Ang Ligaya ng Panginoon
Evangelization is the heartbeat of Ang Ligaya ng Panginoon. This covenanted community has been building up faith among families, students, young professionals, business people and executives, and urban poor communities—through seminars, small-group meetings, books, apps, and podcasts—bringing the Good News and its way of life beyond Metro Manila and the Philippines for more than 45 years.
Called into being by the Lord in 1975, a group of 41 has grown to more than 2,500 members, with some spanning three generations within families. Emboldened by its founding prophecy — “You have asked to see my face. I will show it to you. As you grow in love and service for one another, you will see me. For I will be among you. You will see me. I will be in your midst acting among you. You will see my face in the love you have for one another. And I will give you a name by which I will be proclaimed. Kayo ang aking Ligaya. Ang aking Ligaya ay makikilala ng buong bayan, dito sa Pilipinas at sa lahat ng aking mga tao.” — Ligaya has been thriving as a community of disciples on mission.
God has been faithful. He has led Ligaya and its people to several mission fields where He wants to be known. Five years after its establishment, Ligaya formed the Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals and the Christ Youth in Action (the campus-based ministry). In 1981, it set up an evangelization effort for married couples, which would later be called Couples for Christ.
It reached out to the young professionals by forming Ang Lingkod ng Panginoon in 1984, and established a group of communities among the urban poor in various parts of Metro Manila and called it Tahanan ng Panginoon in 1986. It established Familia in 1993, a family life movement based in parishes. And in 1998, through one of its members, Ligaya took Cradle of Joy, now COJ Catholic Progressive School, as one of its educational mission outreaches. In 2005, Pathways was formed to appeal to a broader audience, basically anyone in need of God’s Word.
Through these outreaches, Ligaya has helped build and nurture communities in the provinces and in cities in southeast Asia and as far as Europe. Within its core lies the Ligaya way of life, embraced by its members through the years.
Covenanted Ligaya members are called to love God in lives of daily prayer, service, worship, and praise, and proclaim His Word in joy, peace, and love of the Holy Spirit. There are small group meetings, district gatherings, sectoral assemblies, and community-wide events where they meet and foster brotherhood and sisterhood.
Under the formation of the Sword of the Spirit Community, Ligaya has adopted three basics of living a covenant community life: spiritual formation, relationship-building, and service to the Church.
Ligaya has been pastored by Fr. Herbert Schneider, SJ, or simply Fr. Herb to many, who has had, and continues to have a deep and meaningful impact on the lives of countless individuals, communities, and organizations. He was succeeded as the Senior Head Coordinator by Vic Gutierrez (2001), Tony Panajon (2004), Spanky Meer (2010), Andy Juan (2015), and Manny De Los Santos (2021).
For our leaders and members, it all started with a personal call from God through the outreaches formed by Ligaya ng Panginoon under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.