The Christian Life Community (CLC) started as the Sodality of Our Lady in 1540, followed by the initiative of St Ignatius of Loyola before he was ordained to encourage lay persons to form groups to share their Christian lives in CLC’s. In 1971 the CLC was recognised by the Vatican as an international Catholic movement. In 1976 Maxine Hogan from the parish was invited by the Jesuits to go to the Philippines to learn about the CLC movement and to start it in Norwood. It started with eleven members in the first group, and more groups started in 1985. There are currently 8 or 9 groups in South Australia of which 5 are loosely connected with the Norwood Parish. The groups are not organised by parishes however, and may comprise members from various parishes. The groups meet fortnightly for an hour and a half, followed by supper, in private homes. Each group comprises 7 or 8 persons. They share their faith journey through meditation, gospel readings, and sharing their daily life experience over the previous fortnight. This builds a community of trust between members and helps members to lead their daily lives in a better way. It does this by helping members make conscious decisions rather than unconscious decisions in their lives. To some who need it, it offers an alternative experience to Church and an opportunity to live out Ignatian spirituality. It helps members to acquire a sense of their own mission in life, and a collective mission, in that groups invariably get involved in working in other active Catholic ministries. The original members of the The Loyola Spirituality Centre and the RCIA, for example, were all CLC members.

Enquiries: Diana Herd : 8332-2696