Greetings from Buenos Aires - Day #2
PDF Link: Message from Pope Francis to the CLC World Assembly 2018
Another full day! Just after 2 days some of us are trying to find our quiet spaces for our accustomed morning coffee and tea. Can you imagine? …we have to wait in line with around 250 people for a cup of coffee or tea along with our breakfast! But we are all friends in the Lord:) ...these inconveniences are made up for in so many other ways by the CLC members we are getting to meet and talk with from all over the world.
We had a good morning session with an update from the World Exco on areas they have been focusing upon, such as the diversity of CLC formation programs (a struggle to maintain consistency and integrity throughout the World; finances (We are in the black!); the challenges of asking members to make commitments (a scary thought for new members), the role of communal discernment within CLC's (while striving to remain in harmony with the universal CLC charism and mission). We then had an afternoon session on communal discernment, an opportunity to pray together on our gifts as a CLC within the gifts of the loaves and the fishes that Jesus “miraculously” provided his disciples to feed the needs of those around them, an opportunity for spiritual conversation on this prayer, and then finally a plenary session with all of us participants on the fruits of our spiritual conversation from small groups. So we are being prepared to the discernment we will be asked to enter into looking towards our future. You could call today an update and tool learning day - an update from our present World Exco, and re-acquainting ourselves with the tool of spiritual conversation.
Tomorrow will be another full and exciting day… the biographer of Pope Francis, Austen Ivereigh, will come to speak with us about Pope Francis and his vision of our church in the context of how it is rooted in his identity as an Argentinian. Then in the afternoon we will all go out to visit the local community - families, schools, and social centres. Imagine again… all 250 of us from all over the world going to get a taste of local life and concerns here in Argentina!
It is often hard for Michelle, Catherine and I to connect throughout the way. We so often get swept up and separated from each other by the crowd. But this is good… we also get to know different members. But we do make a point of meeting and sharing with another each day how we have been moved by the events.
Some say news… Joseph Richard, a CLC member from Haiti, who’s National we are supporting in their attendance here at the Assembly, was not able to come to Buenos Aires because of Visa difficulties. But Sr. Nadia Gbaguidi from Haiti is here and very present. Stay tuned for a photo of all the Canadians and those we sponsor here in Buenos Aires.
Here you can see Michelle and Catherine present the fruits of their group's spiritual conversation. Attached also is Pope Francis’ opening letter to our Assembly.
If you are looking for further information on our Assembly, also visit the World CLC website.
Blessings to each of you.
Trevor
Events in Canada