there are no Active Members, such as the case may be in a CFSA Chapter in Formation, cf. 5.12B.

Active Membership

Responsibilities and Rights of Active Members

Active Members are members of a CFSA Chapter or members of a CFSA Chapter and Council(s) (cf. 5.11 and 5.12).

Responsibilities of Active Members

• Active Members have fulfilled the duties of a candidate and have recited the CFSA Promise.
• Active Members help the CFSA in seeking to propagate, establish, and sustain the Communal First Saturdays as described in The Communal First Saturdays book as well as other programs and materials of the apostolate.
• Active Members commit themselves to the practice of the Fatima message of prayer, penance, sacrifice, and devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary on a daily basis.
• Active Members must attend monthly CFSA Chapter meetings and, if invited, quarterly CFSA Council business meetings unless excused for a good reason.
• Active Members participate in ongoing formation.

Rights of Active Members

Active Members have the rights of Catholics to be treated in a way in accord with human and Christian dignity, especially as these rights are expressed in Canon Law. Further, as members of the CFSA, they have the right to participate in a way that is in conformity with the statutes and right to appeal to a higher ecclesiastical authority if they cannot have their issues satisfactorily answered. Active Members have voting rights in their parish CFSA Chapter. Active Members of the Central Council or other Council also have voting rights of the respective council.

Auxiliary Membership

Auxiliary Members do what Prayer Members do (cf. “Prayer Members” below). They also do some apostolic work for the CFSA but do not attend CFSA business meetings.

Prayer Membership

Prayer Members do all of the following in reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary:

• practice the Fatima message of prayer, penance, sacrifice, and devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary on a daily basis and by fulfilling the First Saturdays Devotion.
• pray the Rosary and the Fatima prayers daily and wears the Scapular of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel.
• make the intention to join his or her prayers to the prayers of the other CFSA members.

For more information, see the Prayer Membership pamphlet.

Associate Membership

Associate Members are those who are unable to fulfill the responsibilities of the other members but do whatever they can by way of prayer and other actions such as financial support.

Honorary Membership

Clergy, religious, and others who have offered special and ongoing aid to the Communal First Saturdays can, with their consent, be admitted as honorary members to the CFSA through CFSA Chapters or Councils. Ongoing aid may include prayer, spiritual advice and/or promotion of the Communal First Saturdays.

For more information or questions, please contact the CFSA at info@communalfirstsaturdays.org.

Rights of Other Types of Members

Auxiliary, Prayer, Honorary, and Associate Members of the CFSA have the right to participate in a way that is in conformity with the statutes and right to appeal to a higher ecclesiastical authority if they cannot have their issues satisfactorily answered. They do not have voting rights.

Chapters

The lowest level of organization is the CFSA Chapter for a local parish, shrine, or other venue, such as a Catholic Newman Center or a nursing home. The Chapter would take its name from the parish, shrine, or other venue. For simplicity, from this point forward, the term “parish” will represent all of these venues. The Chapter is primarily concerned with the maintenance of the Communal First Saturdays devotion in the parish. There are two kinds of CFSA Chapters: Established Chapters and Chapters in Formation.

Duties of the CFSA Chapters

1. A CFSA Chapter helps ensure the maintenance and sustainability of the Communal First Saturdays in the parish.
2. A CFSA Chapter partakes in initial and ongoing member formation.
3. The CFSA Chapter helps members achieve a deeper understanding of the First Saturdays and the Fatima Message.
4. A CFSA Chapter is part of a unified, international effort to spread the First Saturdays throughout the world in a form that makes it easier for a larger number of people to fulfill the devotion together, i.e. the Communal First Saturdays.
5. A CFSA Chapter helps ensure conformity with the order of devotion for the Communal First Saturdays.

CFSA Membership Sign up Form

The CFSA reserves the right to determine those who will be accepted and continue as members.