Father Provincial (California Province)'s message
CalProv 07.58
September 12, 2007
Dear Jesuits and Lay Partners,
At this time of our "Renewed Way of Proceeding for our Mission Today" within the U.S. Assistancy, I want to update you on an important work of the Society and the Province in the process of renewal: Christian Life Community (CLC). CLC is an international lay organization of Christians who form small communities of six to ten people committed to a way of life based on the Spiritual Exercises. Members meet regularly to support and encourage each other in their lives of prayer and service. In this letter I want to recognize the long and vital association the Society has had with CLC; highlight some of the current activities of CLC-Western Region; and encourage all of us to creatively and collaboratively explore new ways in which our Province can partner more effectively with CLC.
Background: The CLC movement traces its roots to St. Ignatius of Loyola. In 1563 in Rome, a young Jesuit, John Leunis, founded the first CLC by gathering a group of young lay students at the Roman College to help them unite their lives — jobs, studies, families, relationships, etc. — with Christian values. The movement, originally called the Sodality of Our Lady, is considered to be the most enduring small community effort in the life of the Church. Today CLC spans sixty countries and consists of small groups that are part of larger communities organized regionally and nationally, all forming one World Christian Life Community.
World CLC is based at the Jesuit Curia in Rome. CLC-USA is located in St. Louis, soon to move to Washington, D.C. The Western Region shares its boundaries with the California Province. Directing each region is an "Ecclesial Assistant," whose responsibility is to participate with the CLC leadership, both as a member of the Regional and National Coordinating Councils and as the link with the Society of Jesus and the Church.
CLC–Western Region: In 2001, former Provincial Thomas Smolich, S.J., appointed Fr. John LeVecke, S.J., Western Region Ecclesial Assistant for CLC. In 2004, John also assumed duties as the National Ecclesial Assistant for the Jesuit Conference Office. When I became Provincial, I incorporated this position into the Province Staff. John is assisted by Ms. Jennifer Horan who works as full-time Director of Formation for the Western Region.
CLC-Western Region currently has four major cluster communities representing English, Vietnamese, Korean, and Spanish language and cultural groups. There are multiple groups, with members of varying ages and backgrounds, within each of these clusters. Đồng Hành Vietnamese CLC, from which we have received a number of Jesuit vocations, is well established in our Province, and is increasing its efforts with youth, young adult and young family CLC groups. Fr. Tri Dinh, S.J., serves as National Vice-Ecclesial Assistant for Đồng Hành Vietnamese CLC, and is based in the Bay Area. Fresno, Tucson and Hawaii are presently seeking opportunities for English and Spanish groups, and Korean CLC hopes to expand into Utah.
This year, CLC-Western Region will introduce a new program, the Spiritual Exercises in Everyday Life (SEEL). This is a collaborative effort with the Oregon Province's SEEL Program and CLC-Northwest Region, based on their process of communal and personal experience of the full Exercises in the form of the 19 th Annotation.
University Alumni: In its initial year in the CLC-Western Region, SEEL will be offered to Loyola Marymount University alumni groups. The program at LMU targets local alumni, including many who were involved with CLC during their undergraduate or graduate studies and want to continue their personal spiritual development within the context of a community. By offering a solid program of formation in Ignatian spirituality, this program aims to encourage and prepare participants to continue their commitment to CLC. The LMU Jesuit Community provides office space for the program which supports a growing number of recently-graduated CLC members transitioning into adult CLC. There are now five of these "alumni groups" in Southern California and one in the Bay Area.
Parishes: The SEEL Program will also be offered at St. Bede's Parish in La Canada-Flintridge in Southern California. The program reaches out to an adult population that has been involved with social justice, offering a structure and opportunity for greater theological reflection, social analysis, and discernment. Next year, CLC-Western Region plans to offer the program to other parishes, especially those in Northern California and Arizona. I invite all Jesuit and Ignatian spiritual directors for SEEL and the 19 th Annotated Retreat to assist in developing this program.
Universities: Loyola Marymount University is the most significant undergraduate effort of CLC in the nation. Fr. Manh Tran, S.J., is the Coordinator of the LMU program and he, along with CLC@LMU alum Elena Mireles, work full time to guide and oversee the 500 student program on this university campus. The University of San Francisco and Santa Clara University are also working to establish solid programs. CLC is in dialogue with the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley in the hopes of establishing more links between Bay Area Jesuits and new small groups being formed in the Ignatian way of life.
High Schools: The CLC-Western Region office recently relocated to Loyola High School, which has generously offered office space. With a presence on a high school campus and in response to a desire among those in secondary education for more CLC opportunities on campus, CLC-Western Region will target high school youth, with new efforts at St. Ignatius College Preparatory and high schools in the Fresno Diocese. In this coming year, it will also try to link high school CLCs so that programs and resources can be shared among schools.
As increasingly more lay partners are being formed by the Exercises within CLC, I encourage all of you to consider CLC as a significant and effective means of collaborative formation. To keep you apprised of CLC opportunities, you will receive a copy of the Western Region's Annual Report each March in conjunction with World CLC Day on March 25. Additional information on CLC can be found at the Western Region website ( www.clcusawest.org) or at the national site ( www.clc-usa.org). You may also contact John or Jen at:
Gratefully in the Lord,
John P. McGarry, S.J.
Provincial
September 12, 2007
Dear Jesuits and Lay Partners,
At this time of our "Renewed Way of Proceeding for our Mission Today" within the U.S. Assistancy, I want to update you on an important work of the Society and the Province in the process of renewal: Christian Life Community (CLC). CLC is an international lay organization of Christians who form small communities of six to ten people committed to a way of life based on the Spiritual Exercises. Members meet regularly to support and encourage each other in their lives of prayer and service. In this letter I want to recognize the long and vital association the Society has had with CLC; highlight some of the current activities of CLC-Western Region; and encourage all of us to creatively and collaboratively explore new ways in which our Province can partner more effectively with CLC.Background: The CLC movement traces its roots to St. Ignatius of Loyola. In 1563 in Rome, a young Jesuit, John Leunis, founded the first CLC by gathering a group of young lay students at the Roman College to help them unite their lives — jobs, studies, families, relationships, etc. — with Christian values. The movement, originally called the Sodality of Our Lady, is considered to be the most enduring small community effort in the life of the Church. Today CLC spans sixty countries and consists of small groups that are part of larger communities organized regionally and nationally, all forming one World Christian Life Community.
World CLC is based at the Jesuit Curia in Rome. CLC-USA is located in St. Louis, soon to move to Washington, D.C. The Western Region shares its boundaries with the California Province. Directing each region is an "Ecclesial Assistant," whose responsibility is to participate with the CLC leadership, both as a member of the Regional and National Coordinating Councils and as the link with the Society of Jesus and the Church.
CLC–Western Region: In 2001, former Provincial Thomas Smolich, S.J., appointed Fr. John LeVecke, S.J., Western Region Ecclesial Assistant for CLC. In 2004, John also assumed duties as the National Ecclesial Assistant for the Jesuit Conference Office. When I became Provincial, I incorporated this position into the Province Staff. John is assisted by Ms. Jennifer Horan who works as full-time Director of Formation for the Western Region.
CLC-Western Region currently has four major cluster communities representing English, Vietnamese, Korean, and Spanish language and cultural groups. There are multiple groups, with members of varying ages and backgrounds, within each of these clusters. Đồng Hành Vietnamese CLC, from which we have received a number of Jesuit vocations, is well established in our Province, and is increasing its efforts with youth, young adult and young family CLC groups. Fr. Tri Dinh, S.J., serves as National Vice-Ecclesial Assistant for Đồng Hành Vietnamese CLC, and is based in the Bay Area. Fresno, Tucson and Hawaii are presently seeking opportunities for English and Spanish groups, and Korean CLC hopes to expand into Utah.
This year, CLC-Western Region will introduce a new program, the Spiritual Exercises in Everyday Life (SEEL). This is a collaborative effort with the Oregon Province's SEEL Program and CLC-Northwest Region, based on their process of communal and personal experience of the full Exercises in the form of the 19 th Annotation.
University Alumni: In its initial year in the CLC-Western Region, SEEL will be offered to Loyola Marymount University alumni groups. The program at LMU targets local alumni, including many who were involved with CLC during their undergraduate or graduate studies and want to continue their personal spiritual development within the context of a community. By offering a solid program of formation in Ignatian spirituality, this program aims to encourage and prepare participants to continue their commitment to CLC. The LMU Jesuit Community provides office space for the program which supports a growing number of recently-graduated CLC members transitioning into adult CLC. There are now five of these "alumni groups" in Southern California and one in the Bay Area.
Parishes: The SEEL Program will also be offered at St. Bede's Parish in La Canada-Flintridge in Southern California. The program reaches out to an adult population that has been involved with social justice, offering a structure and opportunity for greater theological reflection, social analysis, and discernment. Next year, CLC-Western Region plans to offer the program to other parishes, especially those in Northern California and Arizona. I invite all Jesuit and Ignatian spiritual directors for SEEL and the 19 th Annotated Retreat to assist in developing this program.
Universities: Loyola Marymount University is the most significant undergraduate effort of CLC in the nation. Fr. Manh Tran, S.J., is the Coordinator of the LMU program and he, along with CLC@LMU alum Elena Mireles, work full time to guide and oversee the 500 student program on this university campus. The University of San Francisco and Santa Clara University are also working to establish solid programs. CLC is in dialogue with the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley in the hopes of establishing more links between Bay Area Jesuits and new small groups being formed in the Ignatian way of life.
High Schools: The CLC-Western Region office recently relocated to Loyola High School, which has generously offered office space. With a presence on a high school campus and in response to a desire among those in secondary education for more CLC opportunities on campus, CLC-Western Region will target high school youth, with new efforts at St. Ignatius College Preparatory and high schools in the Fresno Diocese. In this coming year, it will also try to link high school CLCs so that programs and resources can be shared among schools.
As increasingly more lay partners are being formed by the Exercises within CLC, I encourage all of you to consider CLC as a significant and effective means of collaborative formation. To keep you apprised of CLC opportunities, you will receive a copy of the Western Region's Annual Report each March in conjunction with World CLC Day on March 25. Additional information on CLC can be found at the Western Region website ( www.clcusawest.org) or at the national site ( www.clc-usa.org). You may also contact John or Jen at:
CLC-Western Region Office
Loyola High School
1901 Venice Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90006
Phone: (213) 616-1584,
E-mail: info@clcusawest.org
Loyola High School
1901 Venice Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90006
Phone: (213) 616-1584,
E-mail: info@clcusawest.org
Gratefully in the Lord,
John P. McGarry, S.J.
Provincial
posted by magis at
8:03 AM
