Publication of the World Christian Life Community

Glimpses for Contemplating an Apostolic Body

N 1 • 2018 Glimpses World Executive Council Meeting 2018

Borgo Santo Spirito, 4 – 00193 Rome-ITALY • Web site: www.cvx-clc.net E-mail: [email protected] English, French and Spanish Editions Editor: Alwin Macalalad From top to bottom, Left to Right

ExCo Meeting 2018 Progressio is the official publication of the Snow in Rome Christian Life Community (CLC). It seeks to Glimpses for Contemplating an Apostolic Body Alwin Macalalad build community, supplement formation, and World CLC Vice President promote apostolic works. By publishing sto - Edel Churu ries, reflections, events and opinions, it endeavors to reinforce, challenge and deep - 1 en the community’s understanding and living of the CLC Charism, Ignatian Spirituality and the gospel values CLC Latin American Assembly Meeting of leaders Miguel Collado and Christian Ubilla Miguel Collado ABOUT OUR LOGO

We did not go too far to find inspiration for the logo of the Christian Life Community (CLC). Countless books have been written about the Salvation history of CLC and its beginning in The ExCo with the ESDAG year 1563. From that came the Marian Team: Françoise Uylenbroeck, Congregations and its symbol (shown on the José De Pablo and Graziano top right), having the “P” over the “X” (for the 2 4 Calci Greek Christus) and the inserted “M” illustrates that the Congregations were put under the A Discerning Path in Mission Reaching out to the Youth of Asia patronage of Mary, the mother of Jesus. CLC Uruguay National Executive Council Ibrahim Aryon A moment of silence, reflection The blue curved line illustrates a movement Chris Hogan, Herminio Rico; forward to one World Community in 1967 ; Najat Sayegh and Denis hence the globe. From this new beginning came Dobbelstein a new name: Communauté de Vie Chrétienne (CVX) in French; Comunidad de Vida Cristiana (CVX) in Spanish; Christian Life Community (CLC) in English.

PHOTOS BACK COVER 1. CLC Agustino (Peru): World CLC Day 2018 8 13 celebration. City on a Hill that can’t be Hidden Insights for our CLC Youth 2. CVX Braga (Portugal) visiting Rome. Michael Walker Eduardo Martín Hermana World ExCo after their final 3. CLC Davao (): World CLC Day meeting- L-R: Denis, Mauricio, 2018 celebration. Alwin, Rojean, Fr. Arturo Sosa 4. Members of CLC Poland meeting CLC SJ, Edel, Najat, Chris, Ann Manresa (Italy) in Rome. Marie, Herminio. 5. World CLC Day 2018 in Malta. 6. World CLC Day 2018 in . The World ExCo with Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family 19 21 and Life; Fr. Alexandre Awi The following persons collaborated to this Care of the Oceans Ecological Conversion Mello, Secretary of the publication, Translators and Proof Readers: Joan Woods and Nicholas Kim Jenny and Chris Gardner Dicastery; and the Marie Bailloux, Arielle Campin, Yves Cromphaut, Undersecretary for the Section Dominique Cyr, Marita de Lorenzi, Charlotte for the Laity, Dr. Linda Ghisoni. Dubuisson, Mary Fernandez de Cofone, David Formosa, Jennifer Fox, Françoise Garcin, Chartur Salvador Gonzalez-Ayala, Alban Lapointe, Agnes Rausch, Herminio Rico SJ, Clifford Schisler, Solange-Marie Slack, Veronica Villegas, Sarah Walker, Elena Yeyati 24 28 Lay out: Nguyen Thi Thu Van Buenos Aires 2018 In memory of Fr. P.H.Kolvenbach This publication may be copied and redistributed Daniela Frank in whole or in part, for non-commercial purposes, ARUPA with the condition that proper attribution is given. For other uses, contact [email protected]

Printed by: Tipografia Città Nuova via Pieve Torina, 55, 00156 Roma 32 37 Glimpses for Contemplating an Apostolic Body

Alwin Macalalad

here is a temptation of thinking Within another institutional-level invol - about CLC as a mix-and-match vement, Joan Woods and Nicholas Kim, toolbox of practices that can be from the CLC UN Working Group, give pTicked-up and discarded. It is as if it us a briefing on the Ocean Conference would be possible to say “I use CLC in the UN, and CLC’s participation tools to become a good Christian.” It’s through #OceanAction2176. While, as a easy to say this because there is truth couple, Chris and Jenny Gardner (CLC to it. There is also a temptation to think Australia) reflect on their personal jour - that the CLC way of life can be lived in ney and CLC’s involvement in the ca - pieces, as if our Charism is made up of ring for our common home. separate puzzle pieces that snap toge - For the first time, in history, we also ther to form a whole. But thinking of it witness three national communities col - as a vocation that integrates all aspects laborating to host a World Assembly. of life, the Ignatian tradition, and the ARUPA (Argentina, Uruguay, Para - moment-by-moment action of the Holy guay) reveals its journey and the mea - Spirit in the Church and the world— Alwin and Rojean ning of its name, and its service for the this crosses to the territory of mystery. Macalalad world community in the Buenos Aires Our Lay Apostolic Body is alive. As we World Assembly. have continually rediscovered in the World Executive Council, contempla - Lastly, instead of the section for Being ting CLC brings us to holy ground. EA, we present a remembrance of the There is something going on here, lar - late Fr. Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, who ger and deeper than any us. We parti - accompanied us as World Ecclesiastical cipate, witness, discern and move Assistant for 24 years—almost half our forward with faith. CLC lifetime. He saw the CLC and the Society of Jesus as “two communities… Progressio is one of the windows for this moved by the same Spirit..” while en - contemplation. In this issue we collect a couraging us to deepen our identity as few more perspectives into the life of Ignatian laity. He articulated this while CLC as Lay Apostolic Body. It is a body deeply embodying the meaning of par - of many levels, layers and sides. In this tnership throughout those years. issue we have CLC Uruguay, describing what goes on inside the heart of a natio - All of these are part of our ongoing jour - nal community that seeks to be intima - ney and response, like an ongoing dance tely in-touch, and responsive with God’s of faith and commitment to a God who is invitations into apostolic life. Through always in motion. Larger and longer than Christian Ubilla (CLC Ecuador) and Mi - our lives and perceptions. guel Collado (CLC Chile), we get a glim - In these months leading up to the World pse of the Latin American CLC national Assembly, we feel, once again, the sense leaders gathering to determine ways of of being ONE whole. A living commu - better service. Miguel Collado further nity, with many parts. A community describes his experience in a gathering with a lot of rough edges- some parts of ecclesial movements in the Dominican broken and pained, some parts getting Republic and how CLC might be able to to know itself, some parts sensing union better serve the local Church. with the mother Church, other parts de - Through Ibrahim Aryon (CLC Indone - veloping very concrete institutional sia), the regional team for Asia recounts identity for engaging with other bodies. CLC’s service in the Asian Youth Day As long as we can hold on to the thread (AYD) in , and the CLC gathe - that holds us to what we are — our li - ring that followed afterwards. Michael ving Charism— and not get lost in the Walker (CLC Australia) gives us his in - frantic details that pull at us, I believe sights regarding the Church of the fu - that we will see this Apostolic Body ture, after what he has seen in the AYD. grow and bear fruit. And so let’s conti - Under the same thread, Edu Martin nue begging for that grace: We desire shares his experience about CLC Youth greater depth and integration in the li - - after attending the European Youth ving out of our CLC Charism in the Encounter in Malta. world today. 1 A Body in Movement… journying with our eyes fixed on the horizon of the Kingdom

Miguel Collado and Christian Ubilla - CENAL Service Team

n Lima (Peru), at the Feast of Pen - express our needs and dreams for our tecost 2017, we, the National Exe - Latin American CLC. cutive Councils of the Christian ILife Community in Latin America By way of communal apostolic discer - (CENAL by its acronym in Spanish), nment, we defined the most important gathered between 2 and 6 June, to actions we need to undertake in order renew our desire to be "a body in mo - to cooperate through a network of vement... journeying with our eyes communities with the Society of fixed on the horizon of the Kingdom". Jesus, the Universal Church and others in pursuit of a single godly mis - This was a unique opportunity to ack - sion, duly focused on the Frontiers de - nowledge and thank CENAL for allo - fined at the World Assembly in wing us to meet there on a quarterly Lebanon 2013, and accompanying the The CENAL Executive Council basis, virtually and uninterruptedly, youth and families in their diverse was elected during the over the last 9 years, thus walking to - realities. Thus, a new regional team World Assembly in Lebanon gether and supporting one another in was formed to encourage the forma - by the delegates of the the challenges we proposed as a re - tion and expression of experiences at national CLCs in Latin gion in the World Assembly of Fatima the Youth Frontier. America in order to 2008. On this occasion, 35 delegates encourage collaboration and from 15 national communities were With regard to the Family Frontier, networking. It is currently able to meet in person, in addition, we we need to identify methodologies and made up of Miguel Collado were accompanied by our World Vice develop tools to reach out to families (Chile), Rafael Madera Ecclesiastical Assistant, P. Herminio in their various realities (traditional, (Dominican Republic) and Rico SJ and our World Executive Se - single-parent families, LGBT, mi - Christian Ubilla (Ecuador) cretary, Alwin Macalalad. grants, etc.). We greatly value the con - tribution that the Family Clock The Assembly provided a privileged (designed by CLC in ) is giving space in which to share our journey, to our communities, and we are thus Below: our consolations and hardships, our encouraged to better prepare oursel - Presentation of the realities hopes and goals. Through the metho - ves to accompany the diverse realities of our national communities dology referred to as Open Space, we faced by families in our societies. We welcome the regional training pro - Finally, we would like to organise our - grams, such as the MAGIS Programme selves better, not to establish new hie - for theological formation for laity (by rarchies but to share our identity and 2018 it will be 20 years since it began, our resources to a greater degree, and this is now the fifth edition), and the to clearly express the mission common Political Dimension of Social Commit - to us all. We entrusted the CENAL ment Programme CLC-LA 2018 (com - Service Team with the task of collec - pleting its third generation in 2018) ting the contributions from national and we recommend a general evalua - communities to develop a proposal of tion at this point using the DSSE dyna - Agreements for Collaboration of CLC mics, with the objective of obtaining Latin America, and we issue the call greater accompaniment on the part of to meet in the World Assembly in Bue - national communities and for the rene - nos Aires to approve the new guideli - wal of contents and methodologies, fai - nes for the region. thful to the original objectives but responding effectively to new emerging With gratitude to Mary and the Holy challenges for our communities. Spirit, we carry the momentum of your flame to light other fires in our Below: We also feel called to share the gift of communities. our spirituality with others, especially - Working in groups - Open Space with those who are the most vulnera - Original in Spanish - Official photo of the CLC- ble and excluded within our societies, Translated by Clifford Schisler LA Assembly with the certainty that in this way we also make our preferential option for the poor a reality, as was suggested in the most recent World Assemblies. Another recommendation was that we continue increasing our availability in order to offer ourselves with greater service to the Church, achieving grea - ter institutional rapprochement to CPAL (Jesuit Conference of Provin - cials in Latin America and the Carib - bean) and working with parishes where our communities are present.

We feel the need to express our solida - rity even in the field of shared respon - sibility in economic stewardship, now more than ever, and in a special way with our brothers of Central America, Cuba and Venezuela. Meeting of leaders of ecclesial movements and new communities in Latin America

Miguel Collado - CLC Latinoamérica - CLC Chile

Introduction ble because I had never been in a mee - ting with the hierarchy of the dioce - This meeting was convened by san Church. All my experience had CELAM (Latin American Episcopal been in Ignatian environments, with Conference) and was held in Santo Jesuits, and in the parishes where I Domingo, Dominican Republic bet - develop my apostolate. Except for a ween May 17 and 19, 2017. I attended few very specific situations, my rela - in my capacity as one of the members tionship with the episcopal clergy was of the coordinating team of the CLC practically nil. Executive Councils of Latin America (CENAL). I had always felt a distance from the hierarchical environments and now I Computer engineer, small When I received the invitation to par - had the opportunity to be in a business owner, father and ticipate in the meeting I had many CELAM meeting to coordinate the grandfather. He works in the mixed reactions. By the way, it was a work of lay movements and associa - coordinating team of CLC very great privilege to represent our tions in our Church. I found the mo - Latin America. He is also a Community in a continental meeting ment important and interesting. guide for spiritual organized by the Latin American Epi - accompaniment and the scopal Conference. However, at the The novelty Exercises. He has been a same time, it was a little uncomforta - community guide and president of the regional The first surprise was to find myself community of Valparaíso with such a small group of partici - and of the national I found a very warm pants. The leaders who were present community of Chile. He belonged to only eight movements: currently gives spiritual and friendly CLC, Schoenstat, Charismatic Rene - workshops and retreats in wal, Cursillista, Faith and Light, Fo - the Diocese of Valparaíso. atmosphere in the colare and Sine. Many of the participating bishops. participants were locals from the host country. This meeting was held every It was a surprise for four years, but it had not taken place for eight years. The last time it was me since I had a held, 20 different movements partici - previous image of pated, but in reality many more exist in Latin America and worldwide. The distance which I good news is that the meeting was re - vived. The worrying news is that par - thought was imposed ticipation has decreased to less than by the hierarchy. half of the movements which were in - terested in attending since the last During the encounter time.

the image changed By the way, with this scenario, the into their being friends presentation of each one of us was very important. Another surprise CLC in God with whom one is not known. Our existence was a no - velty for most of the participants: can dialogue and build What we do, our charism, our history collaborative working and our coverage were all a novelty; a positive turn, certainly. teams.

4 After listening to the different expe - 2. The mutual lack of knowledge bet - riences, talking with the delegations, ween the movements with which sharing with lay people and bishops, collaborative inter-movement I was surprised by some aspects that tasks could replace duplication of I did not expect. efforts, and that in certain areas could work more as coordinated a. I found a very warm and friendly teams than as competitors. atmosphere in the participating bi - shops. It was a surprise for me since 3. There is a certain distance bet - I had a previous image of distance ween the movements and the dio - which I thought was imposed by the ceses. Greater availability is hierarchy. During the encounter the required for the local needs of each image changed into their being diocese, according to the pastoral friends in God with whom one can plans, and the participation of dialogue and build collaborative each movements the areas of their working teams. At least that's what best competence. I experienced with those who were present. 4. The Ignatian charism of CLC can contribute a lot in specific areas of b. A great distance and a lack of kno - other movements as well as dioce - wledge of the different movements ses in topics that are natural in and associations of the dioceses our spirituality, but that can be - and also among the representati - come very valuable and even new ves of the movements.. for others. Themes such as spiri - tual discernment, spiritual accom - c. I was surprised by the level of cle - paniment and different modalities ricalism that exists in many of the of spiritual exercises are concrete other lay participants, which is re - and specific contributions that flected in a passivity in the action each of our national and regional and in the hope of receiving gui - communities can develop in their dance from the Episcopate. These countries and regions. can be very valuable actions, but tend to be carried out according to Specific tasks that could be what the pastor inspires, instead of carried out: Gifts for the being the laity’s own discernment, seeking to find the will of God and Church and the World move forward from lay initiatives. To a greater or lesser degree in dif - With all the abovementioned, I feel ferent participants, this was what that the Holy Spirit may be asking us I perceived in the environment. for certain concrete tasks to address Challenges

Behind all of this I find that there are challenges and a special invitation to CLC as a Latin American Community as well as a worldwide body to inte - grate ourselves more and better into our Church.

1. There is a very important breach of ignorance of the mission and the charism of the movements on the part of the dioceses. It is necessary to improve this situation so that the bishops can commission speci - fic missions to the movements that have activities in their dioceses. 5 register of the movements that are operating in the territories where we are, and then schedule mee - tings for mutual knowledge and collaborative planning, using the same instruments developed for the dioceses.

4 Revealing Ignatian Spirituality. It is necessary to leave available for the diocese and for the other move - ments formation workshops in the following topics: w Discernment of spirits. So that this practice that has done so much good for us in community or personally can be shared in our the challenges that appear after the church in a broader way. Dioce - encounter. san pastoral agents and leaders 4 of other movements will be able Availability of Information about to make better decisions with CLC given to the Diocese. It is ne - greater fruit in our Church. cessary to create, update what exists so that the following things w Christian leadership. There are about us can be known in a simple elements of leadership that we and concrete way: our charism, our handle in the Ignatian manner specific apostolates and our organi - that can help the parishes as zation in each place where we are well as the diocesean structures present. Many of the documents and other movements that we are aimed at internal formation or can communicate both in theory to attract new members. What is as well as in practice. required are brief documents, testi - w monials, Powerpoint presentations Spiritual Accompaniment. This and videos for dissemination so practice which we promote so that the dioceses, their bishops, pa - much and which we practice in - rish priests, and diocesan teams ternally needs to be shared so it know of our existence and what we can be valued on a diocesen level can do together for them. This has as well as by other movements. to be developed centrally, and it is w Spiritual Exercises of Saint necessary to have it carried out in Ignatius. We need to offer exer - each city where cises outside of our we work with communities. For dioceses. We The Ignatian charism this it is necessary should be able of CLC can contribute to express the most to hand these important aspects, out in meetings a lot in specific areas of which are, how about the avai - they can be done lability of the other movements as and what they are CLC for the for. local church. well as dioceses in topics that are natural For these wor - 4 Registry of mo- kshops it is neces - vements in our in our spirituality, but sary to prepare territories. It is that can become very material centrally necessary to at a regional or in - have some a re - valuable and even new ternational level search work and then deliver done to have a for others. them locally to dio - 6 ceses and movements as well as make same way referred to regarding Spiri - them available in a simple way on the tual Accompaniment, we can do this internet in different formats (docu - with our members, religious and lay ments, presentations, videos, etc.) people who are prepared for it and joint projects can be established with Spiritual Accompaniment other Jesuit organizations that exist in some of the provinces, such as the To give this service to our members, Centers for Ignatian Spirituality. the religious and the laity, and to the dioceses and movements. We also Conclusion need to prepare people to perform these function which is so necessary A great experience was lived. A new to develop the spiritual life and the ef - image of work for the whole Church. fective following of Jesus Christ. For Great challenges that can only be ac - this, joint projects can be established tualized with the participation and with other Jesuit organizations that local work of our communities spread exist in some of the provinces such as across the continent and around the the Ignatian Spirituality Centers so world. By collaborating with the other as not to duplicate efforts within our movements and with the dioceses we own spirituality. can advance more and better in the building of God’s Kingdom. The speci - Spiritual Exercises fic elements of our spirituality identi - fied in this document are gifts that we Offer the exercises of Saint Ignatius can give to our Church and the world. in various modalities (brief retreats, weekend, week, month-long and re - Original in Spanish treats in daily life) in an open manner Translated by Jennifer Fox to dioceses and movements. In the

7 A Discerning Path in Mission – CLC Uruguay

CLC Uruguay National Executive Council

Who We Are: Among all CLC members, 48 percent serve in volunteer groups, besides Our CLC Uruguay consists of 450 their CLC participation. Some of them members, divided in 37 small groups. are part of the pastoral team in a va - There are 157 married members and riety of schools, community lunch pro - 44 married couples. CLC Uruguay grams or parishes, among other has 242 members who have taken service options. their temporary commitment and 25 members who have expressed their Approximately 23 percent of all CLC permanent commitment. members provide volunteer work as an internal service to CLC Uruguay. All 37 small groups are diverse, in They may act as guides to other small terms of age range and their way of li - groups, take part in our apostolic ving their CLC calling, although du - works, serve as members of the diffe - ring general events organized for the rent frontier teams, and/or offer sup - community at large, we all experience port and help to organize a variety of the action of a common Spirit at work activities and events. among us. Currently, 31 groups have guides -occasionally in pairs- consi - In addition, a delegate from each sting of 34 lay people, 7 Jesuits, and 2 small group takes part at the Board of sisters of the Order of Jesus. Delegates, where all small groups are represented and a common spirit of A strength worthy to be highlighted in CLC Uruguay is promoted and gene - our national community is our ability rated. During the last few years, this to acknowledge the graces received. place has regained the relevance it Specifically, the humility to persevere should have in the national commu - in the search for God’s will along the nity. This Board of Delegates organi - years. We have learned to ask: “In zed and created a new format and what direction are we going into?,” dynamics to conduct our National As - while feeling close and keeping confi - sembly in 2017, which received a very dence in the people surrounding us. positive evaluation. Our motivation to write this article is based on our reflection about the gra - Another strength to emphasize is the ces received. high participation of youth members On this page: - National Executive Council and Family Frontier, sending to the International Meeting of the Family 2017. On the other page: - Temporary commitments of Pentecost, San José Obrero Parish, Montevideo. - Pre comunity members accompanied by members with temporary commitments. - Undertaking the Spiritual Exercises during the Holy Week.

8 in our National CLC; 60 percent of our members are 30 years old or younger. The Jesuit schools in Montevideo, i.e., Colegio Seminario and Colegio San Ignacio Monsignor Isasa, are the main sources that nurture CLC, among other places. This also contri - butes to the high level of formation and education found among our mem - bers. Around 87 percent of our youth are college graduates or are currently attending university.

Around 15 years ago, we started our own apostolic work as CLC. Many CLC members have committed and dedicated their time to serve in the following areas:

4 Rincón de Todos, an afterschool children´s club, is an educational center that also offers support, lo - ving care, and recreational activi - ties to children in an underprivileged area of Montevi - deo. The steering committee of Rincón de Todos is appointed by our National ExCo. The committe - e’s responsibilities are supervising the educational project, finances, and rapport with CLC. 4 Nuestra Señora de Fátima Parish: CLC Uruguay was invited to co- manage this parish located in a nei - ghborhood of Montevideo. We joined the parish community to share a spirituality of encounter and prayer. We collaborate with the pastoral and social work as well as the administrative tasks conducted at the parish. We consider our col - laboration a way for increased inte - gration with our local Church. “Take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground” – Exodus 3: 4-5

Throughout our CLC’s history, we acknowledge our community as a pil - lar and the essential component of our CLC. It is from this place that we are called to share our faith and find God’s Will. We connect to Moses’s en - counter with God in front of the bur - ning bush: The Holy Ground (“When 9 the Lord saw that he turned aside to Among the invitations, callings, and see, God called to him out of the bush, graces received, our Rincón de Todos ‘Moses, Moses!’ And he said, ‘Here I recently celebrated 15 years of exi - am’. Then he said, ‘Do not come near; stence. We have also celebrated our take your sandals off your feet, for the three years of collaborating with Fa - place on which you are standing is tima Parish. Our commitment to our holy ground.’” Exodus 3: 4-5). different apostolic works are taken at the national CLC level, after each We feel a particular closeness to Mo - small group undergoes a discernment ses’s experience. From this calling, process, and the decision made is then keeping the questions and facing the upheld by our General Assembly. We challenges as a community – with few celebrate each person’s selflessness, answers and certainties– has been service and generosity given to these our strength. We feel supported by the works. We are fully aware that when joy and peace carried by discernment, we give ourselves to service, this al - an experienced shared at all levels, in lows us to discover God and be filled the small groups as well as the natio - with joy and peace. nal community. In terms of apostolic works, we need We have had our share of weaknesses to ask ourselves the following que - that arise when as a community we do stions, at the personal level as well as not keep God as our center. God is the a community: What aspects of our one who summons us, carrying us lives are agents to transform and to through difficult times and our lack of examine? In what areas of our lives do prayer. Our perseverance has allowed we need to continue developing? Some us to reconfirm that the true way is CLC members have shared their through communal prayer: we need views on the following question: In our mutual support, forgiveness, pra - what way has participating at Rincón yers, and blessings. We need to reite - de Todos or Fátima Parish been a rate our daily Eucharist, where we transforming agent in your life? Some give each other a sign of peace and are of them have stated that these “had sent to discover together our mission. changed my perspective, my prayers”. In this way, we are able to discover This is transformational perspective, that we are witnesses to the Grace of centered on our apostolic work, mis - God in each one of us. We acknowledge sion, service, family, and work is what that the steps taken as a community gives meaning and draws us closer to are not ours, but they are taken “cen - a simple lifestyle. It is also important tered in and together with” God. to deepen our understanding and ap - plication of our DSSE tool. We have As an apostolic body, we have focused on successfully implemented the Discer - our personal and communal discernment, nment and Sending components of trying to be faithful to the experience of this tool, but we need to strengthen the Spiritual Exercises, as well as sharing our Support to each other, from our our prayers, and keeping in mind our small groups all the way to our Natio - roots and our own personal identities. nal Community. CLC Uruguay has been around for al - An Educational Center in an most 50 years. We are grateful for all processes, discernment opportunities, Underprivileged Neighborhood: invitations, and callings (the ones we Rincón de Todos received as well as the ones, which we invited others to join). We have al - The dream started fifteen years ago. ways felt motivated to find God´s will Ever since, we have been blessed with in everything we do, regardless of the the grace of Rincón de Todos, an after - challenges implied when we are sha - school program for underprivileged ring the same space: joys, tensions, children where our main aim is to certainties, frustrations, temptations, take special care of emotional bonds and doubts. and foster peaceful and fraternal coe -

10 xistence. We strive to create opportu - nities for growth, so that children can fulfill their potential and live a digni - fied and bountiful life. Rincón de Todos represents a challenge to CLC on a permanent basis. As a National Community, we had to learn how to work and pray together while sear - ching for a common spirit that would inspire us and open our hearts to the people we serve. The continuous de - mand of financial and human resour - ces has been subject of discernment on numerous occasions and has united us as members of one same body. growth. Sometimes a fresh outlook is We frequently hear that Rincón de Temporary Commitments needed in a variety of situations: our during the closing of the Todos is a place where the grace of God relation to our apostolic work, a mem - National Assembly 2017 is revealed. And true to its name, El ber of the staff who considers a new Rincón belongs to everyone: children educational plan, or an educator wor - and adults, families and collaborators, king one on one with a child. We have staff, volunteers, and CLC members. repeatedly experienced this deep Every contribution makes a difference: change in heart that ultimately opens a helping hand offered, a kind word the possibility to find God in all things given, an interlocking gaze, a hug sha - and place our trust in Him. red, a donation made or just simply being there, willing to serve others. It Joining the Co-Management has been a privilege to witness fir - sthand how so many individuals have of Fátima Parish found their place at Rincón: a place where their apostolic calling blossomed. Almost three years have gone by since God´s Grace has nourished Rincón in a we joined the co-management of Fá - variety of ways, eventually transfor - tima Parish. It has been a time of li - ming -in its own time and with stum - stening and a time of action, during bles along the way – a structural which many CLC members showed weakness, i.e., the lack of a stable finan - their dedication and responsibility by cial source– into a spiritual strength. committing to the many teams that support activities at this parish. Consequently, we have grown in hum - ble gratitude as a Community. We We look back with awe and gratitude, have a sense that the slow work of for we have witnessed the joy that the God is guiding the growth of Rincón: Good News of the Gospel brings to Fá - it is patient with our doubts and fears tima: a place where parishioners turn and, at the same time, ready to elicit to and relish communal life. our generous commitment when most needed. This dynamic has sustained We faced several pastoral challenges: and renewed the hope that nourishes the preparation of an ecumenical Via the joy, even during the many crises Crucis during Holy Week, the centen - we have lived through. Hope and per - nial celebration of the Virgin of Fatima manence are in small supply in the apparition in 2017, with our bishop and lives of the children and families we the local community in attendance. We serve, and thus, they constitute the learned that work at a parish requires precious gift from which everything clear and close communication among else follows teams that take responsibility for their own challenges and, at the same time, Another distinctive role of the Spirit are generously willing to help others. has been that of renewing the view - We believe that building a place and a point in the face of apparent dead-ends community to celebrate our faith re - that paralyze processes and hinder mains our top priority. 11 We have been involved in all areas of always trusting the discernment of pastoral life: announcement (Kerig - the calling and subsequent commit - mática), catechism, baptisms, marria - ment taken by others. ges, formation, caring of the needy, communal life (Koinonía). All these We are aware that we have yet to fully tasks imply humility, fidelity and per - answer key questions, such as: What is severance, service to others (Diakonía) our mission and project in Fatima? We with no exclusions. They also include also know that we share this search all essential dimensions of life, such as with the local community, the Society education and health, celebration of of Jesus, and the Archdiocese, as com - sacraments (Liturgía), nurturing our - panions in this mission. We ask the selves with the Bread of Life and being World Community for prayers and one with Him in the Eucharist. companionship during this discer - nment, to best prepare our spirits for We journey with the guidance of the the decisions that lie ahead, so that we Holy Spirit, eager to learn how to bet - are able follow our Father´s will. ter interconnect the many areas, while growing in clarity and collabo - A Gift to Share ration. We will continue to attend to the pastoral and religious responsibi - The 2018 World Assembly presents us lities as well as the social promotion with the opportunity to name and activities, while growing in economic share our “ loaves and fishes ” in the responsibility and forging a way of life service of the Church. During our 46- that reflects the Gospel. year journey as CLC, we have been faithful witnesses of communal life, We have a lot to be grateful for, the which is our sacred land, rooted in the blessings have been abundant during Ignatian Spirituality and aimed to - our time at Fatima, especially in the wards the mission. There is a long experience of encountering the pre - way ahead, and we have learned that sence of the Resurrected Christ in it is best to journey together. that community. Nevertheless, we faced some internal difficulties as We look forward with a strong desire well, such as the lack of understan - to gather and meet with all of you in ding and internal miscommunication July, to continue sharing and sear - in our CLC. We are still learning how ching for God’s Will in our lives. to fully respect and forgive each other, National Assembly 2017 Reaching out to the Youth ofT Aistilea

Author Ibrahim Aryon

t all began in 2014, when CLC 2008, Gregorius pre - Asia Pacific (CLC AP) Assembly pared dozens of new volunteers in or - made a recommendation for a dee - ganizing a cultural-spiritual experi - Iper involvement in the Asian Youth ment in the parish of Cigugur and Ci - Day (AYD) Program. After our fruitful rebon. The parish of Christ the King collaborative experience at the 6th (Cigugur) is a living witness of the Asian Youth Day (AYD) in Taiwan, the faith. The villagers were believers in AP community found it worthwhile to animism and local religion. In one re - have a joint regional event. Thus CLC gime, they were forced to choose five AP Animating Team consisting of state-approved religions. They chose Agnes Shin (Korea), Daphne Ho (Hon - Islam, but then converted to Catholi - gkong), Michael Walker (Australia), cism. Today this village is the main Theresa Wang (Taiwan), and later source of the indigenous Sundanese Ibrahim Aryon Ignatius Gregorius Tjaidjadi (Indonesia), made people becoming Catholic. Filipus Neri. preparations for a joint youth pro - CLC member since 2001, gram in Indonesia. Side Story he is currently ExCo member of CLC Indonesia CLC Indonesia had the honor to en - Once upon a time, the local Prince Te - since 2010. He is married gage the other CLC countries to sup - to Lenny, and father of jabuana was persecuted for the alle - two boys (Francs and Giò) port and organize the 7th Asian Youth gation of blasphemy. At that time, no Day (AYD 2017) in Yogyakarta, Ar - to whom he wants to one took good care of the prince when teach to become people chdiocese of Semarang, Indonesia. he was on exile. Only Catholic missio - for others and to find God The theme of this AYD was ‘Joyful naries took care of him. On an Easter in everything Asian Youth! Living the Gospel in vigil, one pastor and three Ursulines Multicultural Asia’, by “speaking in were invited to prepare a simple pra - our own tongues of the mighty acts of yer in the townhall. They started pra - God” (Acts 2:11). The theme was cho - ying and reciting the in sen in view of the Asian culture. their local language with only one li - ghted candle. It was then that the - The AYD Workshop. CLC Days in the Dioceses (DID) for Prince and his Shaman had a vision helped to prepare the co- Asian Youth Day that the Light has come for their sal - animators for some Youth vation. The rest is history with thou - topics Two thousand youth from all over Asia gathered and immersed themsel - ves in various experiments that were held in 11 Dioceses in Indonesia. In serving our local Church, CLC Ban - dung took on the task of the steering committee for DID Program in the Diocese of Bandung. 1

CLC has been called to support the Youth Commission running the Days in the Dioceses Program for the Dio - cese of Bandung.

From past experiences in conducting the Magis Experiment in Cigugur for

1 More info at: http://ayd7.asianyouthday.org/en/asian-youth-day-2017-did-schedule/

13 sands of the local indigenous people converting to Catholicism. Now this area has become the source of local priestly vocations in the Bandung Diocese. (source: Sr. Birgitta Brou - wers, OSU, one of the early promoter of CLC in Diocese of Bandung). Asian Youth Day Workshop

On Asian Youth Day, CLC took part on the 3rd Day: the AYD Workshop. CLC helped to prepare the co-animators for some Youth topics. There were 11 to - pics - evangelization in a multicultu - ral context, inter-religious dialogue, ecology, migrant problem, pop culture and tradition, young Catholic entre - preneur, youth and social media, and also the social problems typical of some Asian countries related to Drugs and Corruption.

The co-animators came from CLC Au - stralia, CLC Hongkong, CLC Indonesia, CLC Japan, CLC , CLC Taiwan. Their roles were to engage the large number of participants to reflect and share insights in small groups.

The grace of collaborative spirit was strong among the CLC communities and we received help from the other communities like the Focolare Move - ment, Magis alumni and students from the University of Sanata Dharma (a Jesuit university in Yogya - karta). Together, we shared a common passion for the youth. CLC Asia Pacific Youth Formation Gathering

Right after the Asian Youth Day, we continued a CLC Asia Pacific Youth Formation Gathering. We had two CLC members from Singapore who came to share in this gathering.

We began with sharing our graced hi -

From top to bottom: - one of the 15 sessions. This one is a discussion on “Youth and Social Media” - Group picture. - Supporting and Focusing on youth. - Fr. Rusbani Setiawan with some of AYD delegates story of belonging to the CLC in the various stages of our life journey. Some started in high school, some later in adulthood. Some communities even have a few generations of the CLC members. All these joys and chal - lenges were brought to the table of this gathering, like communication and ge - neration-gap issues of the younger ge - neration of millenials and Gen Z.

Fr. Herminio, SJ enlightened us when he shared his life experience on discer - nment. Our Ignatian Spirituality helps us to be free in choosing, espe - cially in the challenging stage of ente - ring adulthood. Isn’t that what echoes when we hear the cries from youth? In a world that is ever interconnected, superficial and individualistic, there is even greater need to be able to discern God’s will, to listen and to choose bet - ter, despite living in this noisy world.

As CLC, we believe that our way of life can bring significant, even crucial impact on young people. “ In young people, who have not yet clearly defi - ned what they want to be or to do, the question of how to follow Jesus not only leads them to a new way of life but it will also help them to make freer decisions about their life choices (to start a family, celibacy, priesthood or religious life, a profession). ” - The CLC Charism - Progressio supple - ment n.56 Dec. 2001 #14.

We come from many different parts of Asia with varying degrees of the com - mand of English for communication. Being CLC, the underlying language remains common to all - Ignatian Spi - rituality. So our way of proceeding is much aligned among us; we were very fortunate to have Fr Herminio SJ as our EA and our guide.

Ideas flowed as we bonded through small groups discussions and presen - tations. We were present to each other

From top to bottom: - The closing mass - Youth delegates delivering offerings on the AYD closing mass. - CLC Youth - Preparation animators. through our chit-chats and sharing especially during the informal and un - planned trips to the ice-parlor, pizza meals and of course when having some drinks to sooth our spirits.

The Holy Spirit was moving quietly and prompting active discussion bet - ween members; between groups and between the different communities. In our prayers, we were moved toward a common objective through our at - tempts to discern the many conflicting opinions and ideas. Not surprisingly, there were moments when our efforts seemed futile and suddenly after some adjustment, we were back on track again. The many ideas explored revolved around reaching out to the youths and outreach programs. – by Peter Hong, CLC-to-be Singapore.

Having discussed how we can respond to the call of the youth as national communities, we would also like to in - vite responses on a personal level.

Youth is a very specific character: They think about the future, not the past. They try to make sense of the world, not to define it. It is only natu - ral for them to be attracted to people who are energetic, curious and optimi - stic about their own life – This is exac - tly how Christians should live. Aren’t we who enjoy the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) genuinely rich in love, peace and joy? Thus, the call of serving the youth is beyond a call for service. It is one for integration of faith and life, through and only through which we attract others with “the Charism of Christ”.

It is helpful to start living a charisma - tic life by desiring it. If we make our - selves emotionally present to the scene

From top to bottom: - Working Hand in Hand for and with the youth. - CLC across generation: Ryu Suzuki (CLC Japan) and Gregorius Tjaidjadi (CLC Indonesia) - The prayer from CLC AP delegates. Sending out mass in a Marian Cave, Wonosari. Maria, Mother of All Nations. - Preparation for co-animators in which Jesus’ blessed the children (Luke 18:16), we do not only come to discover Jesus as a welcoming and amiable person, but also experience the excitement and delight that come with the discovery. We know we are ready to be with the youth when we acquire substantive desire from those emotions. As we are aware of the de - solating potential of life, the desire for a joyful life becomes vital: We desire to approach Jesus as his children once again and look forward to uplifting others, including the youth, when we restore peace and joy in Jesus.

Therefore, equally important is the re - cognition of Jesus as the source of cha - rism. When Mary visited Elisabeth (Luke 1:39-56), the entire group, mo - thers and infants, were filled with the Holy Spirit due to the presence of God. Similarly, being charismatic in a religious sense does not concern as much our personality as our capabi - lity of delivering the Charism of Christ to our brothers and sisters in this world. - Kelvin Ching, CLC Hon - gkong- the youngest of the delegates.

There are some graces that we have received from all of this experience. - Gratitude.

By sharing our graced history, we found that we are so blessed in this CLC Way of Life.

We come into CLC at various stages of our lives and we already identified that youth attracts youth, the issue in some circumstances ... there’s a missing link on the chain of regeneration. We strug - gle to get back “online” with the youth of our time. The presence of youth CLC from other NC in the region really boost our confidence, that we are bles - sed with a community that sends us and supports us in building our com - munity, our Church and our society.

From top to bottom: - Fr. Herminio celebrating the sending out Mass. - Refreshed and joyful. - Cultural dialogue. - Going to the closing mass for AYD - Desire and longing that makes us the companions of young CLC move. We need to keep on progressing. members We were moving one step further. Pro - 3) Youth Formation: That National pelled by our love and deep desire to Communities have a formation serve the youth, we affirm that the program specifically for young first baby steps forward is to take sy - members joining CLC, with mate - stemic initiatives in developing youth rials that are relevant and mea - group guides. ningful to a younger audience.

- Spirit of Sharing and Collaboration, After our gathering, we concluded our embracing our diversity journey with a memorable pilgrimage to the Marian Cave of Tritis, Wono - Acknowledging the diversity of expe - sari. It was a natural cave where the rience, culture, and readiness...this ancient Kings of Java did their medi - initiative is to be done at the national tation to get the inspiration from the level. In parallel, we also encourage universe. Some of our CLC members collaboration between NC on the re - spearheaded the initiatives to pro - gions for cross-pollination of ideas, mote and develop this site as a center materials and companionship. of inculturation into Javanese culture. With that dialogue of culture, even After the communal discernment and people from other religions can have a acknowledging the diverse context of deep encounter with Mother Mary our communities, we came up with and Jesus. some recommendations: 1) Outreach to young people: That At the end of the day, CLC Wonosari National Communities reach out and Yogyakarta presented a collabora - to young people to introduce them tive cultural performance by the local to the CLC charism through colla - CLC with local traditional dance ar - borations, projects or meetings tists. It was an interesting closing ce - remony that served as a prelude to Below: 2) Guides Formation for Youth in the sending out mass, where we offe - - A collaborative team of CLC Groups: That National Com - red our intention to serve the youth CLC Asia Pacific and other munities develop concrete plans and walk with the youth of Asia. Itte movements (Focolare for formation of guides who can be missa est. and Magis)

18 City on a Hill that can’t be Hidden: A Visit to the Future Church

Michael Walker - CLC Australia

ast August, 2017 I was privile - wly and many people, both lay and cle - ged to be one of about 25 CLC rical, have not read the signs of the members from the Asia-Pacific times and believe in a kind of Restora - Lregion who participated in CLC’s col - tionist Christianity that must reclaim laboration with the Asian Youth Day its lost political influence. They haven’t (AYD) in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. noticed that the Church has survived the change and is flourishing in the The AYD was a vibrant celebration new milieu in which it is embedded in of our faith. Asian Youth Day was local cultures rather than trying to only established in recent years bring ‘Roman’ or even European Chri - which means it is an event with lit - stianity to the rest of the world. tle ‘baggage’, giving the Church an opportunity to put forward the best This change can be seen in Fran - Michael is a member of the of its past and present. When I re - cis’s encyclical Laudato Si’. Instead of CLC Asia-Pacific Region flected on it afterwards, it in many citing only previous and ecume - Animating Team. He is also ways exemplified the vision of the nical councils, it cites episcopal confe - the Guide of a multicultural Church that has been rences from around the world. It can CLC group in Sydney that encouraging us to follow. I counted also be seen in the Apostolic Exhorta - includes members of the five ways in par tion Amoris Laetitia which was a syn - Roman, Coptic and Melkite ticular: thesis of the deliberations of the and Armenian Rites of the Synod of Bishops. Church. 1. Less European

This will be true of the whole Church in the century ahead! Today more children are baptised in the Philippines each year than in all of Western Europe. 2. Less Monarchical

The Pope was not present and the event itself, being regional, had more local flavour than a World Youth Day. It was run by the Federation of Asian Bishops Conferences and the focus was on Asia and the specific challenges of the Asian Church (for example, how to live the faith while being part of a minority). Pope Francis has been en - couraging greater subsidiarity, greater regionalism, more emphasis on local Bishops’ Conferences, and less empha - sis on the Vatican and its departments.

The high point of centralisation in Rome was perhaps just after Vatican I and a lot of the material by which we have come to know the Church – its publications, its architecture, its struc - tures – still reflect the mentality of that era. These things change only slo - 19 3. More Plural

Rather than placing an emphasis on the oneness and universality of the Church there was an emphasis on the many different charisms and move - ments within it. CLC showcased Igna - tian discernment; Taize showcased their meditative music; Focolare and other lay movements were there too. 4. More Open

The event was not surrounded by high walls. When the organisers learned that non-Catholic residents of Yogya - karta wanted to attend, they allowed them to, so many young Muslim Indo - nesians got to have an encounter with Christians of their same age. A Mu - slim woman was invited to be one of the speakers in the session on multi - culturalism. 5. More focused on Action

At times we can get carried away with theological debating points. The AYD was preceded by ‘days in the diocese’ where the participating youth got an experience of some kind of service mi - nistry. Each of these five shifts gave me a sense of joy, of the Spirit moving us with the times.

What place then does CLC have in that future? On the point about ‘action rather than words’, this is a pillar of Ignatian spirituality since Ignatius’ time. Our spirituality is also characte - rised by its openness to all that is good, recognising that it is from God, and being ready to embrace it. We have for centuries venerated what is good in other cultures, including a respect for indigenous traditions that endures to this day. These are gifts we can give the Church as it continues to encoun - ter other cultures (including secular, formerly Christian cultures) in our glo - bal century ahead. If that Church is as vibrant and appealing as I saw at the Asian Youth Day, it will truly be a light for the whole world, a city on a hill that can’t be hidden (Matt 5:14). *An earlier version of this article was published on Facebook on 8/8/17 at https://www.facebook.com/notes/michael-wal - ker/i-got-to-visit-the-future-catholic- church/10155306951095067/ 20 Insights for our CLC Youth Eduardo Martín Hermana

was very excited when I received those around me. Once my student a message from the CLC, inviting days were over, I came to realise that youth from our community to par - life has a way of presenting the same Iticipate in a European Youth Encoun - kinds of problems, questions and ter in Malta. I was keen to discuss the goals to everyone. realities of youth with people from other countries. What are the youth of So, how to approach and inform today seeking? What is their level of youth? How to show them a way to be - participation in CLC and how are long to the church? How to be the they finding the CLC experience? It light for those who are furthest away was a chance to share ideas about how from the faith? How to integrate and our community can become more visi - nurture those youth in our communi - ble and accessible to young people. ties? How do we see other CLCs in the Eduardo Martín: physiothe - world doing this? rapist by profession. "I be - I’ve been part of CLC for more than six long to the Community of years now. I was between 27 and 28 I arrived at the encounter with all Our Lady of , in years old when I joined and I was my these burning questions, eager to find Gijón, Spain. I have been a group’s youngest member. Where I’m the answers. link for Youth Mission until from, the CLC has always been percei - this year, and I am currently ved as something beyond the reach of It was a real privilege to participate a guide for a community of youth. At some point there was a bre - in the experience in Malta. This en - young Ignatians people in akdown in the generational succession counter created an extraordinary en - transition to adult life." process, and the age gap became a vironment in which we could each major hurdle for any searching youth. share our realities, doubts, and the pi - They simply could not see themselves votal experiences that have taught us belonging to a group that was so far something useful. Firstly, I have to removed from their reality. give thanks to God whose presence could be felt in that place and through This breakdown can often be observed all the people who participated, with in other parts of Spain. There are se - their wealth of diversity. I also want Below: veral CLCs that seem to have diffi - to highlight the richness of the spiri - - Magis culty in reaching, attracting and tuality and the Ignatian language integrating youth. These groups may that made us all speak the same uni - have full attendance but there is very fying vital tongue, despite our varied little in the way of youth participation. backgrounds. There are some youth communities, - usually originating from university In our attempts to break down and pastoral groups (almost always asso - understand the realities and uncer - ciated with the Jesuits) - that guide tainties of youth, we started with an their young members on a path to - analysis of our own histories and ex - wards discovering CLC. These youth periences. We realised that we nee - not only have initial support, but enjoy ded to stay present with our young continuous pastoral guidance throu - audience during this stage, and that ghout the discovery process. we needed to adapt ourselves to their reality in order to reach them. This Despite the fear of joining a group of is why we decided to conduct a day- adults, I have to say that my integra - long workshop to understand current tion into CLC was a real gift. I found youth life-styles and come up with that the questions I had about my some strategies that might help us to own life, and the doubts I had about enter their reality. Considering mo - my own faith, were no different from dern youth’s fascination with techno - 21 logy (at least in Europe), one option I part of this. When a person, whatever found particularly interesting was the the age, expresses in his/her own true use of new media as a tool to trigger words, his/her interpretation of key deeper thinking in youth. Father Ni - experiences in their life, one cannot kolas showed us how to use You Tube help but be touched. Sometimes ac - for this purpose. Videos which are tions speak louder than words. Often very moving, but which also maintain it is not just the facts that are moving, an open-ended interpretation, can but rather the choices that led them provide a good way for youth to work to take a certain path - to persevere, through, and answer, any feelings to belong, to stay true to a person or that the video engenders (link: an idea, to denounce something or http://www.seeingmore.org) fight against something, to accom - pany others or to believe in something I was also surprised to learn about deeply. another method of approaching youth - perhaps not as modern, but just as Together we shared ideas on how to useful. By encouraging their partici - live within the Ignatian spirituality, pation in a drama, we can stop the and we renewed the essential word of play at key points to ask what each Magis, reminding ourselves how to character is feeling at that moment, seek a feeling of interconnectedness, and discuss why a character might act and how to incorporate this kno - in a certain way. When you present wledge both personally and into our youth with such an unexpected que - CLC. We talked about the state of the stion, it helps them to connect deeply global CLC movement, and asked how with their internal reality. It was to find communality in the many dif - equally interesting to see how other ferent paths which lead people to CLC forms of art (music, sculpture, and (often these paths will vary greatly painting) can draw a similar response from country to country). In respect to from youth, evoking an emotion in this last point, we concluded that the them and helping them to delve deep most vital and unifying element of within themselves. any path to CLC would incorporate di - scussion around the specificities of the Another powerful moment in the en - vocation, and the experience of the counter was the sharing of real-life Spiritual Exercises as a foundation for examples of service and faith amongst the deepening of one’s spirituality. fellow CLC members. This sharing of life experiences is always a very affec - It must be said that the whole Malta From left to right: ting experience. Disease, migration, experience was planned and carried - Participants of the Malta incarceration, social justice, discrimi - out with exceptional care and atten - Youth Encounter. - Sharing the Eucharist nation, community service … all these tion. The Maltese community gave us together. topics and more came up, and they a great example of hospitality, provi - - Edu, in the ferry ride back were all treated with the same since - ding us with accommodation, travel to the Maltese mainland. rity and depth, all supported by a and extra activities. They were incre - - Youth CLC members from strong faith and understanding. I felt dible hosts, a real example of goodwill Spain, Italy and Egypt. extremely privileged to have been and openness. Likewise, the Euro - team did an outstanding job in getting chance to glean new understandings; our themes ready, planning group one never got tired of listening. exercises, preparing examples and re - maining attentive to all of our needs In terms of more practical challenges at all times. This level of service was to take away from this experience, I a great example to us all. The celebra - believe the CLC needs to keep wor - tions, whether prayer sessions or king to be more visible and more pre - masses, were organised down to the sent amongst youth. Further last detail, allowing the spirit of sha - discussion at different levels is needed ring to flow freely amongst us, ma - to decide how to optimise our resour - king the spirit of God feel tangible ces, especially our human resources, throughout the event. towards this end. What youth needs is Our Time. They need to feel that we It was fantastic to participate in the are present with them. We must walk open plenary sessions, but, personally, together with the youth communities, what I enjoyed most was sitting in the highlighting the importance of the smaller group activities, where we Spiritual Exercises and providing per - were divided into groups of ten people sonal coaching for their journeys to - to facilitate discussion. Such an inti - wards Faith. For hard-to-reach youth, mate format made everyone feel right far removed from Faith, our outreach at home and enabled a deep level of to them could utilise the sort of tools trust and sincerity in our exchange. that we were exposed to during the This could be seen in the grace that encounter. These are tools which will each person showed as they spoke and touch their deeper emotions and pos - listened in their turn. sibly open a window to their Faith.

I will take back many memories from I also think that international events the encounter. Apart from all the to - such as this can provide CLC youth pics that were discussed, I found the with an important point of contact. down-time between activities very Here, the seed of future collaboration useful for getting acquainted with my and communication between mem - fellow CLC members (from such coun - bers of different countries can be plan - tries as Italy, Hungary, France, Po - ted. A common vocabulary can be land, Malta, Egypt), and for coming to developed. The enriching experience appreciate the universality and grace of diversity can be shared by all. of our faith. The meals, the breaks, the times at the beach, the intercultu - Without a doubt Malta has been one ral dinner, the regional dances, the of the greatest gifts I have experien - visit to the sanctuary of the Virgin of ced as a member of the CLC. I send all Ta’ pinu, the conversations we shared my encouragement and support for an at night on the Victoria terraces, or on event like this to keep happening. the ferry to Malta or on the car trips to Valletta; these were all enriching A warm hug and best wishes to you all. experiences. Every moment with every person on this encounter was a Original in Spanish Translated by Sarah Walker Care of the Oceans The CLC Plastics Project Joan Woods and Nicholas Kim

Ocean Conference at the United Nations, June 2017 Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) #14: “Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources.”

high level United Nations con - calmness and beauty. She went on to ference called the Ocean Confe - say that the surface of the ocean is not rence took place at the UN in reflecting the truth like the forest fire NAew York on June 5 – 9, 2017. Two event. The ocean is dying silently, and CLC representatives were able to at - it will not bounce back. There is a tend, Joan Woods and Nicholas Kim, need to understand the connection both of Metro NY CLC. The gover - between ocean health and migration. Joan Woods is a Past nments of Fiji and Sweden co-hosted Numerous people are affected, and in - President of NCLC. She is an responsibilities for the conference novative solutions are needed which NGO rep at the U.N. and a with numerous side events. require government interventions on member of the Loyola and a world level. One of the visible ocean Westchester CLCs in the The aims of the Ocean Conference health indicators is the coral blea - New York Region. were to: ching that occurs in many coastal areas. Above average sea water tem - 1) Identify ways to support the imple - perature caused by global warming mentation of Sustainable Develop - has been identified as a leading cause ment Goal #14: Conserve and for coral bleaching. Coral reefs are im - sustainably use the oceans, seas, portant because they shelter 25% of and marine resources for sustaina - marine species, protect shorelines and ble development. support fishing industries. Coral reefs 2) Build on successful partnerships can be found in all parts of the world and create new ones by sharing ex - including the Pacific Ocean (Great periences. Barrier Reef, Australia) and in the 3) Involve all relevant stakeholders Atlantic Ocean (South Florida, US including governments, busines - and Caribbean Islands). ses, NGOs, civil society, academic institutions, scientific community, and the private sector. 2) Immediate Impact on Nicholas Kim is a member 4) Be the inspiration that will reverse Pacific Islands and Need for of St. Catharine CLC, New the decline in the health of our oce - Jersey. He currently serves Assistance by the World ans for people, planet and prospe - as a CLC U.N. NGO Community representative on ocean / rity. ecology issues. Nicholas is a There were a number of side events Important aspects of this conference can coastal physical about the Pacific Ocean and its inha - be divided into three main categories: oceanographer and is bitants. Many Prime Ministers and currently working for an other government officials were either environmental consulting 1) Education about Our firm in NJ. He has involved on the panels for the side events or in in various coastal projects Oceans attendance. There is a unique rela - around the world. tionship between the ocean and the is - Princess Victoria of Sweden asked land people whose lives are dependent participants at a side event to imagine on it. Millions of people are affected by a forest fire, its frightening conse - increasing cyclones, floods, larger quences, and the heroic work of fire fi - waves, erosion and loss of fish which ghters to control it. Then she asked disrupt occupations and food security. that we picture the ocean, recalling its Rubbish and marine debris wash 24 ashore, and there is great plastic ac - events. Island nations depend on fish cumulation in the Pacific. not only for food but for the livelihood of their inhabitants. Panelists deman - Officials from these Pacific islands re - ded accountability and urged large cognize the challenges and the need to nations to respect their fishing regu - work together to find solutions. Howe - lations. Global fish populations are in ver, some challenges are beyond their serious decline. The UN FAO’s 2014 ability to solve, and they need interna - report found that 90% of the world’s tional assistance. They would like the fish stock were fully exploited or over United States government to assume exploited. Global warming has caused responsibility for oil spills and past nu - a collapse in fish stock due to fish mi - clear testing sites which are contami - grating to the North and South Poles. nated with radioactive material. The impact of illegal and unregulated fishing has been severe on many na - 3) Ocean Pollution and Decline tions. Other causes of depleted stocks are waste and habitat destruction (i.e. a) Climate change. There is an impor - coral reefs). Modern slavery on fishing tant connection between oceans and vessels should not be tolerated and in - climate. Climate change is negatively ternational cooperation is necessary impacting our oceans’ health and coa - for its’ elimination from the shipping stal areas. As the atmospheric tempe - industries supply chains. Other viola - rature rises, the ocean water expands tions include child labor, smuggling, and, in return, causes the sea level to illegal transactions and forgery. rise and affect low lying coastal areas. d) Plastics: Non–biodegradable and Bio- Since 40% of the world population degradable. A non-biodegradable sub - lives near coastal areas, the oceans stance is one that cannot be changed to are part of a planet-wide ecosystem a harmless natural state by the action that supports life. We must respect of bacteria. A new report from the UN and care for our oceans. says that plastics labeled biodegradable b) Industry. Side events on this topic rarely disintegrate in the ocean because featured speakers from Nordic and they require industrial composters and Baltic Sea countries on the role of bu - prolonged exposure to high temperatu - siness and industry in identifying cau - res to break down. Plastics dumped in ses and solutions to ocean pollution. the worlds’ oceans are estimated at Items of interest were a future carbon- eight million tons annually which is free liquid fuel and fuel efficiency, a fu - equivalent to the weight of about six ture carbon-free steel industry, million passenger cars. shipbuilding for fishing and tourism, marine debris and human waste. Solutions Companies showcased items that con - tributed to sustainability in building One important aim of the Ocean con - (steel), transportation (ships and ference was to reverse the decline of trucks), and manufacturing (clothing). the oceans by raising awareness of c) Fish and Fishing Industry. This their decline resulting in a global call was a topic of discussion in many side for action with new dialogues and par -

25 tnerships for implementing solutions. declaration of Human Rights. The Conference did its job. Time will only tell whether or not it achieved Lack of knowledge of important ma- the following objectives. rine areas. Governments need to know the location of those special places UN Member States adopted a “Call that are crucial to healthy marine sy - for Action” a document which addres - stems. They need to form partnerships ses what Governments can do to ad - with other governments and with dress this issue. Global problems need their citizens to protect these areas. global solutions and for that partner - ships must be strengthened and new Initiatives for Industry ones initiated. There is a need for corporate leader - Initiatives for Governments ship and responsibility in the areas of fishing, ship building, and manufac - Coastal Floods. A mangrove tree is turing. Firms should invest in new te - found in many places around the chnologies to restore the oceans. world. Mangrove forests are known to act as barriers to flood waters. At pre - Initiatives for NGO’s, Civil sent there are many campaigns for planting mangroves with industriali - Society, and the Private Sector zed nations offering money for trees and assisting in planting them. There Individuals were called to do their is a need to increase these partner - part, and each individual contribution ships. is and will be important. This call hi - ghlighted the wisdom of indigenous Dirty Water Entering Oceans. An ap - people and women with local kno - proach called “Looking Upstream” wledge. asks governments to correct bad land practices which pollute rivers and The UN Oceans Conference launched streams before they enter the oceans. a “Call to Action” to mobilize people to Governments must work with indu - implement SDG 14. In solidarity with stries, municipal sanitation depar - governments, business and organiza - tments, and farmers to correct these tions worldwide, World Christian Life situations. Community joined this initiative by registering a two-year project, or “vo - Lack of clean water. Governments luntary commitment”, in reducing use must enter into partnership with of plastic. their citizens to insure that clean water is available to all under the UN #OceanAction21726

CLC joins the UN Ocean Conference “Call for Action” to support SDG 14! Having attended this Ocean Confe - rence in June 2017, our CLC Repre - sentatives Joan Woods and Nicholas Kim shared their concerns about the dire problems facing the ocean. They felt it was significant for us to join with others at the conference in ta - king action. Together with the UN working group, we proposed a project for reducing our use of plastic. We have registered our project as a “vo - luntary commitment” on the UN Oce - ans Conference website. As of this writing, there are over 1,400 volun - tary commitments by organizations, 26 businesses and governments around Kim is an Ocean Scientist. The UN the world. working group works closely with our World Executive Council and will co - We felt affirmed in this decision by ordinate the communication flow Pope Francis’ words in a letter to the among our national communities. Ocean Conference held in Malta in September 2017. The oceans are the There are many sub-categories and common heritage of the human family. targets within SDG 14. We decided to The oceans are Only with a deep sense of humility, focus on target 14.1 which states, “By wonder and gratitude can we rightly 2025, prevent and significantly reduce the common speak of the ocean as “ours.” To care for marine pollution of all kinds, in parti - this common inheritance necessarily cular from land-based activities, in - heritage of the involves rejecting cynical or indifferent cluding marine debris and nutrient human family. ways of acting. We cannot pretend to pollution.” ignore the problems of ocean pollution Only with a resulting, for example, from plastic CLC Action can involve: and micro-plastics that enter the food deep sense of chain and cause grave consequences u Reducing our use of plastics humility, for the health of marine and human through lifestyle changes as well life.” (Letter of the Holy Father to the as advocating for bans and restric - wonder and Fourth High Level Conference on “Our tions on plastics in local areas. gratitude can Ocean” in Malta, 06.10.2017). u Educating our members about ca - ring for our common home, protec - we rightly speak Our CLC project is listed as ting our oceans and reducing of the ocean as #OceanAction21726. plastic usage (we will be promoting our CLC ecology materials, the Po - “ours.” The Objectives of the Project: pe’s Encyclical Laudato Si’ and other relevant documents.) 1. Make the connection about how our u Helping to implement action faith calls us to care for our com - through networking and communi - mon home, as described in Pope cations using Progressio Maga - Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’. zine, CVX-CLC website, Facebook 2. Raise awareness about the pollu - group, Twitter, etc. We want to en - tion of the ocean and its detrimen - courage the sharing of stories from tal impact to health. local communities, best practices 3. Encourage lifestyle changes by mi - in reducing plastics, and other re - nimizing use of plastics and other levant information that inspires us products that pollute the ocean. to act on behalf of our oceans.

We plan to reach out to CLC members This project concludes in June 2019 worldwide to both share information when our CLC UN Working Group about best practices regarding packa - will produce a document of stories, ging and minimizing plastics, as well best practices, analyses and recom - as collecting the stories from those at mendations for next steps, etc. the local level. We hope to do this through our magazine Progressio, on In the meantime, we encourage all to our website, on a Facebook Group and get involved in reducing use of pla - at our World Assembly. stics. Many of you are already doing this. We invite you to share your pho - We are fortunate to have CLC repre - tos, stories, and information. Join our sentatives at the UN who can help in - new Facebook Group: xxx and use the form us about pertinent events at the hashtag #OceanAction21726. UN as well as information about the oceans. Our main representative, 1 Part of this article originally appeared in the Joan Woods, regularly attends confe - CLC USA Publication, Harvest rences and committee meetings such as Climate Induced Migration, and our other representative, Nicholas 27 Ecological Conversion An Interview with Jenny and Chris Gardner

Jenny and Chris Gardner

Later, we developed a great love of bu - shwalking and experienced the be - auty of nature in walks in WA, New Zealand, Tasmania, across England’s national parks and in Spain on the Ignatian Camino. We came to under - stand that we are pilgrims ’passing through’ this earth. In our walks we encountered a variety of phenomena - glacial valleys, micro climates, unique flora and fauna and at times evidence of climate change and destruction of eco systems. All helped us become more in tune with creation and our own footprint. What first inspired you to care about environmental issues?

Jenny and Chris are What are some of your most Our awareness of environmental is - currently the President memorable experiences of nature? sues grew slowly both through our and Vice President of CLC reading, travel and personal experien - Australia. They have been We both grew up in semi-rural areas ces. Reading about climate change in a CLC group for 30 years, where we spent lots of childhood time and seeing the degradation caused by have taken Permanent land clearing in agricultural areas Commitment and have an playing in the Australian bush. This and the exporting of wood chips with ongoing commitment to gave us an awareness of local plants, the environment. animals and wildflowers. We also re - the subsequent degradation of our fo - gularly swam at our beautiful local rests in southern Western Australia, beaches. Chris distinctly remembers were just some of the local issues we helping his dad dig a well and we both became aware of. Increasingly serious remember our families growing fruit droughts in Australia and a lack of trees and vegetables. Long hot sum - water in our dams impacted on our mers and a general lack of water were whole community. We are both trai - very familiar and so we were con - ned social workers and so we have al - scious of the importance of water from ways had an interest in issues of a young age. justice and the marginalised in our community. Travelling as young adults in the 1970’s through UK and Europe, we vi - Is there anything you have sited an alternative energy centre experienced that inspired your that first introduced us to a variety of sustainable ecological practices. We care of the environment? have also had the joy of travelling through many unique and beautiful Around 2000 we began building a places including Fiji, Borneo, South straw bale cottage on a block of land Korea, outback Australia, Indonesia, about an hour from Perth. This invol - Reunion Island and Mauritius, where ved us learning about sustainable buil - we have become aware of our human ding methods and eco-friendly energy history and our impact on the envi - conservation options. With the help of ronment for good and bad. family and friends the building was 28 and hot water for many years. Jenny In CLC we have the travelled to work for many years using public transport and we use this where gift of discernment possible. We have been supporters of Greenpeace for many years and have and the imperative to participated in beach and river clean be open to the signs of ups and tree planting events. We have also supported community advocacy the times. projects in support of the environment. e.g. Great Barrier Reef. We are also con - scious of sharing our love of creation completed and was a great source of with our grandchildren, introducing pleasure as a place to stay. To our great them to the wonders of this beautiful sorrow, this cottage along with 40 world through camping, canoeing and other homes, was destroyed in a sum - bushwalking. mer bush fire in December 2009. While Australia has had a history of severe bush fires, more recent fires, such as How do you understand the this one, have been particularly fero - link between CLC and cious in their speed and intensity. Cli - ecological issues? mate change became very real to us through this difficult personal event! We now see the two as closely connec - ted. Ignatian spirituality has always What are some of the ways been about justice, the marginalised you endeavour to make a and being mission oriented. In CLC we have the gift of discernment and the positive difference to the imperative to be open to the signs of the environment in your own life? times. Both of these have drawn us to - wards care of creation as a priority. It is largely through how we live that we hope to make a difference. We grow Over the last 10-15 years at a world some of our own vegetables, have a level, CLC has been a non-gover - worm farm, use grey water and recycle nment participant in the UN on the whatever we can. Our garden consists water subcommittee. In 2013 at the largely of native plants that require less World Assembly in Lebanon (2013) water and attract the birds and insects. which Chris attended, all national We have used solar power for electricity communities endorsed the importance

Chris canoeing with grandson Kye.

29 on the agenda of our National Gathe - ring in January 2018. Does knowledge of Indigenous spirituality in Australia add to your response?

As part of our focus on ‘Care for Crea - tion’, we have begun researching the literature on Indigenous spirituality to understand better what this an - cient wisdom has to teach us about care of the land. For example, the Aboriginal concept of ‘dadirri’ is about ‘deep listening to the earth’. Dadirri is about taking time to listen and to be renewed. The Indigenous peoples have experienced dadirri for over 40,000 years. In CLC we can learn to of the environment as a focus of mis - listen not only to one another but also sion. That we aim to...”Develop a sen - to the earth. In CLC we are now more sitivity towards respecting creation in conscious of taking time when we our attitudes and actions and network meet to acknowledge the traditional for sharing experiences and good owners of the land on which we meet practices such as the Amazon Project.” and be open to their wisdom. When Laudato Si was published in 2015, we found a language for inte - In fact we have found that this Indi - grating our spirituality, our concern genous wisdom takes us back to our for justice and the marginalised, with own Scriptures where we find these the environment. For us in CLC it words: “Can you find out the deep was both inspirational and prophetic! things of God? Can you find out the Chris has been an active member of limit of the Almighty?...But ask the the CVX-CLC Ecology Commission animals and they will teach you: the that has written and produced 12 re - birds of the air and they will tell you; flections on Laudato Si for CLC Ask the plants of the earth, and they groups to use. will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you. Who among all What steps has the CLC these does not know that the hand of Community in Australia taken our God has done this? In God’s hand around this issue? We are reminded of In July 2016 at our Australian Assem - bly, we discerned as a community that the difficulty of ‘Care of Creation’ was one of our Mis - sion priorities. As a National Execu - praying the Susicpe tive we have deliberately reduced the where we are invited to number of face to face meetings we hold annually because of the amount offer all our memory, of air travel involved. We are constan - tly looking at how we can step more li - understanding and will ghtly in all our activities as well as to the Lord. In really encouraging our members to perso - nally become more committed to ca - caring for creation we ring for the environment. Our regions have taken up projects including tree need the continuing planting, beach clean ups, etc and it is love and grace of God 30 is the life of every living thing and the breath of every human being.” (Job 11:7, 12:7-10) What is your hope for how CLC can contribute to environmental issues?

Our hope is that CLC can show lea - dership in this area and sustain the momentum against skepticism and resistance amongst our political lea - ders. We hope that CLC can contri - bute at a variety of levels- at the individual level by members living simply and in ways that are environ - mentally friendly, at the group level by participating in advocacy and acti - vities that demonstrate care for our earth and that encourage our church leadership and members to take these issues seriously. At a world level, by our participation in the UN sub-com - mittee and in our taking up of signifi - cant projects such as the Oceans Plastic Project 1. What do you see as the biggest challenge to us in CLC regarding the environment?

Individually we avoid conscious thought about the environmental im - pact of how we live and so often do not take the initiative to live differently. We are very aware of this tendency in ourselves, as much as others. We are not sure how much attention other national communities have given to this ecological focus as an area of mis - believe that CLC has a role to play in Below from top to bottom: sion or recognize its centrality to our going beyond our fears and accepting - The straw bale cottage future as a human community, but we God’s invitation to be co-creators in built at Toodyay, Western encourage them to do so. A real chal - this world. We are reminded of the dif - Australia. lenge is feeling overwhelmed and di - ficulty of praying the Susicpe where - The charred remains following the devastating scouraged by the magnitude of the we are invited to offer all our memory, understanding and will to the Lord. In bush fire that destroyed the problems and fearful of the risks of cottage in December 2009. stepping out and these often stop us really caring for creation we need the from acting. Pope Francis has called continuing love and grace of God. us to be leaders in this area and we

1 See previous article: Care of the Oceans: The CLC Plastics Project

31 We are ARUPÁ a space for the mission

Carlos Acosta, presidente de CEN-CLC Argentina, CLC Paraguay y Federico Montes, María Celia Sandar, Leonardo Lima, María Noel García, Francisco Arrondo sj, CEN-CLC Uruguay The wishes and hopes of ARUPÁ, in this time of preparation of the 2018 World Assembly Let’s tell the story moment will be an unforgettable, ge - nuine, full, mysterious and miracu - “For my thoughts are not your lous memory in our lives ... an thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, experience of God. says the Lord.” Isaiah 55, 8 Through our minds, bodies and hearts Saturday night - July 4, 2015: in a fa - many things were taking shape, all mily home, among friends. We had hinting to one intuition: And why met to celebrate the lived experience, not... the “Family Clock”, thanking Fer - nando Vidal and Carmen Oliveros, Someone said Paraguay can partici - from CLC Spain, who gave us that ex - pate, another added. And so, among perience. friends, as a family, celebrating, sha - ring a meal and singing, the work Between meals and typical music, we team formed by Uruguay, Paraguay exchanged views on several topics: the and Argentina took shape. Although World Assembly in Lebanon, the next there was still a lot missing... Assembly ... and then, the surprise CLC Argentina formally invited the suggestion by Fernando Vidal: And national communities of Uruguay and why not organise it ourselves ...? Paraguay to discern the call to be co- responsible for the organization of the For those of us who listened to Fer - next world assembly. nando’s words, it was a special unique moment. A few seconds, with a sense When the affirmative response of of eternity ... It would never have oc - these communities was received, the curred to us to act as hosts of the next National Executive Council met in The Chapel at the Loyola World Assembly: the text of Isaiah be - Buenos Aires, together with members Center in San Miguel, of the communities of the Region, to Argentina came a reality with vengeance. That make the final decision.

We offered a day to pray and discern, to understand what the Lord was asking of us. And we felt convinced by the Spirit to say YES, to give and to re - ceive on this way of preparing to host the World Community in the next World Assembly - Buenos Aires 2018.

Our offer, which was a wish arrived at in communion with each other, could not be confirmed without the practical collaboration of the Loyola Center team, and the open support of the Pro - vincial ARU, Alejandro Tilve, SJ, to whom we are deeply grateful. Carlos Acosta CLC Argentina, President ARUPÁ, the process of a name

Initially, the EXCO called us the APU team, an acronym that combined the first letters of the names of our three countries.

The name became clearer to us when we amended the sequence of the let - ters, and the word UPA was formed: in our region, when the child asks to be lifted in his arms, he expresses this by saying upa. An image behind the name, which made us happy.

While designing the logo, the graphic arts team thought of, and proposed, ARUPA (Argentina, Uruguay, Para - guay), a new amalgam that combined house of this region of South America, our countries. vibrant in its vitality, enterprising and open to reconciliation; and within And we could still provide more mea - a “great homeland like all of Latin ning to this combination of communi - America and the Caribbean.” ties by reading an accent on the last syllable, (and we could hear ARUPÁ), Also, we are encouraged to see what we could discern the Guaraní words we now want to generate with prayer, that mean: I BRING EVERYTHING communication and hope: what we (the Guaraní is one of the living na - will live in Argentina will be of God, tive languages that is used in large since it is in his Spirit that we want to areas of our countries, even as an of - trust and be faithful. And we want to ficial language). celebrate so many rivers of life that will converge, so many stories of grace Then, as a summary of all the above, and testimonies of how God never the host team chose to be called abandons us. We will see the maps of ARUPÁ: I BRING EVERYTHING ... everyone’s journey. We will bring about gratitude, memory, meeting, ce - I BRING EVERYTHING, and I put it lebration and feast. at Jesus’ disposal for Him to perform the miracle. The motto of the World We are inspired by what we want to Assembly in fact is “How many loaves share and show our hosts. How we do you have? Go and see”. They came live the CLC vocation in these coun - back and told him: “There are five of tries, in our families and jobs. We will them, and there are also two fishes.” show them our journey’s plan (map), That’s what we wish – ARUPÁ, I and the motto very open and recep - BRING EVERYTHING. tive: a mate (a typical celebratory Ar - gentinian drink) – just one mate - that CLC Paraguay passes from hand to hand to drink the liquid of trust, fraternity and world Our role as host team communion without the exclusion of anyone. Three little bread rolls, one Several elements make up this role: for each country, with whose poverty the ability to receive and welcome and offering Jesus Christ will make with a wide open and generous heart food so much for so many, that we can - and mind. We want to receive them as not even imagine. A shape of V, like visitors in our house. Each person and the outline of Latin America, open to delegation will be very welcome, and give and receive, green of land and we will make you feel at home, in the hope. You are very welcome!

33 What drives the spirit of our service?

God drives the spirit of CLC. God dri - ves it in the deep experience of its members to be and recognize themsel - ves so unconditionally loved by him, “The very Holy Trinity”. The CLC members are very grateful for this grace of God, undeserved, a pure gift. Very grateful for being CLC in the universal and local Church. And we know from experience: “ a grateful heart always responds .”

The spirit of CLC cannot be anything other than service, out of gratitude for so much - in quantity and quality - that we have received from God, from the Church and from so many witnes - ses that have preceded us in CLC and with whom we share this path today. It drives us to be participants in these 50 years of journey, of discernment of how to truly be a Body for the mission, a Body for the Spirit. We continue to receive a lot of love, kindness, genero - sity, effort, work, fidelity to the com - mitments assumed, time and sacrifice to be who we are.

Some people knew from before, and was confirmed to us in CLC, that this way of living Church, of belonging to the Church is what we want, with all the consequences, and we showed our joy and happiness with it. Other people learned in CLC an incarnated Ignatian spirituality, ways of searching and fin - ding God in everything, of living in community the essential reality of our being in God, and for Him, and for Others whom He entrusts to us. We help each other to grow, gazing at a ho - rizon of evangelization with the joy of the Gospel in our hearts.

It is of great comfort to feel the extra encouragement of three CLCs wor - king together - Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay – making up the host team. This encouragement and enthu - siasm is helping us to get a real feel of the body of CLC in the region, in Latin America and worldwide. We are living an experience of integration and CLC identity that feels every day stronger. What do you want for the of organizing, together with the EXCO, the next World Assembly at world community? the Loyola Center in San Miguel , Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is compo - That we become aware again of so sed of members of the National Coun - much good received since the last cils and CLC communities of: World Assembly in Lebanon 2013, re - cognizing with courage, the action of Paraguay: Jorge Irala Moreno, Arq. the Spirit of God in everything; and gi - Claudia Napout and Carlos Benítez ving thanks, as explicitly as possible, that we are a part of the Body of the Uruguay: Federico Montes and Ceci - Church. A Church that cannot fail to lia Roselli exercise its mission in the spirit of mo - therhood, communion and wisdom. A Argentina: Carlos Acosta (President), recognition and gratitude for each CLC Marita De Lorenzi, María Laura Eder in each country. And let us praise and and P. Juan Berli, SJ, National Assistant. honour God who has made it possible ARUPÁ has organized itself with a together with us, with our successes Secretariat (executive) in Argentina and failures. We know that gratitude and in different Working Groups: is the engine of our commitment. w SECRETARÍA ARGENTINA: Car - Having harvested so many fruits wi - los Acosta (General Coordinator), thout trepidation from Lebanon 2013, Marita De Lorenzi (Secretary), and having analyzed so many rapid María Laura Eder (Coordinator of changes in the world and in the Work Areas), Marcelo Arango (Re - Church itself, we are determined to sponsible of Finance) and Víctor present ourselves after this Assembly. Pacharoni, SJ (Advisor) The after July 2018, to offer and give to the world and the Church what we t WORKING GROUPS are, the most genuine, proper and On the other page from top w vital CLC servant (no CLC person is LOGO: Lucía Hyon, coordinator to bottom: -Meeting CEIA in June 2017 here to be served, but to present itself (Argentina) w 1 with collaborators. as a body to serve). COMMUNICATIONS : Manuel Martinez (Uruguay), Maria Laura - ARUPA on 9-07-16 at the Loyola Center, with several CLC Uruguay National Executive Federico Rolle (Argentina) and Diego Pereira friends. Montes, María Celia Sandar, Leonardo Lima, (Uruguay). - Preparation Meeting María Noel García, Francisco Arrondo sj w FINANCE: Marcelo R. Arango - Marita de Lorenzi, Cecilia and advisor, P. Víctor Pacharoni, Rosselli, Carlos Acosta, ARUPÁ, the structure SJ, (Argentina) Mauricio Lopez. w TRANSLATORS: María C. Below: The ARUPÁ community in the form of Galli, coordinator of interpreters Meeting in February 2018 the Executive Secretariat, is in charge and Alicia Nin (Uruguay) w LITURGY: Jorge Moreno Irala own building different initiatives and (Paraguay) and Gabi Aguer (Ar - institutional activities. gentina) w LOGISTICS & INFRASTRUC- The Centro Loyola currently uses an TURE : Dr Claudia Benítez (Pa - important part of the building of the raguay), Dr Lucía Hyon, Colegio Máximo, formerly used as li - Adviser, and Daniel Fernández ving quarters for Jesuit students, as a (Argentina) place identified for the dissemination w DECORATION & DESIGN: of Ignatian spirituality through the Claudia Benítez (Paraguay) and practice of Spiritual Exercises, cour - Lucía Hyon (Argentina) ses and workshops on spirituality. Si - w WELCOME & SERVICES: milarly, as a way to reach out to other María Laura Eder and volunte - social and business sectors and contri - ers from Argentina, Paraguay bute to the financing of the whole, Co - and Uruguay. legio Máximo offers its facilities for w RECREATION: Jorge M. Irala business meetings, conventions and (Paraguay), Valentina Artola congresses. (Uruguay), and Elena Yeyati (Argentina). The Colegio Máximo, with its large building, offers a large and pleasant We are waiting for you at: space, ideal for carrying out activities linked to reflection and dialogue, spi - The venue of the next 2018 World As - ritual and academic formation. The sembly will be Centro Loyola, in the tradition and formation of the Jesuits, Máximo School of San José - San Mi - and the strong apostolic extension guel, ARGENTINA. into the social, economic and religious reality of the area, make Colegio Má - The Society of Jesus settled in San ximo an ideal venue for the meeting Miguel (province of Buenos Aires) in and offers a link between very diffe - the year 1930, began to build the buil - rent groups and sectors of the social, ding called Colegio Máximo de San economic and ecclesiastical spectrum. José. At that time the term “Máximo” Different people and groups from very -of Latin origin- expressed the target diverse regional, cultural and econo - aim, as the culmination of the studies mic backgrounds hold their meetings * In this house lived Fr. Jorge that would be carried out there. and conferences at Colegio Máximo in Mario Bergoglio, SJ, current search of guidance, formation and a Pope Francis. You can visit Colegio Máximo, born as a house of greater Christian commitment. The his office and room. For long history and institutional prestige more information, plans, formation for the Society of Jesus, has of Colegio Máximo makes it a center photos, etc., you can access been widening its services to become the Loyola Center page: a true center of formation in matters for all, well known in the region and http://centroloyola.com.ar/ of faith and culture, sheltering in its in the national ecclesiastical sphere.

1 +Cecilia Roselli, former head of Communications, passed away before the publication of this article. Her presence and life’s gift continues to inspire the work of ARUPA in the preparation for the assembly. Communications is now headed by Manuel Martinez (CVX Uruguay). 36 Remembering Father Peter-Hans Kolvenbach SJ Ecclesiastical Assistant of the World Christian Life Community (1989- 2008)

Daniela Frank

It was only a few days before his 88th birthday, that we received the sad news that Father Peter- IHans Kolvenbach SJ, the former Ge - neral Superior of the Society of Jesus and Ecclesiastical Assistant of WCLC from 1984 to 2008, had died on 26th November 2016. All of us who had the privilege of meeting him will re - member his friendship with CLC, ac - companying us closely and challenging us permanently, his commitment to build bridges between Jesuits and CLC, his simplicity and humor – and his enthusiasm for Ignatius and his spirituality as a gift for the Church and the world, which implies a re - sponsibility for all of us who are called to live out of this spirituality.

After entering the Society of Jesus in 1948, Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, whose original dream was to work in Russia, was sent to Lebanon with a group of Dutch Jesuits in 1958. With this In 1986, he participated for the first country he developed a close and dear time in a World Assembly of CLC, then relationship for all his life. Here he in Loyola, under the motto “ Mary studied and was ordained priest in Model of Our Mission - Do whatever 1961 in the Armenian-Catholic rite, He tells you ”. In his address to the de - here he worked for many years at the legates and guests, he unfolded the Université Saint-Joseph in Beirut and Marian dimension of our mission, thus served as vice-provincial for the Mid - also offering an introduction to GP 9 dle East region from 1974 to 1981. on the role of Mary: Here he returned after his resignation as General Superior in 2008 – and “If the Christian Life Communities here he died and was buried. draw their inspiration from the spirit of Ignatius, the criteria for the authen - In 1983, the 33rd General Congrega - ticity of their spirituality is the con - tion of the Society of Jesus elected crete commitment to the service of Kolvenbach as General Superior – others, which incarnates it. In addi - succeeding Fr. Pedro Arrupe, who was tion, the Christian Life Communities at that time already seriously ill. wish to be a body for the Spirit, as Our From his time in Lebanon, Peter- Lady was, to set out on mission, to Hans Kolvenbach had become a friend commit themselves in such a way that of Tobie Zakia, then president of the Gospel takes flesh and the Beati - World CLC. After his election as Ge - tudes become a reality for those who neral Superior, Tobie Zakia invited are poor, suffering, searching for ju - him to accept the nomination as Ec - stice and peace, or weeping. This mis - clesiastical Assistant of World CLC – sion of Our Lady fascinates Ignatius which he kindly did.

37 so much in the Spiritual Exercises the World Assembly in Itaici, Brazil, that he does not invite us to delve into 26 July 1998). To this end, he encou - the heart of Mary, nor to contemplate raged CLC to let Ignatius inspire us her interior life or to imitate one of her and thus deepen our identity as Igna - virtues. Ignatius passes beyond the tian laity, especially in the discer - way Our Lady keeps all these words in nment processes with regard to the her heart and even her sorrow under mission of the Community, as in the the cross. Everything is concentrated Itaici World Assembly, aiming at cla - on the mission of Our Lady, which rifying our common mission. This also flows from her fullness of grace. implies developing a deeper under - standing of our vocation: What does this mission consist in? Ignatius never mentions it explicitly, “For CLC as for the Society [of Jesus], but the whole setting of the Spiritual people must have a ’wide and gene - Exercises points towards mediation: rous heart’ and desire profoundly to to bring Christ to men and women share in Christ’s mission. That means and men and women to Christ, to be that everyone is not called upon to mediator of what the Church today join us; but, in return, CLC and the calls “communion”. Let us try to di - Society need to live their vocation and scover this in the perspective of the their mission openly so they can be re - Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius. ” (Pro - cognizable by those men and women gressio 5-6/1986, p. 34f). who have the desire for the desire to live Ignatian spirituality fully. We will During the following 20 years, it was be guided only by this desire and not very important for Father Kolven - by an obsession with numbers or im - bach, if ever possible, to come to our pressive statistics. It is very Ignatian CLC World Assemblies and thus, to to prefer spiritual quality to numbers express the support of the Jesuits for of members, but it would not be Igna - CLC. Again and again, Father Kol - tian either to be content with an elite venbach bridged his duties as General and not to open our groups and com - Superior of the Society of Jesus and munities generously to all those who those as Ecclesiastical Assistant of want to come. To be shut in on oursel - WCLC. For him, Jesuits and CLC ves, to withdraw, is not the longing for From left to right: were always connected as “ two com - mission engraved on Ignatius’ heart. ” - Fr. Kolvenbach at the munities which – moved by the same (Address during the World Assembly World Assembly in Itaici Spirit – are looking in the same direc - in Itaici, Brazil, 26 July 1998 – see between Lanny Nañagas tion and exchanging their own expe - Progressio 1-4/1998, p. 97) and José Maria Riera. riences from time to time, in order to - In a group meeting at the enrich each other in their journey on Five years later, during in the World Itaici World Assembly. the way of the Lord ” (Address during Assembly in Nairobi in 2003, Father

38 Kolvenbach devoted his address to the During all his years as Ecclesiastical “true flair we must have in the con - Assistant, Father Kolvenbach was a tending Church ” (Spiritual Exercises reliable and encouraging partner of #352). He wanted to encourage the de - CLC. Whenever he was in Rome du - legates not to lose sight of our atta - ring our ExCo meetings, he invited us chment to the Church in their for lunch to the General Curia or visi - differentiation process, as we are sup - ted us in our meeting place. During our posed to live our joint mission as CLC. gatherings, we enjoyed him as a lively and humorous narrator, who could also “Ignatian obedience is one of concrete listen very attentively. In his unique fidelity to the real, visible hierarchy of way, he shared his experiences around the Church, not to some abstract the globe and in the Church. He also ideal. We belong to the Church and we shared lessons learned, often very hel - share its joys and pains, its martyrs pful for our own acting as team and as and its scandals, because the Church community. From his contacts with is and always will be a communion of the Vatican, he once told us, how im - saints and sinners, of triumphs and portant it is to be present, to keep in tragedies, which we share. (…) If we touch – even if there seems to be no - only look at the Church with the eyes thing special going on. “ When you are of a member of a multinational NGO, there, no one will notice - but if not, we will never grasp its mystery. This then all will notice it. ” his recommen - does not mean that we are to deny the dation has accompanied me since then reality of the Church, but to look at it – and has proved to be very right, not with new eyes. The picture is not com - only in Church contexts. plete as long as we do not see the po - werful Spirit and the weak human Communication with Father Kolven - hand working at the same time in the bach was easy. He was fluent in seve - Lord’s Church. And of our love of ral languages, thus whenever we met, Christ, inseparable from our love for the first question was: And in which his spouse the Church, impels us to language will we talk today? The seek the will of God in each situation, choice was according to the people it can also oblige us to engage in con - around the table; he was very mindful structive and loving criticism based that everybody could follow the con - on a powerful discernment, which versation and contribute his/her own could also lead us to remain silent for ideas. Between him and the World the moment. But it cannot justify a Exco, a heartfelt, very open coopera - From left to right: lack of solidarity with the Church, tion developed – and often it became - Fr. Kolvenbach with from which we are never nor in any clear, that he trusted more in our ca - members of CLC Korea. - With the World ExCo 2003 way distinct or apart. ” (see Progressio pacities and potential as world-wide - 2008 Supplement #58, p.78) Ignatian lay body than we would dare

39 ourselves. Thus, he saw his task also sympathy and critiques. Thus, once in challenging us –and encouraging us again Father Kolvenbach had served to move forward and develop new per - as a “bridge-builder” between our two spectives. With this attitude to CLC, bodies – as he had tried all his years he was always ready to be our dedica - as Ecclesiastical Assistant. ted counselor – both towards his own confreres in the Society of Jesus as Journeying with CLC, he had always well as to the Vatican. And obviously been keen to lead us to the Ignatian he was consulted several times on sources and to bring bridges from the CLC by Church authorities – which he time of Ignatius to the challenges we mentioned later sometimes en passant face today – as CLC and in our colla - in one of our meetings. boration with the Society of Jesus. And it was particularly important for During the General Congregation him that in our mission, we would not 2008, when he offered his resignation lose sight of our attachment to the and Fr. Adolfo Nicolás was elected as Church. Even after his resignation as his successor, he had the idea to orga - General Superior and when his suc - nize an informal meeting of delegates cessor Fr. Adolfo Nicolás SJ took over with CLC representatives. And of the role of the Ecclesiastical assistant course, he was present during that of the WCLC, he kept in contact with evening gathering. More than a third CLC. Without his explicit encourage - of the delegates followed the invita - ment to hold – despite all the political tion – representing a manifold range tensions – the World Assembly 2013 of Jesuit-CLC contacts. For us, it was in Lebanon, WCLC would not have a great chance to share about CLC – dared to take the step to Beirut. and listen to Jesuits from various backgrounds with all their questions,

Fr. Kolvenbach with the participants of the International Formation Encounter in Rome, 2006

40 Glimpses World Executive Council Meeting 2018

Borgo Santo Spirito, 4 – 00193 Rome-ITALY • Web site: www.cvx-clc.net E-mail: [email protected] English, French and Spanish Editions Editor: Alwin Macalalad From top to bottom, Left to Right

ExCo Meeting 2018 Progressio is the official publication of the Snow in Rome Christian Life Community (CLC). It seeks to Glimpses for Contemplating an Apostolic Body Alwin Macalalad build community, supplement formation, and World CLC Vice President promote apostolic works. By publishing sto - Edel Churu ries, reflections, events and opinions, it endeavors to reinforce, challenge and deep - 1 en the community’s understanding and living of the CLC Charism, Ignatian Spirituality and the gospel values CLC Latin American Assembly Meeting of leaders Miguel Collado and Christian Ubilla Miguel Collado ABOUT OUR LOGO

We did not go too far to find inspiration for the logo of the Christian Life Community (CLC). Countless books have been written about the Salvation history of CLC and its beginning in The ExCo with the ESDAG year 1563. From that came the Marian Team: Françoise Uylenbroeck, Congregations and its symbol (shown on the José De Pablo and Graziano top right), having the “P” over the “X” (for the 2 4 Calci Greek Christus) and the inserted “M” illustrates that the Congregations were put under the A Discerning Path in Mission Reaching out to the Youth of Asia patronage of Mary, the mother of Jesus. CLC Uruguay National Executive Council Ibrahim Aryon A moment of silence, reflection The blue curved line illustrates a movement Chris Hogan, Herminio Rico; forward to one World Community in 1967 ; Najat Sayegh and Denis hence the globe. From this new beginning came Dobbelstein a new name: Communauté de Vie Chrétienne (CVX) in French; Comunidad de Vida Cristiana (CVX) in Spanish; Christian Life Community (CLC) in English.

PHOTOS BACK COVER 1. CLC Agustino (Peru): World CLC Day 2018 8 13 celebration. City on a Hill that can’t be Hidden Insights for our CLC Youth 2. CVX Braga (Portugal) visiting Rome. Michael Walker Eduardo Martín Hermana World ExCo after their final 3. CLC Davao (Philippines): World CLC Day meeting- L-R: Denis, Mauricio, 2018 celebration. Alwin, Rojean, Fr. Arturo Sosa 4. Members of CLC Poland meeting CLC SJ, Edel, Najat, Chris, Ann Manresa (Italy) in Rome. Marie, Herminio. 5. World CLC Day 2018 in Malta. 6. World CLC Day 2018 in Taiwan. The World ExCo with Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family 19 21 and Life; Fr. Alexandre Awi The following persons collaborated to this Care of the Oceans Ecological Conversion Mello, Secretary of the publication, Translators and Proof Readers: Joan Woods and Nicholas Kim Jenny and Chris Gardner Dicastery; and the Marie Bailloux, Arielle Campin, Yves Cromphaut, Undersecretary for the Section Dominique Cyr, Marita de Lorenzi, Charlotte for the Laity, Dr. Linda Ghisoni. Dubuisson, Mary Fernandez de Cofone, David Formosa, Jennifer Fox, Françoise Garcin, Chartur Salvador Gonzalez-Ayala, Alban Lapointe, Agnes Rausch, Herminio Rico SJ, Clifford Schisler, Solange-Marie Slack, Veronica Villegas, Sarah Walker, Elena Yeyati 24 28 Lay out: Nguyen Thi Thu Van Buenos Aires 2018 In memory of Fr. P.H.Kolvenbach This publication may be copied and redistributed Daniela Frank in whole or in part, for non-commercial purposes, ARUPA with the condition that proper attribution is given. For other uses, contact [email protected]

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Glimpses for Contemplating an Apostolic Body

N 1 • 2018