Report on the International Encounters from 1994 to 1998
This report includes three kinds of encounters: The International Formation Encounters (IFE), the «Jesuit, religious and CLC» Encounters and the Spiritual Exercises with Communal Discernment.
I. International Formation Encounters (IFE)
Objective of the IFE. The encounters were developed by an international team during the years 1990-1994. The IFE's aim was "to share apostolic experiences among the National Communities, using a methodology which allows evaluation and, if necessary, their reformulation" In these last years, 1994-1998, the aim has become "to elaborate five-year plans in the most vital fields of the National CLC". Three IFEs have been offered 1:
Bouake (Ivory Coast). From August 22 to 31, 1996, on "CLC formation", with 33 participants coming from seven African countries (Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Rwanda, Zaire and Zambia). The participants were involved in CLC formation in their own countries. There were seven persons in the guiding team, three Jesuits and four lay people.
Bonamoussadi (Cameroon). From August 20 to 28, 1997, on "The Family", with 23 participants coming from five countries (Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Rwanda and Zaire). The participants had been chosen because of their experience in the family apostolate. There were six persons in the guiding team (two Jesuits, four lay people).
Montreal (Canada). From October 2 to 7, 1997, on the "Activities Programme" of the CLC-Vietnamese overseas. Each one of the 17 participants was actively involved in the ExCo, the bulletin, formation and formation resources, the Retreats Programme, youth and the family. In the guiding team there were five persons: One Jesuit, four lay people. (This IFE is included in the report because its formulation of the five-year plan is particularly clear).
The "pastoral planning" methodology. During the first years, 1990-1994, the methodology developed by CLC and published in Progressio appeared a little complex and rigid. With further use it has become more clear and simple, a useful tool to proceed with the encounter in an orderly and efficient way. The key moments of the encounter are the identification of the basic needs and the diagnosis. Once everybody agrees on these two elements it is not difficult to formulate an action plan for the following five years 2.
The participants in the IFE are persons actively involved in the fields of service on which planning is to be done. The encounter unfolds more easily and gives better results with a limited number of participants (from 16 to 30).
The guiding team. In the guiding teams of each Encounter there were one or two guides with experience in previous Encounters working alongside two or three leaders from the region who didn't have any experience but wanted to learn the dynamics of the programme. Only once the guiding team could hold a preparatory meeting some months before the actual Encounter. In most cases the international team, in order to minimise the travel expenses, received the programme, documents and introductions by mail. The immediate preparation was done one or two days before the actual Encounter. Therefore, the guiding team had to arrived some days earlier.
In the writing of the five-year plan there has been an increasing improvement, integrating better the main steps of the Encounter. In the last version (the Montreal Encounter) after each basic need follows a description of a critical situation and of the risks incurred if an adequate answer is not found: the five-year plan. Thus the interest of the document written in the Montreal Encounter 3.
In the evaluation the participants pointed out that:
• the final outcome as well as the process followed help to clarify the meaning of "common mission", because everybody feels part of it,
• The five-year plan strengthens the unity of each National Community and the solidarity among all the National Communities of the region.
• The methodology is becoming simpler and clearer, helping everybody to proceed in an orderly way, step by step to the final outcome.
Final remarks: These IFEs have been particularly helpful because:
- the planning process is based on the experience in the activity fields of the National Community,
- during the Encounter prime time is given to "enrichment" or "deepening" in the CLC charism as well as in the specific fields of action concerned in the planning.
- thanks to the methodology the participants can share experiences in an honest, deep and critical climate,
- the participants own the five-year plan because all of them are actively involved in every step of its formulation,
- the planning process can (and hopefully will) be repeated at the local level, as a whole or one step at a time, by modules, because everybody knows the process and is provided with the documents used during the Encounter. Thus the effort to write down a complete report of the Encounter, including not only the final outcome but also the methodology, the introductions to each step and the inputs given during the Encounter.
II. International Encounters «Jesuits, Religious and CLC»
These Encounters, asked for in Hong Kong '94, have been developed by the Jesuit Secretariat for CLC, in cooperation with the World ExCo and each hosting country. The Encounters have fostered in most of the participants a deeper understanding and positive disposition towards CLC.
The main objectives were:
m to foster knowledge and a positive disposition towards CLC in Jesuits and religious who at present are not familiar with CLC,
m to find practical ways and means to make mission central and the starting point for CLC's formation at all levels
m to realize how much we share the same Ignatian Charism, and at the same time:
m to acknowledge and celebrate the differences in our vocations.
In the last four years, 1994-1998, twelve International Encounters have been offered:
In English:
Rome, from August 12 to 16, 1995. This one was the first Encounter. More than seventy participants came from USA, England and Wales, Ireland, India, Malta. Father General gave an important speech. In the evaluation of this first Encounter some elements of the programme were confirmed, while many pointed out the need to avoid monotony in the use of the workshops, to give more space to the first years in CLC, and to improve the document.
Ø Caleruega (Philippines), from April 15 to 20, 1997. There were more than thirty participants from the Philippines, India, Korea, Japan.
Ø Sydney (Australia), from July 4 to 8, 1997. There were one hundred and five participants from Australia, New Zealand, USA, Ireland, England and Wales, Korea, Philippines... Father General gave an important speech. The quality of personal experience in CLC shared during this Encounter was very touching. This Encounter was offered a very valuable contribution of the English speaking communities to World CLC.
In French:
Cairo (Egypt), from January 22 to 27, 1996. There were thirty participants from Egypt, Syria, Libano, France, Ivory Coast, Cameroon and Madagascar. This was the main Encounter of the French speaking countries of the World CLC.
Ø Yaounde (Cameroon), from August 15 to 18, 1996, with more than thirty participants, Jesuits and lay people, from Cameroon and Ivory Coast.
In Spanish:
Buenos Aires (Argentina), from October 12 to 17, 1995. There were more than forty participants (religious, Jesuits and lay people) from Argentina. The joyful and friendly atmosphere of this Encounter were remarkable.
Ø Lima (Peru), from January 3 to 8, 1996. There were more than one hundred participants from twelve Latin American countries, Spain and Portugal. This was the main Encounter offered in Latin America.
Ø Madrid (Spain), from February 1 to 3, 1996 and from October 1 to 3, 1996. There were more than eighty participants (lay guides and Jesuits).
Ø Guadalajara (Mexico) from october 26 to 30, 1996. There were more than fifty participants from Mexico, Puerto Rico and Peru. At the end of this Encounter there was a deeply felt friendship and understanding between Jesuits and lay people.
Ø Santo Domingo (Dominican Rep.) From May 1 to 4, 1998. There were forty two participants from Cuba, Miami, Puerto Rico, Mexico and Dominican Rep. This Encounter brings the Caribean countries closer to the World Community.
In portuguese: Soutelo (Portugal), from november 28 to december 1, 1997, with the participation of thirty lay people and Jesuits (Father Provincial was present during the whole Encounter).
In Italian: Rome (Italy), from december 5 to 8, 1997, with more than seventy group guides and Jesuits.
The original programme was five days long, but not every Encounter was able to follow it fully. In some instances it had to be reduced to four, and even three days. In Spain, the Encounter was offered in two sessions, each one lasting two days and half 4.
The methodology consists mainly in bringing together religious and lay CLC people in small workshop groups. Before the sharing in workshop groups (90 min) about one the vital issues in the CLC process, a time is given for personal reading and reflection (45 min). The document "the CLC Charism" has been used (and developed) for this purpose. In order to avoid monotony, after the Rome Encounter, some debates and special full groups meetings were also offered.
The Introductions. Before the personal reflection time, in a plenary session the theme is briefly introduced, emphasizing the importance of the topic, pointing out its place within the CLC process and the experience of the participants. These introductions are adjusted, therefore, to each Encounter. These Introductions have been constantly re-formulated 5.
The participants. In these Encounters the number of participants is practically unlimited. In fact there were more than one hundred in some encounters. An effort has been made to have an equal number of Jesuits and lay people. Among the Jesuits attending the encounters some had a long experience accompanying CLC, while others were interested in learning about CLC. The lay participants had, in general, several years of CLC experience.
Output of the Encounter: One suggestion kept coming out in the evaluations of the first Encounters: that the Encounter be not only for "the assimilation of the CLC charism and mutual enrichment", but that it should also produce some specific output. In line with this suggestion, the workshop groups have been invited to summarize their sharing around three questions: What are we doing that we should stop?, What should we start? What are we doing that we should continue 6.
Evaluation: From the experience of these encounters we can draw three main observations:
Ø Diversity among National CLCs at times causes tensions. But not all the differences among national communities come from an incorrect understanding of the CLC charism. Some differences reflect different cultural and historical backgrounds. There is a precious blessedness in this diversity and therefore regular international encounters are convenient (maybe "necessary"). Some vital areas of this diversity are:
• the role of the Spiritual Exercises in CLC,
• having youth as well as committed adults in CLC,
• the way of envisioning and living our mission,
• the presence of few or many Jesuits in the National CLC 7.
Ø The formation of Group-guides is, according to most National Communities, an urgent and vital need. Being a group guide has a deep and vital communal dimension. Their formation is offered, of course, at national and local level. But encouraging teamwork among them, offering them guidelines and documents (like "The CLC Charism") is one of the most efficient ways in fostering unity at National and World levels.
Ø The document "The CLC charism" is to a great extend a result of these encounters. Having a unified explanation of the GP and the vital formation moments has been of great help for the personal reflection times and groups sharing. Most appreciated has been the importance given in the document to the person, the unfolding of vocation and mission in CLC. However, not all National Communities are fully happy about it. The main expectations the document has failed to meet so far are:
• To whom is the document addressed? The final version states: "to those involved in formation".
• It has been asked that the chapter on CLC vocation and the process of seeking and finding this vocation be equally relevant to the young and adult members of CLC.
• The document should be shorter and linear (avoiding detailed explanations of each topic), more attractive and closer to the lived experiences of people.
• Useless repetitions should be avoided.
III. Spiritual Exercises and Communal apostolic discernment 8
Objective: This is a course for guides of communities wanting to improve their communal apostolic discernment. It consists of two parts: Six days of individually guided Spiritual Exercises and three days of communal apostolic discernment. The programme has been developed by the Spanish CLC Assistants and is being used regularly as a formation course for community guides in this country. In the last four years it has also been offered in:
In English: Sydney, from June 27 to July 3, 1997, with more than seventy participants from Australia, USA, Philippines, New Zealand, Zambia... accompanied by a team of twelve people (lay, religious and Jesuits).
In Spanish: Lunlunta (Argentina), from January 3 to 12, 1997, with fifteen participants from Argentina, accompanied by two Jesuits.
In Vietnamese:
San Diego (California), from June 11 to 16, 1996, with more than twenty participants accompanied by two Jesuits and two lay people.
Ø Houston (Texas), from June 21 to 28, 1996, with eighteen participants accompanied by two Jesuits and two lay people.
Ø Boston (Massachusetts), from July 1 to 7, 1996, with more than twenty participants, accompanied by two Jesuits and two lay people.
The first part, the individually guided Retreat, unfolds in a classic fashion. (One spiritual guide is needed for every six or seven persons)
During the second part, the communal apostolic discernment, there are two session each day: one in the morning and the second in the afternoon. Each session includes one hour of personal prayer and 90 minutes of discernment in groups of six to seven persons, accompanied by one of the spiritual guides. During the first day, they discern about "the most urgent needs of those I am called to serve". During the second day: "My ways of addressing these needs". During the third day: "Reformulation of my apostolic commitment" and the evaluation of the course.
These Spiritual Exercises, with a particular emphasis on mission and communal discernment offer an alternative to the traditional ways of doing them.
Given the openness and deepth of the sharing during the communal discernment, this retreat presupposes that the participants have a good experience of community and a fair degree of human and spiritual maturity.
In the final evaluation the participants pointed out the richness of the communal discernment. The Sydney session was particularly appreciated because of their wish to improve communal apostolic discernment. The course offered them a moving experience and the method to foster it.
Julián Elizalde SJ
Vice Ecclesiastical Assistant
Rome, June 20th. 1998
Footnotes
1 The five and seven day programmes are available in Appendix 1.
2 The simplified version of the Methodology is available in Appendix 2.
3 The summary of these five-year plans can be found in Appendix 3.
4 The original programme and variations of the same can be found in Appendix 4.
5 In Appendix 5 can be found the last version of these introductions.
6 The results of the Australian, Portugese and Santo Domingo Encounters can be found in Appendix 6.
7 These insights are expanded in Appendix 7: "Vital issues in CLC today".
8 A detailed programme of this session can be found in Appendix 8.
P.S. Some of the Appendixes are not included in the Report. Those who wish to have them, can contact the Secretariat in Rome.