CLC General Principles
Christian Life Community's General Principles are a description of its vision and charism. These principles are not a set of rules and regulations, but a particular vision for living out in community Christ's invitation to be church in a unique way. Following are excerpts and summaries from the General Principles and Norms.
General Principles
General Norms
Preamble
1. Response to God's Love.
The Three Divine Persons, contemplating the whole of humanity in so many sinful divisions decide to give themselves completely to all men Love and women and liberate them from all their chains. Out of love, the Word became human and was born of Mary, the humble Virgin of Nazareth. Living with the poor and sharing their condition, Jesus invites all of us to give ourselves continuously to God and to bring about unity in our human family. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, we respond with gratitude to God for this gift of Jesus in every circumstance of our lives. Therefore we, members of the Christian Life Community, have composed these General Principles to aid us in making our own the choices of Jesus Christ and taking part through Him, with Him, and in Him in this loving initiative which expresses God's promise of faithfulness forever.
2. Guided by the
Spirit.
Because our Community is a way of Christian Guided life, these
Principles are to be interpreted not so much by the letter of this text
as by the spirit of the Gospel and the interior law of love. This law
of love, which the Spirit inscribes in our hearts, expresses itself anew
in each situation of our daily lives. This Spirit-inspired love respects
the uniqueness of each personal vocation and enables us to be open and
free, always at the disposal of God. It challenges us to see our responsibilities
and constantly to seek answers to the needs of our times, to work together
with the entire People of God and all people of good will to seek progress
and peace, justice and charity, liberty and dignity for all.
3. Graced History.
The Christian Life Community is a world association whose executive
center is presently in History Rome. It is a continuation of the Sodalities
of Our Lady, started by Jean Leunis, S.J., and first officially approved
by Pope Gregory XIII's bull, Omnipotentis Dei, of December 5, 1584. Prior
to these Sodalities of Our Lady we find our origin in those groups of
lay people that developed in different parts of the world both before
and after 1540 through the initiative of St. Ignatius Loyola and his companions.
We live this way of Christian life in joyful communion with all those
who have preceded us, grateful for their efforts and apostolic accomplishments.
In love and prayer we join those many men and women of our spiritual tradition
who have been proposed to us by the Church as friends and valid intercessors
who help us to fulfill our mission.
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