CLC Initiation

Part 1: Dinner

Opening Prayer

A Reading from the Acts of the Apostles

All the Lord's followers often met together, and they shared everything they had. They would sell their property and possessions and give the money to whoever needed it. Day after day they met together in the temple. They broke bread together in different homes and shared their food happily and freely, while praising God. Everyone liked them, and each day the Lord added to their group others who were being saved. (Acts 2:44-47)

Prayer

Loving God, we thank you for gathering us here tonight to welcome new members into our CLC community. Help us to experience the power of a faith community and imagine how we are called to live out your dream for us in a community at a local and global level. As the early Christians often met together and shared everything they had, may we continue living out this tradition. Amen.

Video: CLC way of life

Note: During dinner, show the CLC video

Suggested questions to share:

1. What did you see in the video that really touched you?
2. Were there any images in particular that struck you? How did they affect you?
3. How do you see yourself fitting into this picture?
4. How do you imagine our community growing in this way of life?

Part 2: Skits

See Scavenger Hunt Instructions for alternate years

Materials Needed: Life of St. Ignatius & CLC pillars: Community, Spirituality, Mission

Instructions

1) Divide all new members into 8 groups

• 5 groups: Focus on the Life of St. Ignatius. There are 10 paragraphs. Each group will take 2 paragraphs and act it out.
• 3 groups: Focus on CLC pillars. There are 3 pillars or values. Each group will take one pillar and act it out: Community, Spirituality, Mission.

2) Prizes: 3 criteria

• teamwork / Unity
• Creativity
• Unique qualities of St. Ignatius or characteristics of CLC values

3) Rehearsal: You have 10 minutes to rehearse

4) Performance: After all the performances, summarize the following points…

• What are some of the unique qualities of St. Ignatius?
  1. His experiences of God: discernment of the spirits
  2. His outlook on God: God is still active in creating and saving the world
  3. His passion for mission: partnership with Jesus in building God’s kingdom
• What’s unique and radical about CLC?
  • Description: CLC is a community of friends that helps one another discover and live out our personal vocations through community, prayer, and service.
    • Seven distinctive characteristics of CLC
      1. Small groups
      2. Large group events: social, spiritual, service
      3. Leadership opportunities
      4. Ignatian Spirituality
      5. Vocation discernment
      6. Cura Personalis: care for the whole person
      7. International
    • Three commitments
      1. attend weekly meetings
      2. Pray with Ignatian Examen daily
      3. Get involved in community services regularly

Part 3: Rite of CLC Initiation

Opening Song: Open the Eyes of My Heart (or any song)

A Reading from the General Principles of CLC

Reader 1:

Our Community is made up of Christians: men and women, adults and youth, of all social conditions who want to follow Jesus Christ more closely and work with him for the building of the Kingdom, who have recognized Christian Life Community as their particular vocation within the Church.

Reader 2:

We aim to become committed Christians in bearing witness to those human and Gospel values within the Church and society which affect the dignity of the person, the welfare of the family and the integrity of creation.

Reader 3:

We are particularly aware of the pressing need to work for justice through a preferential option for the poor and a simple lifestyle which expresses our freedom and solidarity … by opening hearts to conversion and struggling to change oppressive structures.

Reader 4:

To prepare our members more effectively for apostolic witness and service, especially in our daily environment, we assemble people in community who feel a more urgent need to unite their human life in all its dimensions with the fullness of their Christian faith according to our charism, rooted in the Spiritual Exercises.

Reader 5:

We seek to achieve this unity of life in response to the call of Christ from within the world in which we live. The Lord invites us to intimacy with Him, and to collaborate with Him in His mission of announcing the Good News and promoting God's Reign.

Reader 6:

Thus, our life is essentially a calling that is personal, communal, and apostolic.

CLC Pledge

Almighty God, we, the CLC community, pledge to commit ourselves to helping one another discover and live out our personal vocations. We promise to live this mission by

• attending weekly meetings,
• praying with the Ignatian Awareness Examen regularly, and
• getting involved in community service and social justice.

We make this pledge in your holy name. Amen.

Closing Prayer: Invite members to voice any prayers or petitions out loud.

Closing song