Our History

CLC KENYA – A JOURNEY OF GRACE CLC Kenya was started in 1989 by a group of students from Egerton University. It later spread to four other parts of the country and University groups. In 1994, it was incorporated into the World Community during World Assembly held in Hong Kong. CLC Kenya held its first National Assembly (NA) in 1995. The Second NA held in 1997 was to review progress so far and set directions on how to move forward. Youth, sharing our Ignatian Spirituality with others, and Civic Education and Constitutional Reform were the three mission priorities discerned upon during the third National Assembly. This Assembly also approved the Constitution of CLC Kenya. In the year 2000 CLC Kenya, in collaboration with other organizations in the Ignatian family, started Zaidi Centre for Ignatian Spirituality as a means of ministering to Christians through Ignatian Spirituality. The Fourth NA held in 2002 focused on the growth of CLC Kenya and monitored the progress of mission. Within the same year, members of CLC in Nairobi founded Hands of Love, an organization to minister to AIDS infected and affected, especially in Kibera slums, Nairobi. In 2003, CLC Kenya hosted the Fourteenth (14^th) World Assembly in Nairobi, Kenya. In January, 2004, Hands of Love, with the support of CLC Kenya, began St. Aloysius Gonzaga Secondary School geared to provide secondary education to needy but bright students affected and infected by HIV/AIDS from Kibera slum. The Fifth, Sixth and Seventh National assemblies were held in 2004, 2007 and 2009 respectively. In 2006, CLC Kenya was registered as a Charity organization in Kenya. Through the support of well-wishers, CLC Kenya, constructed a new modern structure for the St. Aloysius Gonzaga School in 2010, away from the slum. While The Eighth National Assembly (2012) emphasized on Formation for mission (financial co-responsibility), CLC identity, CLC visibility with regard to family and youth and ratification of the proposed new constitution for CLC Kenya, The Ninth NA (2014) focused on CLC Membership, Formation for Mission and CLC Mission projects. The Tenth Assembly in 2017 was centered on the Theme; CLC –A Call to service for Humanity. The fruit of the assembly’s discernment process highlighted key areas such as new evangalization, social justice and family life, financial sustainabilty and mission projects.   Back to our roots, committing to our charism was the theme for the 11^th CLC Kenya National Assembly (2019). The assembly mandated Exco to emphasize more on Formation of members on Ignatian Spirituality, community living, financial sustainability as well as engaging in mission activities. 12^th CLC Kenya Assembly was held in July and focused on the theme “Deepening our Charism for the World”.  The new Executive council was mandated to continue emphasizing on the three pillars of CLC with focus on formation of members in the spirituality, the need to take keen interest on the two CLC mission projects (Zaidi Centre and St. Aloysius School) as well as emphasis on financial co-responsibility of members. CLC Kenya Statistics The community currently has 477 members; 141 in adult and parish groups and 336 youth members from twelve university and college groups. We have an estimate of about four hundred university alumni members who have not joined the community due to various life challenges after campus. Thirty-Four members have taken permanent commitment in CLC way of life with Eighty-four currently on permanent commitment. About Seventy-three members have done the full Spiritual Exercises and twenty-Six are trained to give retreats and spiritual direction.