National Formation Team

The members of the National Formation Team are composed of the co – founders of CLC Kenya.They are fully committed to the CLC way of Life and it is their hard work and dedication that has brought C L C K this far.

The  members are :

THE TASKS OF THE NATIONAL FORMATION TEAM

The essential task of the Formation Team is to ensure and guide growth in the Christian Life Community (CLC) way of life among the members.  The Formation Team is the custodian of the process of advancement in CLC.  Its role is more than that of producing materials.

Formation in CLC is for mission. “Our Community is made up of Christians who want to follow Jesus Christ most closely and work with him for the building of the Kingdom, who have recognized Christian Life Community as their particular vocation within the Church”

The following are the proposed areas that National Formation Team oversees for the growth of CLC groups and individual members:-

• SPIRITUAL EXERCISES:  according to GP#5, “we hold the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius as the specific source and characteristic instrument of our spirituality”.  This statement is emphasized in Our CLC Charism i.e.

1. All CLC members ought ideally to make an Ignatian retreat annually (ideally 8 days, minimum 5), and this should not be omitted for two consecutive years.
2. It is important that the members make the full Spiritual Exercises at some stage.
3. When the Exercises are adapted, care must be taken to ensure that the program is an adequate adaptation of the Spiritual Exercises.  The EA must play a key role in helping to design suitable programs appropriate to CLC.
4. The National office is encouraged to facilitate the planning of an annual Ignatian retreat.  When possible, CLC members can join other organized groups for Ignatian retreats.  It is therefore the task of the National Formation Team to urge members to make a retreat, it is hoped that CLC members will undertake this spiritual activity with greater freedom and generosity.

• COMMITMENT is a tool/instrument for defining growth in the CLC way of    life.

1. Two to four years after entering CLC, members should take Temporary Commitment.  Commitment should be made attractive so as to be undertaken by all who meet the requirement of the CLC way of life.  A standard formula is made for pronouncing Commitment.
2. Prior to the commitment, the member will have made an 8 day election retreat, be regular in meeting attendance and meet other requirements of membership.
3. Temporary Commitment, within a clear time frame and renewable, should lead towards Permanent Commitment within 2 to 8 years.  The period of Temporary Commitment is a specific period of living out and discerning the CLC vocation.  Persons in Temporary Commitment should be helped to become contemplatives in action and to actively participate in the formation of new comers.
4. Prior to Permanent Commitment, a member must have made Full Spiritual Exercises in one form or another.
5. Throughout their Formation, CLC members receive support and encouragement from their communities.
6. Persons in Permanent Commitment are engaged primarily in mission and mission discernment.  It is fitting for the National Community to decide to have certain duties and rights pertain to members who are in Temporary and Permanent Commitment.

• FORMATION OF GROUP GUIDES: Every CLC Community must have a trained and well formed guide. To make sure that this happens the National Formation Team ensures that:

1. There are potential members among the CLC Groups.  The Guides must have undergone the Spiritual Exercises and must understand the dynamics of the CLC way of life.
2. There is an ongoing formation for active guides, which should also entail communication skills and other psycho-social skills.  There should be regular meetings of guides.
3. The formation of guides must take care of cultural sensitivity and the ability to initiate and support discernment in cultural realities.

• RECRUITMENT AND INDUCTION OF CANDIDATES: the process of recruitment and induction of candidates should be regularized and taken more seriously (screening, length of induction, material to be covered, clear transition to CLC pre-community)
• FORMATION OF MATERIAL: the National Formation Team ensures that at the induction stage, formation material should give a broad and authentic introduction to the CLC way of life, including spirituality, community and mission dimensions.

Integration of Ignatian Spirituality, life experiences and culture is important. Mature CLC members, must not necessarily be dependent on specific materials, they should rather be in the habit of discernment in all matters of life and mission.