NY Metro CLC members were delighted to welcome Fr. Trevor Scott S.J., the Ecclesial Assistant of CLC Canada, to lead the annual Lenten World CLC Day of Prayer at Fordham. The subject of the day was Projects 169: “Caring for our gift, offering it more generously in joy." During the morning session, Fr. Scott presented on the history of the previous World Assemblies and how CLC reflects on them with consciousness and gratitude. In the afternoon, Fr. Scott spoke about how CLC shares in "Taking Joy in Thinking in Harmony with Francis’ Vision" as expressed in Pope Francis' encyclical The Joy of the Gospel. Click on the blue headline text above to access a pdf copy of Fr. Scott's presentation.

This past weekend, 21 young adults from the Midwest came together for a SEED discernment and formation weekend in Houston TX. Veteran SEED Young Adults from around the US made up the core team providing the content of the program. Dong Hanh and CLC at large prayed for this gathering...so the participants felt very blessed and cared for through the prayers, food and hospitality of the Houston communities. It was a faith filled weekend full of awesomeness..!! By clicking on the blue headline text above, you can access more information about the weekend and read the heartfelt sharing about how God was calling these young adults during the weekend.

The theme of our next World Assembly (this summer in Buenos Aires) invites us to look at CLC as a gift. A gift is something that may be either received or given, or, as in the case of our CLC graced experience, received in order to be given: “you received without charge, give without charge” (Mt 10, 8). In the preparation for the Assembly, we are asked to acknowledge with greater profundity and gratitude what we have been given, and increase our readiness to share it in service, in the Church and in the world. Please click on the blue text above to view Projects 169 for World CLC Day 2018.

CLC is participating along with 35 Jesuits and colleagues gathered from around the world to address the question of how to share their work with others, especially across international borders. This is not new territory for Jesuits and their colleagues: the Society of Jesus was a deliberately multinational organization from its very first days. But in the last forty years—marked from Pedro Arrupe, S.J.’s, recognition of the need for the Jesuit Refugee Service—Jesuits have made a more deliberate attempt to link together the wide variety of Jesuit works to share resources and focus efforts on common apostolic goals.

15 Magi boxes sent by CLC-USA arrived in Puerto Rico. The president of CVX-CLC PR sends his thanks and update.

UPDATE: 125 pounds of powdered milk that has arrived in PR sent from CLC-USA members to PR.  

The United States is currently home to over 300,000 immigrants from ten countries who receive Temporary Protected Status (TPS). TPS has given these individuals the opportunity to rebuild their lives in the U.S. when conditions in their countries of origin, such as natural disasters or armed conflict, prevent their return. Many of them have lived here for years. They are integrated into our communities – they are our neighbors, fellow parishioners, sisters and brothers. Many have U.S. citizen siblings, spouses, or children. In the coming weeks, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will determine whether to extend or terminate this status for individuals from El Salvador and Honduras. Click on title to read entire article from the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States' Office of Justice and Equality.

This note is to forward Jeanne's info about the powdered milk postage costs, as well as to provide a brief update on the on-going efforts of solidarity with Puerto Rico that CLC-USA's AAA community has been so gratefully engaged in this Advent/Christmas season.

Families continue to struggle with little access to basic necessities. Magi gift boxes to families can help and show our love and support.

Update on CVX activities in Puerto Rico and a call for continued support and prayers.

CLC members and friends gathered this past Sunday for a full day of prayer, reflection and sharing around the themes of Pope Francis's encyclical Laudato Si.

CLC-USA Action Alert: “The Spirit … challenges us to see our serious responsibilities and to seek constantly the answers to the needs of our times …”.  (GP 2)

Let us pray for our CLC sisters and brothers in South Sudan.

ST. LOUIS, Missouri. October 16.  The Christian Life Community-USA (CLC-USA) Executive Council (ExCo) and National Coordinating Council (NCC) held their annual in-person meeting at Jesuit Hall, St. Louis, Missouri, October 12-15, 2017. Twenty-six people were in attendance.

CLC-USA's National Coordinating Council (NCC) with representatives from the various geographic Regions and Cultural Groups is having their annual meeting in St. Louis this weekend. Please keep them in your prayers for a grace-filled and productive gathering.

Polish-CLC (PCLC) Chicago celebrated its annual commitment ceremony at Mass on Sunday, September 10, 2017 at the Sacred Heart Mission Chapel, 4105 North Avers Avenue, Chicago, Illinois. Sacred Heart Mission is staffed by a community of Jesuits of the South Poland Province. The liturgy also marked the beginning of a new year of formation for the PCLC-Chicago group. Mass was concelebrated by Jesuit Community Superior, Fr. Tomasz Oleniacz, SJ and PCLC Ecclesial Assistant, Fr. Jerzy Mordarski, SJ.

Please click on the blue heading text above to join in answering Pope Francis’ urgent call in Laudato Si, I pledge to: • Pray for and with creation • Live more simply • Advocate to protect our common home.

Please click on the blue text heading above to be taken to a Spanish language site where you can electronically send a letter of petition to help save the indigenous park in Bolivia: Enter your name and email address in the box at top right of the page, then copy the suggested message from the bottom of the page (translation below) and past it inside the box labeled “comentario.” Make sure you re-type your name at the top of the message. Click on FIRMAR (Sign) to send your message. To: Evo Morales From: (Your name) Mr. President, In the name of our faith and the call of Pope Francis in the encyclical Laudato Si 'on the care of creation, we ask you to prevent the TIPNIS from being damaged. We ask you to say NO to the cancellation of the intangibility of the TIPNIS and that it will not allow private individuals to take advantage of their natural resources. Thank you very much!

On behalf of Ady and the ExCo team, please pray for the repose of the soul of Helen Plocha, wife of our past president, Ed Plocha.  While Helen has been a cancer survivor for some time, she developed some significant health complications during the past week and died the evening of Friday August 26 of multi-system organ failure.  Ed and Helen's children had been at her bedside these past few days.  In Ady's words, may Helen experience the loving embrace of our God.  She is experiencing God's peace and love.  Please ask your communities to pray for Helen, Ed, and Helen's children.  As we know more details of funeral arrangements etc we will pass them on.  May Helen rest in peace.  Your ExCo team

Ignatian Spirituality Conference Title: Adult Psychological Development and Spiritual Maturity: Ignatian Spirituality Across the Life Cycle Presenter: Rev. David McCallum, SJ Vice President For Mission Integration and Development, Le Moyne College Where: Le Moyne College, Syracuse, NY, or online (live stream) November 4, 2017 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM We are committed to providing you with opportunities for growth, so that your ministry can continue to thrive. This conference, our second in 2017, is for you. Join us in person at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, New York, or online. Invitation (with registration info) to follow. Co-sponsored by the Office of Ignatian Spirituality and Le Moyne College.