Click here for a PDF file of the Missouri Region Brochure.
About
The Missouri Region
Who
We Are
Our History
Communion
of Saints
Who We Are
Christian Life Community is a world-wide lay movement whose spiritual energy comes from Ignatian Spirituality. We are discerning communities for mission.
The Missouri Region is one of 10 regions that are part of Christian Life Community USA. Although the region covers the states of Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Colorado, plus a small section of southwestern Illinois, most of our local communities are located in the St. Louis area although we do have contacts in the Kansas City and Denver areas. We are also exploring possibilities in Oklahoma City (see Events page for more information).
Our communities average 8-10 members and usually meet twice a month in members homes. There are about 9 active CLCs in the St. Louis area.
Our organization consists of a Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) composed of a representative from each of the local communities plus a Regional Coordinator, Treasurer, and Secretary. The National Regional Rep also attends these meetings as well as the Regional Ecclesial Assistant who serves as a link to the Jesuit community. We also have a formation coordinator who helps individuals interested in CLC find a group that they can join. This group meets four times a year and promotes communication and activities among the local communities.
We also have a Guides Group which is composed of the guides of each of the local communities. A guide acts as a spiritual director for the community helping them to discern how God is working within their community. This group meets about every six weeks.
History of St. Louis CLC
In 1563 in Rome, a young Jesuit, John Leunis, founded the first CLC by gathering a group of young lay students at the Roman College to help them unite their lives—jobs, studies, families, etc.—with Christian values. The movement, originally called the Sodality of Our Lady, grew and was confirmed by Pope Gregory XIII in 1584. Over the years the movement spread dramatically. In 1920 there were over two million teenage members and numerous adult members. When Vatican II urged groups like the Sodality to rediscover their original roots, some sodalities continued as before, while others became CLC.St. Louis has always had a unique role in Sodality/CLC since it has hosted the National Office for both organizations.
John XXIII CLC has been in existence longer than any other community in our area. It was started in 1958 by some Saint Louis University graduates, some of whom have been together ever since then. Father Hangartner, S.J. was their moderator. Two of their present members were treasurers of the National Federation of Sodalities-Joan Dewitt and Fred Hodes.
In 1968 the National Federation of Sodalities became the National Federation of Christian Life Communities. That name was later changed to the National Christian Life Community of the United States of America.
Members of some small sodalities in our area wanted more in the way of spirituality and formed Discipleship CLC in the 60’s. They were one of a number of communities in the country to test a new formation program developed by two Jesuits (Paul Roy, S.J. and Larry Stinn, S.J.) and four lay people (Janice Brown, Tom and Irma Laufersweilers and Marie Schimelfening). The first National Formation Course was held in Providence, RI in 1975 and attended by a number of people from St. Louis.
In
1976 a three-story house on Westminster became the National Center for CLC. Part
of it was a residence for Jesuits and the other part housed lay people, a chapel,
a big kitchen, and several meeting rooms. The Nicholas Own Community was started
there and was comprised of the lay people and Jesuits who lived there. It was
also the center for some wonderful activities for the St. Louis people, as well
as many national events. In 1984 Tom Swift, S.J. started the Bridges Program with
lay and Jesuit directors at the CLC house. There was a financial crisis in the
mid 80’s. The house was sold in 1987, and the debt resolved. It was a painful
period in our history.
To be continued…..