International Formation
Encounter on "CLC Formation"
(Bouake - Ivory Coast - August 1996)
The CLCs of French-speaking Africa met in Bouaké (Ivory Coast), from the 22nd to the 30th August 1996, for an International Encounter on CLC Formation.
The resolutions made at Bouaké have become a "four year plan" for the communities of French-speaking Africa. A progress report will be presented during the World Assembly in Brazil ’98, at the Pan-African meeting, and a final evaluation will probably be made in the year 2000.
Diagnosis of the communities
CLC-Burkina Faso
The Burkina CLC is still in its beginnings, with just one group of students at the pre-community stage. The critical points are: the instability of the group whose members, being students, can easily disperse after graduation; and the lack of sufficient knowledge of the CLC charism and vocation. Thus there is a risk of a slow growth of the group and even of its fading away.
CLC-Ivory Coast
The Ivory Coast CLC has been solidly established for more than seven years, and has seven groups. The critical points identified by the delegation are:
• The mobility of the guides (all religious); the lack of lay guides; and the short term residence of some of the members (students, foreigners). Thus, the risk of a slow growth of both individuals and groups; lack of continuity in guidance.
• Lack of a clearly defined formation programme, with definite objectives (spread over a number of years, if possible) and adapted to the different levels of growth. The risk involved here is individual and group paralysis. Regression of the community.
• Lack of spiritual guidance for vocational discernment at the end of the welcoming period. Therefore there is a risk of losing the CLC spirit and of overlooking the importance of vocation.
CLC-Cameroon
The Cameroon CLC has ten well established groups (6 in Yaoundé, 3 in Douala and 1 in Bafoussam). Other groups are being formed. The critical points identified by the delegation are:
Lack of love centred on Christ. Bonds established by ethnic affinities or by common interests prevail. Old members hold on to their roles in the community. The resistance to move from one community to another, when the need arises. Thus the risk of tribalism. There is no provision for the admission of new members, with the risk of losing sight of the CLC charism, and possible paralysis of the group.
CLC-Lubumbashi
The Lubumbashi CLC is one of the oldest in French-speaking Africa, affiliated to the World CLC since 1990. Its critical points, according to the delegation, are:
• The lack of a welcoming group and of an introduction to the CLC life-style. Groups are formed based on friendship or by family affinities. Thus, the risk of a lack of seriousness and consistent commitment in the lives of the members.
• The socio-economical and political crisis rends participation in the life of the CLC community difficulty (regularity and punctuality to the group meeting, or to special group celebrations and gatherings).
• The lack of co-ordination and follow-up of community activities by the regional Ex-Co. Thus the danger of routine, of loosing the sense of the magis; apathy, indifference and even the disappearance of the apostolic dimension.
CLC-Kinshasa
The Kinshasa CLC is more recent. It developed thanks to the presence of some members coming from Lubumbashi, and the support of the Peter Canisius scholasticate of the Society of Jesus. The critical points indicated by the delegation were:
• The way group guidance is presently offered by the scholastics creates quite a few problems because of their young age, their lack of experience, their great mobility, the fact that they have to give priority to their studies and sometimes because of their lack of affective maturity. All this puts the communities’ formation at risk.
• Given its present structure, the ExCo is unable to understand the serious problems faced by the local communities. The ExCo risks being completely cut off from what is going on in the region.
CLC-Madagascar
The Madagascar CLC was part of the Sodalities of Our Lady and is a CLC member since 1967. It has 13,000 adults and 4,000 youth. According to the delegation, CLC is today a mass movement, in which CLC life-style is not sufficiently visible, and the critical points are: little CLC formation, due to lack of people able to give it; the lack of retreats; the lack of finances for formation; and the fact that the Ecclesiastical Assistant, who is alone and has to take care of the whole island, does not have time for the CLC. The persons in charge of forming youth do not seem to be interested in the Spiritual Exercises and, consequently, they do not do them. The risk exists that the CLC will remain a mass movement, doing a lot of good to the country, but very different from what a CLC should be.
Lines of Action
Certain points, such as the lack of spiritual and lay guides, the lack of a understanding of the CLC charism, of welcoming structures, and of carefully structured formation programmes, have been indicated by many national communities. Taking iinto account the critical points brought up by each country in their diagnosis, a number of lines of action were chosen. Here is the summary:
Welcoming - The First years
First contact with CLC: it is important that all members take to heart making the CLC Community known in the social, work and Church milieu they live in, and be able to explain the CLC charism and mission. Furthermore, the local community could organize sessions to initiate people to the CLC. It is advisable to interview whose who wish to join the group and to fill in an information form.
Welcoming group or Pre-community: Each local community should try to organize it: with a group guide-coordinator; inspired by the Principle and Foundation; in an atmosphere of mutual trust; seeing to it that the relations between the members are more and more founded in Christ; organizing community activities, retreats and apostolic programmes; thus the group will gradually become a community of faith, an apostolic community.
Knowledge of the CLC
Present clearly the fundamental elements of CLC, its objectives and the means to reach them.
The objectives: a movement of Christian faithful who, thanks to the Spiritual Exercises, grow in friendship with Christ and make options that gradually lead to the choice of vocation; they form an apostolic community, which helps them live according to their personal and common mission. The specific CLC means: a well structured 'programme' adapted to the different stages; an ever deeper experience of the 'Exercises'; the 'meetings' in which revision of life is more and more used; personal 'spiritual guidance'.
Note: "The meeting". Given its importance in the individual and group formation, it was chosen as the theme for one workshop, which elaborated specific lines of action about it.