WelCom December 2018:
“Contemplatives in action”
Gary Finlay
Delegates at the 2018 World Assembly of CVX-CLC in Buenos Aires. Photo: Supplied
Have you heard about the Christian Life Community? Known in many parts of the world as CVX from its name in French and Spanish, CLC is a lay, Ignatian, apostolic movement with its headquarters in Rome.
CLC members pursue a way of life based on the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius of Loyola (1491‒1556) – the founder of the Society of Jesus, or Jesuits. Ignatian spirituality aims to help people ‘find God in all things’ through reflection, meditation and discernment. In Aotearoa-New Zealand, CLC groups meet fortnightly in four of our dioceses for this purpose.
In July this year, I attended the five-yearly World Assembly of CVX-CLC, held over 10 days in Buenos Aires. The assemblies elect leaders and give the movement an opportunity to discern anew its identity, vocation and mission today. Some 204 delegates and observers from 71 countries attended, reflecting and reporting back to plenary sessions.
The Assembly was hosted by ARUPA, a team of members from Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay. It was held in Centro Loyola, a former Jesuit seminary where Pope Francis lived and worked as Fr Bergoglio for many years. He founded the local parish in the Barrio de San Miguel, one of the poorer suburbs of the city. We were warmly welcomed on a day visit to the parish. Fr Raphael sj introduced us to teams of pastoral workers who took us to visit some of the families they work amongst.
In his letter to the Assembly Pope Francis wrote, ‘At the centre of your Ignatian spirituality is a desire to be contemplatives in action,’ which is what we witnessed in San Miguel.
For more information about CLC please contact Gary at ragnif@gmail.com phone 0212520798 or Sarah at sarahdench@yahoo.com phone 02108144424.