Catholic Christian Outreach facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Catholic Christian Outreach

Abbreviation	CCO
Established	October 6, 1988; 36 years ago (1988-10-06)
Founders	André and Angèle Regnier
Focus	Evangelization on Canadian University campuses
Headquarters	Ottawa
Region	Canada
Staff	126 (2019)

Catholic Christian Outreach Canada (CCO) is a Catholic group that helps university students in Canada. It is like a special team that helps students learn more about their Catholic faith. CCO helps students connect with Jesus Christ. They also help students grow strong in their faith. A big part of what they do is help students become leaders. These leaders then share their faith with others.

CCO's main goal is to help students become leaders who are focused on Christ. They want these leaders to be full of spirit. Their aim is to share their faith with one person at a time. CCO works mainly on university campuses. But they also work with former students, local churches, and other groups.

How CCO Started

CCO was started in 1988 by André and Angèle Regnier. They began this group at the University of Saskatchewan. The Regniers had seen how much energy and dedication other Christian groups had. They wanted to see that same energy within the Catholic Church.

They found this energy in a movement called the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. This movement helped them decide how to share their faith. They worked with their local priest to create CCO. It was a program to help Catholic university students. It helped students grow in their faith. It also taught them how to share it with others.

In 1992, CCO became an official non-profit group. Its main office was first in Saskatoon. Later, in 2006, it moved to Ottawa.

Where CCO Is Now

CCO started with just four people helping students at the University of Saskatchewan. By April 2019, CCO had grown a lot. It had over 126 staff members. They were working at the main office and at sixteen different universities. CCO also had plans to be on 20 more campuses between 2008 and 2028.

Universities with CCO

CCO is active at universities across Canada. Here are some of the places they are:

British Columbia

Alberta

Saskatchewan

Manitoba

Ontario

Quebec

Nova Scotia

Newfoundland and Labrador

How CCO Helps Students

CCO uses different ways to help students learn and share their faith.

Faith Studies

Students involved with CCO often lead or join weekly faith studies. These are small group meetings on campus. They help students learn more about their faith. They also learn how to live it out every day. The study materials use verses from the Bible and teachings from the Catechism of the Catholic Church. They also use simple stories to explain spiritual ideas. These studies are meant to create good discussions in a relaxed setting. There are five main studies: Discovery, Source, Growth, Trust, and Commission.

Events and Training

CCO also holds larger events for many students. They offer one-on-one training to help students become leaders. Students can also go on spiritual retreats. They can join fun social events and prayer activities too.

CCO created a small book called The Ultimate Relationship. This book introduces basic Christian beliefs. It has been translated into many languages. One million copies were printed and given out at World Youth Day 2016 in Kraków, Poland.

Rise Up Conference

Eucharistic adoration at Rise Up 2011

CCO organizes a big conference every Christmas called "Rise Up". It is one of the largest Catholic conferences for young people in Canada. In 2013, 850 people attended the conference in Ottawa.

Rise Up happens every year from December 28 to January 1. It includes talks, workshops, live music for worship, and prayer time. Students can also go to confession. There is a New Year's dinner and dance too. The conference helps students grow deeper in their faith. It also encourages them to share their faith with others.

Mission Projects

CCO has organized many mission trips. These trips have been both within Canada and to other countries. CCO teams have also attended several World Youth Day events.

IMPACT Canada

The annual IMPACT mission brings students from all over Canada together. They spend a summer doing missionary work in one city. Participants live together and work in teams at different churches. They lead faith studies and organize retreats and special events. IMPACT also has a weekly event called Cornerstone. It includes skits, worship, personal stories, and Catholic teachings. There is also a Courageous Catholic program. It teaches people how to share their faith. A monthly Summit event includes worship, prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, and confession.

Other Missions

Every Spring and Summer, CCO leaders take teams of students on missions. These trips can be to other countries or to different parts of Canada. The goal of these trips is to share the good news of the Gospel. They also help local people learn how to share their faith. These trips also help the students grow in their confidence and love for Jesus.

Mission Locations

See also

• Fellowship of Catholic University Students
• Saint Paul's Outreach