A Way of Life
Christian Life Community groups offer a path for
sharing Christian fellowship and serving God
by Gail Tyson
When José Quintana (left) was growing up in a gang-infested neighborhood in East Los Angeles, he said he was “used to barely living. The violence was a constant challenge to my values.” Then the Jesuits at Dolores Mission Church helped him to attend Loyola High School (LHS)—only six miles away but a world apart. There he found a spiritual home in a Christian Life Community (CLC). Today the 18-year-old belongs to another CLC at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles—the largest collegiate CLC program in the country. The experience “is shaping me into the person I want to be,” he says.
In the First Principle and Foundation of the Spiritual Exercises, St. Ignatius wrote that everything we need is given to us so that we can know and love God more readily. Through CLC anyone—even the poor in spirit or materially poor—can discover the capacity of a giving heart. Remembering his early years in CLC, José says, “At Christmas we’d adopt a family, and I would try to get them a present. I come from a marginalized neighborhood, but I still had the power to help others.”
Although each CLC member’s story is unique, José exemplifies the journeys spiritual pilgrims like him have been traveling for almost 450 years. In 1563, John Leunis, S.J., founded the first such community in Rome to help students live out Christian values. The communities grew into sodalities, which promoted spirituality in everyday life. In 1967, CLCs were born, distinguished by their small size and their members’ commitment to meet regularly for faith-sharing and service.
Today, with the support of Jesuits, this lay organization involves people of all ages in almost 60 different countries. Father John LeVecke, S.J., national ecclesial assistant to CLC-USA, also serves as regional ecclesial assistant for the California Province of the Society of Jesus, which funds both his position and scholarships for the Cura Personalis National Leadership Formation for Young Adult CLCs. “CLC is a wonderful means to meet our apostolic goals,” says Fr. LeVecke.
EXERCISING THE SPIRIT AT LMU
Currently almost 450 LMU students are participating in CLC. Many both belong to and lead small groups. Katherine Dzida, 21, says, “It is my defining involvement. College students tend to do, do, do, go, go, go. You don’t do CLC. It is something you learn to be.”
From the beginning, small CLC communities have embraced the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. “CLC is one of the best ways we can pass on Ignatian spirituality,” says Father Manh Tran, S.J., coordinator of LMU’s program. “It’s a way of life that helps you discover your personal vocation and live out God’s dream for you in a tangible way.”
When he arrived at LMU in 2004, Fr. Manh was hesitant about where he would fit in. Clearly, he now feels at home. Greeting an overflowing crowd at Java-Jive-n-Jesus, CLC’s bimonthly “open house,” or kidding around with students at the office, he radiates a peaceful sense of purpose. “The students have made the face of God more real to me,” says Fr. Manh. “They take risks to discover the inner movements and witness how God works in their lives. Students have also taught me about community discernment; in our Jesuit community, we do it more individually. CLC has made ‘a group of friends in the Lord’ very real to me.”
CLC member and LMU graduate Elena Mireles serves as Fr. Manh’s assistant. “It really is a partnership. The foundation of our Catholic faith, embracing the dignity of every person, is borne out by Fr. Manh and Fr. Tri Dinh (see sidebar on page 17). They’re not afraid to show that they’re very much on a journey with me and the students, which is honest and real.”
FAITH-SHARING INSPIRES SERVICE
On any given night, groups of six to ten LMU students gather to reflect on God’s presence in their lives. On a recent Tuesday, seniors and juniors sat around a flickering candle in a small oratory. The reflections are heartfelt—sometimes uplifting, sometimes pained. One describes the impact of his work at the Guadalupe Homeless Project: “I saw God in the people but also myself in the people. It was a new idea of relationship that got shattered and rebuilt.” Another talks about having to give up her fears and insecurities to grow spiritually.
Two young men who went to El Salvador feel called to return there—a call that strengthened during a silent retreat. “I imagined myself with Jesus, poor and humble,” recalls Colin Gilbert, 21 (pictured on page 15). “He puts his arm around me, and he’s wearing a hoodie just like mine. Walking with me, he’s ‘got my back’ more than anyone else.”
Such intimate sharing fosters fellowship, which becomes the bridge between private prayer and public service. Colin, who volunteers at Dolores Mission twice a week, says, “CLC has informed the way of life I’ve adopted. The most fruitful times for me combine action and reflection.”
FACING CHALLENGES AT LHS
José Quintana finds that his CLC experience has evolved as he has matured. At Loyola High School, “It was more about finding a way to deal with things,” he says. Now at LMU, he asks himself: “‘How do you set your goals? What are your values?’ I’m figuring out how to live my faith, and CLC does a good job of putting faith into action.”
LHS currently has 12 CLC groups of 10 students each. Typically faculty/staff moderators stay with the same group for four years, seeing “little boys become men,” says Edwina Lynch, an English teacher who invited José to join her Upper Room group. CLC alumni come back to visit; one has entered the Society of Jesus.
“The students’ curiosity is amazing,” says Cedric Ebiner, a French and Latin instructor who coordinates the program. “How much can we nourish them in lives overwhelmed with stuff and days that are so cluttered? During a good CLC meeting, the students are able to breathe and take time to think about what is important.”
The youths may adopt a family for the holidays, or sponsor an Easter egg hunt at an elementary school, yet faith-sharing remains central. “The goal,” says calculus teacher Rob Eleuteri, “is to grow in self-awareness, commitment, and accountability.” Chris Coaloa, 18, agrees: “The exercises we do set me on the right track. Without a CLC, I wouldn’t even see the spiritual path I’m on.”
Besides giving direction to their faith journey, the ministry fosters strong bonds. But Ebiner acknowledges that high school is just one segment of the long-term community CLC is meant to foster. “We give them the flavor of CLC and pass on the ideals,” he says.
Making the transition from college student to working adult presents challenges for CLC members. “A gap exists betweenundergraduate and adult CLC,” says Christine Felkel, office manager and alumni coordinator for the CLC Western Region. “People find it hard to come back in the evenings,” explains Father John P. Daly, S.J., who has tried to introduce the concept to adults at LMU. Fr. Daly guides a CLC group of eight lay staff members, who meet during their lunch breaks and for days of recollection in people’s homes. “It’s a beautiful experience to learn about spirituality from lay people,” says Fr. Daly.
Other adult CLC groups are active at Catholic parishes throughout the CLC Western Region, including Holy Family in San Jose and St. Ignatius Loyola in Sacramento, California, and St. Francis Xavier in Phoenix, Arizona. Still other CLCs are forming, says Fr. LaVecke, including one in Tucson, Arizona. There are also CLC groups for members whose primary language is Korean, Spanish, or Vietnamese, he adds.
Original article at: MISSION, Jesuits of the California Province
sharing Christian fellowship and serving God
by Gail Tyson
When José Quintana (left) was growing up in a gang-infested neighborhood in East Los Angeles, he said he was “used to barely living. The violence was a constant challenge to my values.” Then the Jesuits at Dolores Mission Church helped him to attend Loyola High School (LHS)—only six miles away but a world apart. There he found a spiritual home in a Christian Life Community (CLC). Today the 18-year-old belongs to another CLC at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles—the largest collegiate CLC program in the country. The experience “is shaping me into the person I want to be,” he says.
In the First Principle and Foundation of the Spiritual Exercises, St. Ignatius wrote that everything we need is given to us so that we can know and love God more readily. Through CLC anyone—even the poor in spirit or materially poor—can discover the capacity of a giving heart. Remembering his early years in CLC, José says, “At Christmas we’d adopt a family, and I would try to get them a present. I come from a marginalized neighborhood, but I still had the power to help others.”
Although each CLC member’s story is unique, José exemplifies the journeys spiritual pilgrims like him have been traveling for almost 450 years. In 1563, John Leunis, S.J., founded the first such community in Rome to help students live out Christian values. The communities grew into sodalities, which promoted spirituality in everyday life. In 1967, CLCs were born, distinguished by their small size and their members’ commitment to meet regularly for faith-sharing and service.
Today, with the support of Jesuits, this lay organization involves people of all ages in almost 60 different countries. Father John LeVecke, S.J., national ecclesial assistant to CLC-USA, also serves as regional ecclesial assistant for the California Province of the Society of Jesus, which funds both his position and scholarships for the Cura Personalis National Leadership Formation for Young Adult CLCs. “CLC is a wonderful means to meet our apostolic goals,” says Fr. LeVecke.
EXERCISING THE SPIRIT AT LMU
Currently almost 450 LMU students are participating in CLC. Many both belong to and lead small groups. Katherine Dzida, 21, says, “It is my defining involvement. College students tend to do, do, do, go, go, go. You don’t do CLC. It is something you learn to be.”
From the beginning, small CLC communities have embraced the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. “CLC is one of the best ways we can pass on Ignatian spirituality,” says Father Manh Tran, S.J., coordinator of LMU’s program. “It’s a way of life that helps you discover your personal vocation and live out God’s dream for you in a tangible way.”
When he arrived at LMU in 2004, Fr. Manh was hesitant about where he would fit in. Clearly, he now feels at home. Greeting an overflowing crowd at Java-Jive-n-Jesus, CLC’s bimonthly “open house,” or kidding around with students at the office, he radiates a peaceful sense of purpose. “The students have made the face of God more real to me,” says Fr. Manh. “They take risks to discover the inner movements and witness how God works in their lives. Students have also taught me about community discernment; in our Jesuit community, we do it more individually. CLC has made ‘a group of friends in the Lord’ very real to me.”
CLC member and LMU graduate Elena Mireles serves as Fr. Manh’s assistant. “It really is a partnership. The foundation of our Catholic faith, embracing the dignity of every person, is borne out by Fr. Manh and Fr. Tri Dinh (see sidebar on page 17). They’re not afraid to show that they’re very much on a journey with me and the students, which is honest and real.”
FAITH-SHARING INSPIRES SERVICE
On any given night, groups of six to ten LMU students gather to reflect on God’s presence in their lives. On a recent Tuesday, seniors and juniors sat around a flickering candle in a small oratory. The reflections are heartfelt—sometimes uplifting, sometimes pained. One describes the impact of his work at the Guadalupe Homeless Project: “I saw God in the people but also myself in the people. It was a new idea of relationship that got shattered and rebuilt.” Another talks about having to give up her fears and insecurities to grow spiritually.
Two young men who went to El Salvador feel called to return there—a call that strengthened during a silent retreat. “I imagined myself with Jesus, poor and humble,” recalls Colin Gilbert, 21 (pictured on page 15). “He puts his arm around me, and he’s wearing a hoodie just like mine. Walking with me, he’s ‘got my back’ more than anyone else.”
Such intimate sharing fosters fellowship, which becomes the bridge between private prayer and public service. Colin, who volunteers at Dolores Mission twice a week, says, “CLC has informed the way of life I’ve adopted. The most fruitful times for me combine action and reflection.”
FACING CHALLENGES AT LHS
José Quintana finds that his CLC experience has evolved as he has matured. At Loyola High School, “It was more about finding a way to deal with things,” he says. Now at LMU, he asks himself: “‘How do you set your goals? What are your values?’ I’m figuring out how to live my faith, and CLC does a good job of putting faith into action.”
LHS currently has 12 CLC groups of 10 students each. Typically faculty/staff moderators stay with the same group for four years, seeing “little boys become men,” says Edwina Lynch, an English teacher who invited José to join her Upper Room group. CLC alumni come back to visit; one has entered the Society of Jesus.
“The students’ curiosity is amazing,” says Cedric Ebiner, a French and Latin instructor who coordinates the program. “How much can we nourish them in lives overwhelmed with stuff and days that are so cluttered? During a good CLC meeting, the students are able to breathe and take time to think about what is important.”
The youths may adopt a family for the holidays, or sponsor an Easter egg hunt at an elementary school, yet faith-sharing remains central. “The goal,” says calculus teacher Rob Eleuteri, “is to grow in self-awareness, commitment, and accountability.” Chris Coaloa, 18, agrees: “The exercises we do set me on the right track. Without a CLC, I wouldn’t even see the spiritual path I’m on.”
Besides giving direction to their faith journey, the ministry fosters strong bonds. But Ebiner acknowledges that high school is just one segment of the long-term community CLC is meant to foster. “We give them the flavor of CLC and pass on the ideals,” he says.
Making the transition from college student to working adult presents challenges for CLC members. “A gap exists betweenundergraduate and adult CLC,” says Christine Felkel, office manager and alumni coordinator for the CLC Western Region. “People find it hard to come back in the evenings,” explains Father John P. Daly, S.J., who has tried to introduce the concept to adults at LMU. Fr. Daly guides a CLC group of eight lay staff members, who meet during their lunch breaks and for days of recollection in people’s homes. “It’s a beautiful experience to learn about spirituality from lay people,” says Fr. Daly.
Other adult CLC groups are active at Catholic parishes throughout the CLC Western Region, including Holy Family in San Jose and St. Ignatius Loyola in Sacramento, California, and St. Francis Xavier in Phoenix, Arizona. Still other CLCs are forming, says Fr. LaVecke, including one in Tucson, Arizona. There are also CLC groups for members whose primary language is Korean, Spanish, or Vietnamese, he adds.
DÔNG HÀNH: CLC FOR VIETNAMESE AMERICANS
Among the 26 communities in the CLC Western Region, some of the fastest-growing ones are known as Dông Hành, the CLC for U.S.-based Vietnamese. Begun by Julian Elizalde, S.J., in 1972 as Companions of Christ, Dông Hành shared the Ignatian way of life for 20 years before formally affiliating with the National CLC in 2004.
Some 500 members are active in Dông Hành’s official affiliates, with perhaps 300 more in unofficial affiliates. The phenomenon prompted the missioning of Father Tri Dinh, S.J., as vice-ecclesial assistant for these groups nationwide.
“Participation in Vietnamese CLCs is unique in its age span,” says Fr. Tri. “In Arizona, kids from 6 to 14 get together, while their parents’ CLC meets. In two groups in Orange County, California, the average age is 65.” Years ago, CLC helped Fr. Tri discern his vocation, and he sees the power it has for others. “The heart of Ignatian spirituality is this sense of God communicating to each of us uniquely and personally. CLC can help each person discern their personal vocation and live out what’s best for them and the community.”
Original article at: MISSION, Jesuits of the California Province
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