CLC HISTORY

A Journey Of Grace Upon Grace

At the origins of the CLC is a grace named IGNATIUS OF LOYOLA.

His secret had always been the infinite love of God: a fire, gently burning, discreet and prudent, but irresistibly conquering…

Thus, he became the heart of a small community…he tried to form really free men. Free, not only to love and to serve, but free to love and to serve always. Free, because totally poor and pure… Thus, he became the founder of the

Society of Jesus

Thus, he became the man who inspired

the lay-groups

around his first companions.

These groups cooperated with the fathers in the apostolate. They had different names but the same spirit.

1540 - Peter Faber led a famous group in Parma, also called the Society of Jesus. This group produced the first Jesuit martyr.

Sometime before 1545 – Francis Xavier wrote about how a chosen group of young men, on fire with love and zeal, helped him in his difficult mission.

1545 – Paschase Broet wrote about a flourishing group in Faenza.

1547 – Ignatius himself started the Society of the Twelve Apostles in Rome .

1548 – Nadal began a group in Calabria.

These groups were the pre-cursors of the Marian Congregation or the Congregatio Mariana. The MC is the direct ancestor of the Christian Life Community.

May 3, 1556

A young man of 24, dressed as a worker, presented himself in the Jesuit house near the little church of Madonna della Strada in Rome. He wanted to enter the Society of Jesus.

He came from Liege, Belgium .

He walked all the way.

JEAN LEUNIS

Founder of the MC

In the Roman College Jean Leunis gathered a group of students and prepared them

to do apostolic work

in the city of Rome.

This group became the Marian Congregation of the Roman College.

Perugia Paris Avignon Lyons Turin

Nov. 19, 1584 – death of Jean Leunis Dec. 5, 1584 – canonical establishment of the Congretation of the Roman College with the pontifical bull

Omnipotentis Dei

Pope Gregory XIII.

issued by

PRIMARIA

(primary group) With right to affiliate other groups of the same nature

THE AIM

All aspects of human existence together in one Christian way of life This was clear stated in the oldest known rules of 1574.

COMMUNITY LIFE

Ubi duo vel tres congregati sunt…

CONGREGATIO

Mariana

Every day, these brothers went together for Mass had their meditation together sang together a part of the Office of Our Lady examined their conscience together prepared the meditation for the next day At the weekly meetings the officers had to see to it that all members participated in sharing their opinions.

“All are members of one family and brothers in Christ.”

“Since it is a custom that such Congregations recommend themselves to a patron in heaven for protection and guidance, from whom they take the name, and since we have a particular devotion to the most Holy Virgin of the Annunciation, Mother of God, we, in all humility dedicate ourselves to her, praying that she may help us in all our actions…”

The Common Rules of 1587, prepared by Superior General Fr. Claudio Aquaviva,SJ.

The formation of laymen, conscious of their personal vocation in the Church of their time.

1540 – 1773

About 2500 groups were affiliated

233 years - 2500 1773 – 1948

About 80,000 groups

175 years – 77, 500

July 21, 1773 – Clement XIV signed a document suppressing the Society of Jesus, all its works, ministries and activities.



More than 20,000 Jesuits were sent home.



The General was imprisoned.

Society of Jesus and CM disappeared.

November 14, 1773 – The MC everywhere could continue without the Jesuits and

all Bishops

the world over could establish the CM.

MC MC MC MC MC MC MC MC MC MC MC MC MC MC MC MC MC MC MC MC MC MC MC MC MC MC MC MC MC MC MC MC MC MC MC

Are we allowed to accept the decline of the authentic spirit without doing something about its restoration?

Was the MC not a child of the Society of Jesus?

Is it not part of our vocation, especially since the MC became a work of the universal Church, to inspire the movement with the specific charism of the “man of the Church” Ignatius of Loyola?

1922: Fr. Ledochowski convened a meeting of Jesuits working in the MC. (Forty Fathers from nineteen countries) 

to start in Rome a central secretariat, one function of which was to revive the most neglected work of the Society – the MC!

1948: Pius XII promulgated the Apostolic Constitution “Bis Saeculari” on the Sodalities of Our Lady

The Sodalities of Our Lady duly affiliated to the

Prima Primaria…

are religious associations established and constituted by the Church.

Formation of Members

Sodalities of Our Lady must, therefore, give their members… that will make them capable of being… examples of Christian living and apostolic zeal.

Apostolic End, Cooperation

“Among their primary ends, Sodalities include every form of the apostolate, particularly the social apostolate, since the apostolic work of spreading the Kingdom of Christ and defending the rights of the Church has been mandated to Sodalities by the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy itself.”

1950: Fr. Janssens convened an international Jesuit meeting: - held April 15-22 at the Jesuit Curia in Rome - attended by 71 fathers from 40 countries.

 Focus was more on the external forms of the MC Questions after the 1950 meeting:  What was to be done concretely?



What about the laity?

Fr. Janssens appointed Fr. Louis Paulussen, SJ head of the central secretariat in Rome.

Fr. Paulussen’s orders from the General:

Please travel as much as possible; the time to sit at home is over!

Preparing a World Federation To bring people – lay and priests – in a world federation, world union, world community…

“Essential is that we bring people together. Essential is that they can work, deliberate and pray together, that they can cooperate with others and serve the Church on world level.”

1951 in October in Rome: FIRST WORLD CONGRESS for the lay apostolate

MC Meeting within the Congress: a group of 25 19 lay people, 2 diocesan priests, 4 Jesuits The URGENCY of COOPERATION on PERMANENT INTERNATIONAL BASIS

1952 in Barcelona: MC meeting on the occasion of the Eucharistic Congress



To form a world federation



To ask the Rome secretariat to prepare some Statutes as soon as possible

1952: DRAFT of the Statutes: written and sent to all national federations

Responses of the Federations:

 Many expressions of agreement  Very few amendments 1953 January: Statutes were presented to Pope Pius XII

Responses of the Pope:

 Immediate response: extreme pleasure and a promise to send a letter of approval  Subsequent response: the Letter of Approval dated July 2, 1953

With this letter,the World Federation was officially founded.

April 13, 1954 - Pius XII named Arch. Joseph Gawlina Ecclesiastical Assistant of the World Federation.

Now, what is the next step?

To bring people together? How?

SUGGESTIONS from several countries to the Rome secretariat: 

Organize a “world-wide congress” on the occasion of the Marian Year 1954.

Gregorian University direct continuation of the Roman College

The delegates planned the meeting and organized the elections of the Executive Council.

COMMON DESIRE: serious and rapid renewal

Mandate of WF to the Rome Secretariat:

Draft new Common Rules

1959 till 1964: a time of www

dialogue

National Federations Secretariat The main features of the

GENERAL PRINCIPLES

appeared little by little

Aligning GP with Vatican II

Wait…

140 delegates from 38 countries

The participating delegates, moved by the Spirit of the Lord, and influenced by Vatican II and the rediscovery of Ignatian sources approved an extensive program of aggiornamento for this 400 year old organization.



New rules – the General Principles



New statutes for the World Federation



New international name: Christian Life

Communities



New juridical structure



New apostolate

Be it resolved: That the federation of the world as a voluntary common apostolate undertake concrete local action aimed at ending world poverty and injustice in the spirit of ‘Populorum

Progressio.’

Fr. Pedro Arrupe, then Superior General, handed over the leadership of the new community to its lay leaders.

-Drop directive role -Act more as a source of inspiration and animators without giving up the specific task of representing the Hierarchy of the Church

August 11-15, 1970 Manresa-Loyola Retreat House Haina, Sto. Domingo

COMMUNAL DELIBERATION General Principles: achievements and failings Role of CLC in the crisis of the Church and in the challenge of development

“…the delegates were supposed to study and discuss the crisis in the Church today; instead they lived the crisis.”

(

Progressio

, Autumn 1970)

The overturning of the planned program The withdrawal of four federations from the world federation

Reports from the national delegations with suggestions for future activity of the World Federation

Areas needing action for the next three years:

Nature of CLC Structure of CLC Communications Voluntary Common Apostolate

All division carries in itself the promise of a stronger union … thus signifies Santo Domingo for us invitation and provocation.

(Fr. Paulussen)

August 5 – 9, 1973 Augsburg, Germany 170 delegates from 40 countries

CLC: A Community at the Service of the Liberation of All Men

Respectful listening

“The liberation of all men, being at the core a political problem, should the CLCs as such, and not only their members as individuals, make it their concern?”

An affirmative response with different nuances

Four concrete points of direction and action: Commitment to the transformation of political, economic, social, cultural and religious structures using…discernment to determine priorities and methods of action Openness to the world by presence, by action and by collaboration with all men of good will…, solidarity with the very poor and the oppressed, and ecumenical work

Recognition of the capital importance of… a formation rooted in the Spiritual Exercises and in the cultures of the different countries.

A community life… in which sharing and mutual help extend to all the Communities, to other nations and to the poor.

180 delegates from 39 countries from five continents

Formation Courses in Manila

BEFORE the Assembly:

FORMATION COURSE I FORMATION COURSE II

AFTER the Assembly:

FORMATION COURSE III (August 21-30)

Major Points of Emphasis Concerning SERVICE:

-

- a clear option “in favor of the poor” in our life and our apostolate

-

- discernment to determine priorities

Concerning FORMATION: -- strong accent on being grounded in concrete situations and in insertion in the poorer sectors --emphasis on the help to be given so that the Spiritual Exercises is lived and implemented

Concerning COMMUNICATION: Fostering of the growth of persons and communities through: --exchange of persons between countries --twinning --more extensive use of publications: PROGRESSIO and Projects; exchange of national periodicals --international gatherings for sharing information about specific situations and action methodology

September 8 – 18, 1979 Villa Cavalletti, Rome 42 countries represented

TOWARDS A WORLD COMMUNITY AT THE SERVICE OF ONE WORLD

Should we now actively strive to become a world community?

YES - 23 NO - 7 ABSTENTIONS - 6

There was something of a stunned silence after the voting. The GA was saying YES!

It was a clear yes, but it was a humble yes, uttered not without reservation and fear. The momentary silence acknowledged that. Then came the applause. Then came the song. It was the moment of World Community. A moment of joy. And reflection.

August 25 – September 7 Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.A.

Delegates from 44 countries

IGNATIAN REPETITION

Providence ’82 is the re-living of the grace of Rome ’79 as enriched by the experiences of the intervening years.

Providence ’82 sought “the confirmation or not of the decision taken at Rome.”

DO YOU FEEL CALLED, NOW, TO BECOME A WORLD COMMUNITY?

YES – 37 NO – 0 ABSTENTIONS - 2

Decision: To hold the General Assembly every four years.

Four years TO LIVE the grace of Providence ’82 in the spirit of the assembly scriptural theme: “…this is what the Lord asks of you: only this, to act justly, to love tenderly and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8)

August 21 – 30, 1986 Center of Spirituality Loyola, Spain 134 delegates from 50 countries

Grace of Loyola ‘86

Confirmation of our identity as rooted in the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius:

sent in Mission in union with Christ poor and humble and in imitation of Mary

“We have also recognized that we are not able to be faithful to our mission without situating it in the context of our community, feeling that it is the entire community which is sent, united in mind and heart.”

147 delegates and observers from 51 countries

August 30 – September 7, 1990 Guadalajara, Mexico

CLC AT THE SERVICE OF THE KINGDOM “I choose you, and I commission you to go out and bear fruit, fruit that will last.” (Jn 15:16)

Grace of Guadalajara ’90

“We have experienced a grace of knowing ourselves as moved by the desire to serve with Christ in the work of the Kingdom, and we have been confirmed in this call… at the same time, we have come to know ourselves as still in need of greater unity and spiritual freedom as a community of disciples.”

Approval of the revised the General Principles and the General Norms by the World Assembly

Canonical Approval by the Pontifical Council for the Laity on Dec. 3, 1990, feast of St. Francis Xavier.

160 delegates and observers from 59 countries

July 20 – 30, 1994 Hong Kong University, Hong Kong

CLC COMMUNITY IN MISSION “I have come to bring fire to the earth and how I wish it were blazing already.”

Grace of Hong Kong ‘94 The call to a deep ongoing conversion with regard our MISSION This conversion asked for magis in -- the integration of social realities into our life and action -- the awareness of our being a community called to be with Christ and sent by HIM -- the reading of the signs of the times and translating our spiritual experience as a service for building justice and peace

Delegates and Observers from 54 Countries

July 22 – 31, 1998 Villa Kostka, Itaici, Brazil

Deepening Our Identity as an Apostolic Body – Clarifying our Common Mission “CLC, a letter from Christ, written by the Spirit, sent to today’s world.”

(Cf: 2Cor. 3:3)

Grace of Itaici ‘98 We discovered three areas of mission: First, we want to bring the freeing power of Christ to our social reality.

Secondly, we want to find Christ in all our varied cultures and to let His grace illuminate all that needs transformation.

Thirdly, we want to live Christ so as to bring him to every aspect of our daily life in the world.

Necessary means for this mission: The Spiritual Exercises as spiritual source which nourishes and empowers us for mission Formation for

An Apostolic Community that shares responsibility for mission Discerning Sending Supporting Evaluating

At the origins of the CLC is a grace God called by the name IGNATIUS OF LOYOLA.

His secret is no longer a secret to us: it is the infinite love of God: a fire, gently burning, discreet and prudent, but irresistibly conquering…

The WORDS woven together in this presentation were lifted from the following sources:

Louis Paulussen, SJ, God Works Like That, Progressio, June 1979 Emile Villaret, SJ, Abridged History of the Sodalities of Our Lady, Missouri, 1957 Progressio, Winter 1968 Progressio, Autumn 1969 Progressio, Summer 1970 Progressio, Autumn 1970 Progressio, May 1971 Progressio, September 1973 Progressio, September-November 1976

Progressio, September-November 1979 Roma ’79 (“Acts” of the Assembly), December 1979 Progressio, January-March 1983 Progressio, July 1986 Progressio, September-November 1986 Projects, no. 86, 27 th September 1990 Progressio, Nos. 2* 3* 4* 1994 Progressio, Nos. 1* 2* 3* 4* 1998 Notes of Frau Ingeborg von Grafenstein The Report of the Vice Assistant to the Nairobi Assembly

The PICTURES were extracted from the archives of CLC Germany and CLC Philippines and from the World Wide Web.