Christian Life Community of the Philippines

Sharing our Graces to the Youth:

Paulo Javier Gener — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 12:30:26 +0000

Sharing our Graces to the Youth:

CLC Philippines Joins the Taizé Pilgrimage of Trust Manila Meeting

by Jaymee Duran
24 February 2010

Tinnah conducting the choir during the pilgrimage

From February 3 to 7, Tinnah, Amity, and I joined around 3,500 young people in the Manila Meeting of the Taizé Pilgrimage of Trust on Earth. Young people from all over Asia and other continents attended, to pray and share about their faith and life experiences with others. It was really an experience—praying for an hour or even more three times a day, being in silence with thousands of people, conversing with different people about one God, and listening to the reflections of the Taizé Brothers.

The three of us often joked that we had such a big delegation. Tinnah would say, “Ok kids, stay in line, single file!” Well, what’s funnier is that we were just three, yet we didn’t have a single picture together. I thought about the reason why we didn’t have a picture, and it didn’t take me too long to find the answer. It was a valid one too—we didn’t have a picture because the three of us were very involved in the meeting. Tinnah was one of the conductors of the choir (on top of everything else she did for the meeting!), Amity facilitated small groups during the workshops, and I sang in the choir and handled workshops,

The choir after an evening prayer (I'm at the back, fourth from right! Tinnah's in front, second from left)

too. The five days were tiring, yet very fulfilling.

We were just three, but I could proudly say that we were able to touch more than three thousand people. That is God at work in us. Just like in one of the songs from Taizé:

Diyos ang bukal ng buhay, ang apoy at pagmamahal.

O halina, halina, Diyos Espiritu Santo.

That is the Holy Spirit moving us, giving us strength to do more. As I look back at the things that we’ve done, I am but amazed that we were able to accomplish those. I remember how Fr. Marc Raper, SJ suddenly asked me to handle parts of his workshop of around 120 participants. It was an impromptu workshop. But then after that session, the pilgrims’ reactions and feedbacks were heartwarming. I also remember Tinnah’s post on her Facebook wall saying:

Amity with her workshop group

“’The Lord has done great things for me!’ I’m amazed at how God has stretched me in all directions these 5 days of the Pilgrimage of Trust. Today at the final mass presided by Cardinal Rosales I conducted, played piano, prepared the liturgy, taught songs and sang a responsorial psalm without fear for 3,500 young people….”

Exactly. That is God at work in us. He is the source of life—“ang bukal ng buhay”—that moves us to do more. He is the source of strength and of everything good.

On the last day of the pilgrimage, Bro. Alois, the prior of the Taizé Community, told us that the next step would be to share to our communities what we’ve received from the meeting. The entire experience was truly filled with graces—the grace of knowing our desires, the grace of sharing, the grace of peace, the grace of faith, and the grace of unity and love. These graces nourish us and enable us to share Christ’s peace to everyone. With the conclusion of the pilgrimage comes the greater challenge of loving more, and of keeping the fire of faith and peace alive in our daily lives.

Ubi caritas et amor,

ubi caritas Deus ibi est.

(Where there is charity and love, God is to be found.)

The "Friendship Image"--an icon the Taize community loves so much.

A Date With Ignatius: Encountering God in the Spiritual Exercises

jaymeeduran — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 06:04:44 +0000

The Christian Life Community Formation Institute (CLCFI) invites you to a half-day recollection with the theme, “Encountering God in the Spiritual Exercises”, to be led by Fr. Ramon Bautista, SJ. He will give points on how one encounters God in prayer, particularly in the Spiritual Exercises. Time for individual prayer shall be given where we hope attendees will encounter God in a special way. The recollection experience shall be concluded with the Celebration of the Eucharist.

It will be on 07 February 2010, Sunday, 8am-12nn at the Leunis Hall, 2/F CLC Building, Ateneo de Manila Loyola Heights Campus.

For fees and reservations, visit the Christian Life Community Formation Institute, 1/F CLC Center Seminary Road, Ateneo de Manila Loyola Heights Campus, call Lolit Agbayani or Aidah Endaya at (63-2) 426.0074 & 75, or email clcp@admu.edu.ph

Thanks a lot!

**“A Date With Ignatius” is a series of recollections offered by the CLCFI. These are offered especially for CLC members who are not able to be in community. However, other people interested are welcome to attend. There will be eight recollections spread throughout the year.

NA’09 Materials Are Now Available!

Paulo Javier Gener — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 13:52:57 +0000

Dear CLCers,

All NA’09 Materials are available on-line.

Click here: http://clcphilippines.org/national-convention-2009/

Merry Christmas to all!

Admin

Christmas Greetings to ALL CLCers!

Paulo Javier Gener — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 13:49:52 +0000

Workshop: What Are Ignatian Ways of Praying

Paulo Javier Gener — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 13:43:14 +0000

What Are Ignatian Ways of Praying?

Dear Guides,

In response to your request for guides’ training, the first workshop will be held on Jan 9, 2010, Saturday.

Workshop Title:

What Are Ignatian Ways of Praying?

Resource Persons:

Rory Valdellon and Didi Villegas

Schedule :

1:30 Registration
2:00 Start of Workshop
5:00 Mass

Fee :

Guides – Free
Other CLC Members – P100

Learning Objectives of Ignatian Ways of Praying

By the end of the workshop, participants can:

identify the structure of Ignatian prayer
describe preparation for prayer
describe preparatory prayer
describe preludes
- composition of place
- begging for a grace
distinguish among:
- meditation
- contemplation
- repetition
describe:
- colloquy
- concluding prayes
- review of prayer

Feel free to invite your community members to join the workshop also. Please register as early as possible with Lolit Agbayani at the CLC office. Thanks.

Chibu

Notice of the Postponement of ANV Seminar

jaymeeduran — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 06:17:09 +0000

Dear All:

The schedule of Active Non-Violence Seminar has been moved to January 2010 to accommodate a much better number of participants. We will confirm the date later this month. Thank you so much and may we have a more encouraging response.

Sincerely,

Lot-lot D. Jimunzala
Lead Person for ANV Seminar

A Call to the Members of the CLCP on the 2010 Elections

Paulo Javier Gener — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:21:14 +0000

A Call to the Members of the CLCP on the 2010 Elections

In reflecting on the national situation in light of the upcoming 2010 elections, CLCP desires to highlight the following as its members discern within community on how best to be involved both on the local and national levels:

Premises:

We continue to live in a context where the reality of poverty constrains the freedom and dignity of the majority of our people.
This poverty negatively affects our democracy because it gives rise to inadequate education, insufficient time to effectively decide between candidates, and the subjugation of many of our people within a social system that exploits their situation for personal and familial political gain.
Corruption is facet of politics and governance which deprives our people of an estimated P400 billion annually (2001-2005 estimate, Office of the Ombudsman).
These realities run counter to the social demands of our faith, especially the moral demands placed upon our leaders, “Those with political responsibilities must not forget or underestimate the moral dimension of political representation, which consists in the commitment to share fully in the destiny of the people and to seek solutions to social problems.” (Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, 410)
As stated in our 1987 Constitution, “The Philippines is a democratic and republican State. Sovereignty resides in the people and all government authority emanates from them.” (II, 1). Democracy as a political system is predicated upon elected officials being accountable to the people through regular, free, and fair elections.
Our 1987 Constitution guarantees the right to vote and places responsibility for free and fair elections with Congress, “Suffrage may be exercised by all citizens of the Philippines not otherwise disqualified by law, who are at least eighteen years of age, and who shall have resided in the Philippines for at least one year, and in the place wherein they propose to vote, for at least six months immediately preceding the election. No literacy, property, or other substantive requirement shall be imposed on the exercise of suffrage; The Congress shall provide a system for securing the secrecy and sanctity of the ballot as well as a system for absentee voting by qualified Filipinos abroad.” (V, 1)
Elections are the constitutionally mandated way of effecting change and holding our leaders accountable. As our Church leaders remind us, “In the democratic system, political authority is accountable to the people. Representative bodies must be subjected to effective social control. This control can be carried out above all in free elections which allow the selection and change of representatives. The obligation on the part of those elected to give an accounting of their work – which is guaranteed by respecting electoral terms – is a constitutive element of democratic representation.” (Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, 408)
There are movements at many levels within the Philippines to identify, recruit, support, and hold accountable candidates who have personal and professional integrity and competence, and believe in the potential for greatness that exists in our nation and people.

Analysis:

Our political situation has been progressively deteriorating, exacerbated by feelings of helplessness and hopelessness that lead to disengagement or apparent apathy.
Recent events indicate graft and corruption continue at all levels of government. They also show that from within the highest levels of government there are real and potential threats to the 2010 elections, our Constitution, and our freedom.
In particular, it appears that Cha-Cha is being used as a means to derail and subvert the 2010 elections and thereby deprive Filipinos of their human dignity and freedom.
If elections are not held, the Filipino people will continue to be alienated from decision-making on issues that matter to them and will further lead to disengagement and apathy, if not violence and rebellion.
Changing the constitution before the 2010 elections would take away accountability to and involvement by the people. The government would waste energy and limited resources that could be used more productively to address more urgent and pressing needs.
Reform is necessary at all levels of government, including Constitutional reform. The 2010 elections must be held as scheduled as a necessary part of the reform process.
We need to be aware of the threat to our constitution, democracy and freedom and its ramifications on our future as a nation. We are also presented with an opportunity to participate in meaningful and significant reform toward strengthening our democratic processes.

Position/Recommendations:

Elections must take place in 2010 as scheduled, governed by the rule of law. All CLCP members should take action to oppose any and all attempts to subvert the elections, including Cha-Cha prior to the elections;
CLCP challenges all political candidates to address the issues facing our nation as part of their campaigns. We call on all voters to evaluate candidates based upon the quality of their platforms;
We remind all CLCP members that the exercise of one’s vote is an important and essential task of the Christian living in a democratic nation and the responsible use of one’s freedom. If one fails to take his/her political duty seriously, one acts irresponsibly by failing to speak for and affect reform.
Each CLCer is called to participate in the election process communally. This involves critically engaging the issues facing our nation and region in which each community lives and evaluating and discussing the character, credentials and platform of each candidate in community. These communal discussions when brought to prayerful reflection are manifestations of living out the CLC way of life and are necessary for members to reach an intelligent, thoughtful, and prayerful decision for whom one will vote.
We are called to discern partisan or non-partisan involvement in the 2010 elections in ways that strengthen our democratic institutions. Whether we discern to support candidates who we identify as best able to bring about reform, or actively engage in education, poll-watching or other non-partisan participatory activities, we must remember that true reforms go beyond the 2010 elections.

Guide’s Training Program 2010

Paulo Javier Gener — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:13:34 +0000

Dear Guides,

Attached are the training programs for guides to be held starting January 2010. If you are interested in the workshops, please block off the dates in your 2010 calendars and let me know that you’d like to participate. Although the programs are mainly for guides, your community members are welcome to attend in case they are interested. Please let me know if I can clarify anything for you. Thanks.

Chibu

Click here to Download Guides’ Training 2010 Program

CLCP NA 2009 Group Picture

Paulo Javier Gener — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:01:32 +0000

CLCP NA'09: A Lay, Apostolic and Prophetic Community Spreading the Ignatian Fire

CLCP NA 2009 Participants

[Click here to get CLCP NA'09 group pics in High Resolution]

Seminar on Active Non-Violence

jaymeeduran — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:30:10 +0000

The CHRISTIAN LIFE COMMUNITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
invites you to a two-day seminar on
ACTIVE NON-VIOLENCE (ANV)

Date: 14 – 15 November 2009 (Saturday and Sunday)
Time: 08:00AM – 06:00PM on both days
Venue: Jean Leunis Hall, 2/F CLC Center,
Seminary Drive, AdMU Campus, QC
Seminar fee: PhP500 (inclusive of food & handouts)

It will be facilitated by Ms. Jean Llorin and Ms. Mercy Abad.

Limited slots only.
Please call (02) 426-0074 not later than Tuesday, 10 November 2009 for reservations.

FORCE OF TRUTH. POWER OF LOVE. WAY OF PEACE.

ANV Invitation