March 25, 2020

Dear National Community:

A Blessed World CLC Day! Together with the rest of the World Community, we express our gratitude to the Lord for all the blessings we have received throughout our graced history as a National Community and as members of the World Community. We recall in a special way today the gift and challenge of being a lay Ignatian discerning apostolic body.

The celebration of World CLC Day is also the Solemnity of the Annunciation. We are reminded of Mary's openness to the invitation of the Angel. She listened, pondered, and said YES! With her yes, she guides our way through her love of Christ, her molding of her life around His choices, and her commitment to work with Christ in building the Kingdom.

We are all painfully aware that our celebration arrives amid the threats and challenges created by the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. The joy that we find in each other's presence and in celebrating together has been seemingly thwarted by the implementation of community-wide quarantines (in effect in many of our localities) and the practice of social distancing as essential protective measures.

As we find ourselves physically isolated from one another, we discover "the possibility of turning this 'desert' into an opportunity" (from the attached letter of the World CLC Executive Council (ExCo)). This is an opportunity to listen to what the good Lord has to say. We listen to stories shared by our families and loved ones; and we listen to the heroic and selfless acts of our health front liners. We listen in the silence of prayer. We may find it fruitful to turn to the Trinity in their gaze upon the world in missioning the Word to become flesh through Mary. How is the Trinity looking upon our world? To what is the Trinity directing our gaze? How are we invited to make Christ and His Kingdom present amid the Covid19 pandemic?

We invite communities to find ways to share and listen to the call of the Lord. May we be especially attentive to the needs of our communities currently experiencing great difficulty. Inspired by the Blessed Virgin Mary, we are called to listen intently to the invitation of the Lord in the needs around us and to respond with courage and generosity.

We share our World ExCo's fervent prayer that through us and in us, the Good Lord may continue to perform great deeds for all of creation within these difficult and trying times.

In Christ,

Your National Leadership Community

Joy Bautista
Donabelle Chua
Theody Demaisip
Lib Liberatore
Lynda Sibal

Download Letter to the World Community. World CLC Day 2020