CLC HISTORY
A Journey
Of Grace
Upon Grace
At the origins of the
CLC is a grace named
IGNATIUS OF
LOYOLA.
His secret had always
been the infinite love
of God: a fire, gently
burning, discreet and
prudent, but
irresistibly
conquering…
Thus, he became the heart of a small
community…he tried to form really free
men. Free, not only to love and to serve,
but free to love and to serve always. Free,
because totally poor and pure…
Thus, he became the founder of the
Society
of Jesus
Thus, he became the man who inspired
the lay-groups
around his first companions.
These groups cooperated with the
fathers in the apostolate. They had
different names but the same spirit.
1540 - Peter Faber led a famous group in Parma,
also called the Society of Jesus. This group
produced the first Jesuit martyr.
Sometime before 1545 – Francis Xavier wrote
about how a chosen group of young men, on fire
with love and zeal, helped him in his difficult
mission.
1545 – Paschase Broet wrote about a flourishing
group in Faenza.
1547 – Ignatius himself started the Society of the
Twelve Apostles in Rome .
1548 – Nadal began a group in Calabria.
These groups were the
pre-cursors of the Marian
Congregation or the
Congregatio Mariana.
The MC is the direct
ancestor of the Christian
Life Community.
May 3, 1556
A young man of 24, dressed
as a worker, presented
himself in the Jesuit house
near the little church of
Madonna della Strada in
Rome. He wanted to enter
the Society of Jesus.
He came from Liege,
Belgium.
He walked all the way.
JEAN LEUNIS
Founder of the MC
In the Roman College Jean Leunis
gathered a group of students and
prepared them
to do apostolic work
in the city of Rome.
This group became
the Marian Congregation
of the Roman College.
Perugia
Paris
Avignon
Lyons
Turin
Nov. 19, 1584 – death of Jean Leunis
Dec. 5, 1584 – canonical
establishment of the
Congretation of the Roman
College with the pontifical bull
Omnipotentis Dei issued by
Pope Gregory XIII.
PRIMARIA
(primary group)
With right to affiliate other
groups of the same nature
THE AIM
All aspects of
human existence
together in one
Christian way of
life
This was clear
stated in the
oldest known
rules of 1574.
COMMUNITY LIFE
Ubi duo vel tres congregati sunt…
CONGREGATIO
Mariana
Every day, these brothers
went together for Mass
had their meditation together
sang together a part of the Office of Our Lady
examined their conscience together
prepared the meditation for the next day
At the weekly meetings the officers had to see to it that
all members participated in sharing their opinions.
“All are members of one family
and brothers in Christ.”
“Since it is a custom that such
Congregations recommend
themselves to a patron in heaven
for protection and guidance, from
whom they take the name, and
since we have a particular
devotion to the most Holy Virgin of
the Annunciation, Mother of God,
we, in all humility dedicate
ourselves to her, praying that she
may help us in all our actions…”
The Common Rules of 1587, prepared
by Superior General Fr. Claudio
Aquaviva,SJ.
The formation of laymen,
conscious of their
personal vocation in the
Church of their time.
1540 – 1773
233 years - 2500
About 2500 groups
were affiliated
1773 – 1948
About 80,000 groups
175 years – 77, 500
July 21, 1773 – Clement XIV signed a document
suppressing the Society of Jesus, all its works,
ministries and activities.
More than 20,000 Jesuits were sent home.
The General was imprisoned.
Society of Jesus and CM disappeared.
November 14, 1773 – The MC everywhere could
continue without the Jesuits and all Bishops the
world over could establish the CM.
MC
MC
MC
MC
MC
MC
MC
MC
MC
MC
MC
MC
MC
MC
MC
MC
MC
MC MC
MC
MC
MC
MC
MC
MC
MC MC
MC
MC
MC
MC
MC
MC MC
MC
Are we allowed to accept the decline of
the authentic spirit without doing
something about its restoration?
Was the MC not a child of the Society of
Jesus?
Is it not part of our vocation, especially
since the MC became a work of the
universal Church, to inspire the movement
with the specific charism of the “man of
the Church” Ignatius of Loyola?
1922: Fr. Ledochowski convened a meeting of Jesuits
working in the MC. (Forty Fathers from nineteen
countries)
 to start in Rome a central secretariat, one
function of which was to revive the most
neglected work of the Society – the MC!
1948: Pius XII promulgated the Apostolic
Constitution “Bis Saeculari” on the Sodalities of Our
Lady
The Sodalities of Our Lady duly
affiliated to the Prima Primaria…are
religious associations established and
constituted by the Church.
Formation of Members
Sodalities of Our Lady must, therefore, give their
members… that will make them capable of being…
examples of Christian living and apostolic zeal.
Apostolic End, Cooperation
“Among their primary ends, Sodalities
include every form of the apostolate,
particularly the social apostolate, since the
apostolic work of spreading the Kingdom
of Christ and defending the rights of the
Church has been mandated to Sodalities
by the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy itself.”
1950: Fr. Janssens convened an international Jesuit
meeting:
- held April 15-22 at the Jesuit Curia in Rome
- attended by 71 fathers from 40 countries.
 Focus was more on the external forms of the MC
Questions after the 1950 meeting:
What was to be done concretely?
 What about the laity?
Fr. Janssens appointed Fr. Louis Paulussen, SJ
head of the central secretariat in Rome.
Fr. Paulussen’s orders from the General:
Please travel as
much as possible;
the time to sit at
home is over!
Preparing a World Federation
To bring people – lay and priests – in a world
federation, world union, world community…
“Essential is that we bring
people together. Essential is
that they can work, deliberate
and pray together, that they can
cooperate with others and serve
the Church on world level.”
1951 in October in Rome:
FIRST WORLD CONGRESS for the lay apostolate
MC Meeting within the Congress:
a group of 25 19 lay people, 2 diocesan priests, 4 Jesuits
The URGENCY of
COOPERATION on
PERMANENT
INTERNATIONAL BASIS
1952 in Barcelona: MC meeting on the
occasion of the Eucharistic Congress
To form a world federation
To ask the Rome secretariat to
prepare some Statutes as soon as
possible
1952: DRAFT of the Statutes: written and sent to all
national federations
Responses of the Federations:
Many expressions of agreement
Very few amendments
1953 January: Statutes were presented to Pope Pius XII
Responses of the Pope:
Immediate response: extreme pleasure and a
promise to send a letter of approval
Subsequent response: the Letter of Approval
dated July 2, 1953
With this letter,the
World Federation was
officially founded.
April 13, 1954 - Pius XII named Arch. Joseph Gawlina
Ecclesiastical Assistant of the World Federation.
Now, what is the next step?
To bring people together? How?
SUGGESTIONS from several countries to the
Rome secretariat:
Organize a “world-wide
congress” on the occasion of the
Marian Year 1954.
Gregorian University
direct continuation of the Roman College
The delegates planned the meeting and
organized the elections of the
Executive Council.
COMMON DESIRE: serious and rapid renewal
Mandate of WF to the Rome Secretariat:
Draft new
Common Rules
1959 till 1964: a time of www
dialogue
National
Federations
Secretariat
The main features of the
GENERAL PRINCIPLES
appeared little by little
Aligning GP with Vatican II
Wait…
140 delegates
from 38
countries
The participating delegates,
moved by the Spirit of the Lord,
and influenced by Vatican II and
the rediscovery of Ignatian sources
approved an extensive program of
aggiornamento for this 400 year
old organization.
New rules – the General Principles
New statutes for the World Federation
New international name: Christian Life
Communities
New juridical structure
New apostolate
Be it resolved:
That the federation of the world
as a voluntary common
apostolate undertake concrete
local action aimed at ending
world poverty and injustice in
the spirit of ‘Populorum
Progressio.’
Fr. Pedro Arrupe, then Superior
General, handed over the
leadership of the new
community to its lay leaders.
-Drop directive role
-Act more as a source of inspiration and
animators without giving up the specific
task of representing the Hierarchy of the
Church
August 11-15, 1970
Manresa-Loyola Retreat House
Haina, Sto. Domingo
General Principles:
achievements and failings
COMMUNAL
DELIBERATION
Role of CLC in the crisis
of the Church and in the
challenge of development
“…the delegates were supposed to study and
discuss the crisis in the Church today; instead they
lived the crisis.” (Progressio, Autumn 1970)
The overturning of the planned program
The withdrawal of four federations from the
world federation
Reports from the national
delegations with suggestions for
future activity of the World
Federation
Areas needing action for the
next three years:
Nature of CLC
Structure of CLC
Communications
Voluntary Common Apostolate
All division carries in itself the promise
of a stronger union… Santo Domingo
thus signifies for us invitation and
provocation. (Fr. Paulussen)
August 5 – 9, 1973
Augsburg, Germany
170 delegates from 40 countries
CLC: A Community at the Service
of the Liberation of All Men
Respectful listening
“The liberation of all men,
being at the core a political problem,
should the CLCs as such,
and not only
their members as individuals,
make it their concern?”
An affirmative response
with different nuances
Four concrete points of direction and
action:
Commitment to the transformation of
political, economic, social, cultural and
religious structures
using…discernment to determine
priorities and methods of action
Openness to the world by presence,
by action and by collaboration with all
men of good will…, solidarity with the
very poor and the oppressed, and
ecumenical work
Recognition of the capital
importance of… a formation rooted
in the Spiritual Exercises and in the
cultures of the different countries.
A community life… in which
sharing and mutual help extend to
all the Communities, to other
nations and to the poor.
180 delegates from 39 countries
from five continents
Formation Courses in Manila
BEFORE the Assembly:
FORMATION COURSE I
FORMATION COURSE II
AFTER the Assembly:
FORMATION COURSE III (August 21-30)
Major Points of Emphasis
Concerning SERVICE:
-- a clear option “in favor of the
poor” in our life and our apostolate
-- discernment to determine priorities
Concerning FORMATION:
-- strong accent on being grounded in
concrete situations and in insertion in the
poorer sectors
--emphasis on the help to be given so that
the Spiritual Exercises is lived and
implemented
Concerning COMMUNICATION:
Fostering of the growth of persons and
communities through:
--exchange of persons between countries
--twinning
--more extensive use of publications:
PROGRESSIO and Projects; exchange of national
periodicals
--international gatherings for sharing information
about specific situations and action methodology
September 8 – 18, 1979
Villa Cavalletti, Rome
42 countries represented
TOWARDS A WORLD COMMUNITY
AT THE SERVICE OF ONE WORLD
Should we now actively strive
to become a world community?
YES - 23
NO - 7
ABSTENTIONS - 6
There was something of a stunned silence
after the voting. The GA was saying YES!
It was a clear yes, but it was a humble yes,
uttered not without reservation and fear.
The momentary silence acknowledged
that.
Then came the applause.
Then came the song. It was the moment of
World Community.
A moment of joy. And reflection.
August 25 – September 7
Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.A.
Delegates from 44 countries
IGNATIAN REPETITION
Providence ’82 is the re-living of
the grace of Rome ’79 as enriched
by the experiences of the
intervening years.
Providence ’82 sought “the
confirmation or not of the decision
taken at Rome.”
DO YOU FEEL CALLED, NOW,
TO BECOME A WORLD
COMMUNITY?
YES – 37
NO – 0
ABSTENTIONS - 2
Decision: To hold the General Assembly
every four years.
Four years TO LIVE the grace of Providence ’82
in the spirit of the assembly scriptural theme:
“…this is what the Lord asks of you:
only this, to act justly, to love tenderly
and to walk humbly with your God.
(Micah 6:8)
August 21 – 30, 1986
Center of Spirituality
Loyola, Spain
134 delegates
from 50 countries
Grace of Loyola ‘86
Confirmation of our identity as rooted in the Spiritual
Exercises of St. Ignatius: sent in Mission in union with
Christ poor and humble and in imitation of Mary
“We have also recognized that we are
not able to be faithful to our mission
without situating it in the context of
our community, feeling that it is the
entire community which is sent,
united in mind and heart.”
147 delegates
and observers
from 51 countries
August 30 – September 7, 1990
Guadalajara, Mexico
CLC AT THE SERVICE OF THE KINGDOM
“I choose you,
and I commission you to go out
and bear fruit, fruit that will last.”
(Jn 15:16)
Grace of Guadalajara ’90
“We have experienced a grace of knowing
ourselves as moved by the desire to serve
with Christ in the work of the Kingdom, and
we have been confirmed in this call…
at the same time, we have come to know
ourselves as still in need of greater unity and
spiritual freedom as a community of
disciples.”
Approval of the revised the General
Principles and the General Norms by
the World Assembly
Canonical Approval by the
Pontifical Council for the Laity
on Dec. 3, 1990, feast of St.
Francis Xavier.
160 delegates and observers from 59 countries
July 20 – 30, 1994
Hong Kong University, Hong Kong
CLC COMMUNITY IN MISSION
“I have come to bring fire to the
earth and how I wish it were
blazing already.”
Grace of Hong Kong ‘94
The call to a deep ongoing conversion with regard
our MISSION
This conversion asked for magis in
-- the integration of social realities into our life and
action
-- the awareness of our being a community called to
be with Christ and sent by HIM
-- the reading of the signs of the times and
translating our spiritual experience as a service for
building justice and peace
Delegates and Observers from 54 Countries
July 22 – 31, 1998
Villa Kostka, Itaici, Brazil
Deepening Our Identity as an Apostolic Body
– Clarifying our Common Mission
“CLC, a letter from Christ,
written by the Spirit, sent to today’s world.”
(Cf: 2Cor. 3:3)
Grace of Itaici ‘98
We discovered three areas of mission:
First, we want to bring the freeing power
of Christ to our social reality.
Secondly, we want to find Christ in all our
varied cultures and to let His grace
illuminate all that needs transformation.
Thirdly, we want to live Christ so as to
bring him to every aspect of our daily life
in the world.
Necessary means
for this mission:
The Spiritual
Exercises as
spiritual source
which nourishes and
empowers us for
mission
An Apostolic Community that
shares responsibility for mission
Discerning
Sending
Supporting
Evaluating
At the origins of the CLC
is a grace God called by
the name IGNATIUS OF
LOYOLA.
His secret is no
longer a secret to us:
it is the infinite love of
God: a fire, gently
burning, discreet and
prudent, but irresistibly
conquering…
The WORDS
woven together in this
presentation were lifted
from the following
sources:
Louis Paulussen, SJ, God Works Like That,
Progressio, June 1979
Emile Villaret, SJ, Abridged History of the
Sodalities of Our Lady, Missouri, 1957
Progressio, Winter 1968
Progressio, Autumn 1969
Progressio, Summer 1970
Progressio, Autumn 1970
Progressio, May 1971
Progressio, September 1973
Progressio, September-November 1976
Progressio, September-November 1979
Roma ’79 (“Acts” of the Assembly), December 1979
Progressio, January-March 1983
Progressio, July 1986
Progressio, September-November 1986
Projects, no. 86, 27th September 1990
Progressio, Nos. 2* 3* 4* 1994
Progressio, Nos. 1* 2* 3* 4* 1998
Notes of Frau Ingeborg von Grafenstein
The Report of the Vice Assistant to the Nairobi
Assembly
The PICTURES
were extracted
from the archives of
CLC Germany and
CLC Philippines
and from the World Wide Web.