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By Clara Atallah
Marie-Gabrielle Vallet, currently the president of CVX in Canada, discovered the Communauté de Vie Chrétienne (CVX) through an internet search. She suggested to her spiritual accompanier that they create a community in Sudbury, Ontario, at the end of 2008.
“Yes, we could do that,” he replied.
This desire arose from the need to share with a community and open up new horizons.
“In my personal life, accompaniment is essential. The community offers me something complementary: listening to each other, welcoming others, reflecting together. The community allows us to see God working in our lives and how we work with God.”
“The community allows us to see God working in our lives and how we work with God.”
Michelle Mahoney, who grew up in Toronto and currently resides in Prince Edward Island, was drawn to Christian Life Community (CLC) in 1995 for a different reason.
“I’ve often had trouble making decisions. What struck me most about CLC was the way decisions were made, by helping each other, through communal discernment. I used to go around in circles. Growing up in a family of eight, I was in the middle. Decisions were always made for me. I hid for fear of making the wrong decision.”
Nearly 30 years later, she says, “Before learning the tools of discernment, such as the Examen, spiritual conversation, and the Rules for Discernment, I felt that I wasn’t living life to the fullest. I could never be confident that decisions were God-centred rather than self-centred, individually or in the community. This changed with the help of the Jesuits and like-minded people.”
Empowered by the Spirit
But what exactly are CLC-CVX? CLC-CVX are considered a single entity at the world level, though nationally, they are grouped by language. Despite different histories, their approach is the same. Each group has an accompanier/group guide and a facilitator. Meetings typically start with prayer, followed by personal sharing through spiritual conversation, and end with a review leading to spiritual growth and concrete action.
Brook Stacey, SJ, national ecclesiastical assistant to the provincial shares that “CLC, with its deep roots in Ignatian spirituality, is a vibrant community where members engage in ongoing discernment, sharing their joys, struggles, hopes and dreams. In my role, I am not just an observer but an active participant in the life of CLC. I walk with its members as we navigate the paths of faith and discernment together. My role in this journey is one of accompaniment.”
Indeed, “the group guide listens to the movements of the Spirit. It’s like a breath of fresh air to be heard and to be able to speak in a safe environment. This doesn’t happen very often. Sometimes, I have to be careful about what I say in Church,” confides Michelle.
In addition to attentive listening, she adds, “What also attracted me was that, from the beginning, I could speak freely and be heard, which is very empowering.”
Belonging to a community helps members on their personal spiritual journey, but “communities, too, are called to grow, to have meaningful discussions, despite our different individual paths,” says Marie-Gabrielle.
However, being part of a community comes with challenges. Marie-Gabrielle notes, “At one point, I was the only person in my local community who wasn’t born in Africa. Even if members are familiar with the CVX way of life, there are always challenges because we are human and don’t always share the same vocabulary.”
Michelle recalls conflicts from her time as CLC president. “I faced conflicts in management style (collaborative vs. hierarchical), but the experience helped me to grow and taught me to seek to interpret the statements of others in a positive way (Ignatian Presupposition SE 22).”
“These people become like family, which is rare in today’s society,” Michelle says. Loneliness is very real for many, and studies show the negative effect of social isolation on mental health. Being part of an active, vibrant community of faith re-energizes people and gives meaning to their mission.
Being part of an active, vibrant community of faith re-energizes people and gives meaning to their mission.
A sense of mission
In addition to regular meetings, each local community defines its mission, which goes beyond spiritual sharing. Michelle provides an example: “Our group discerned to lobby for affordable housing since Prince Edward Island has the lowest vacancy rate in the country. It’s amazing what our little group of five has achieved by partnering with other social justice groups!”
She adds that the mission allows the members of the group to step outside their comfort zone and discover God in real life. “We discover God in the reality and messiness of life, and it deepens our trust in God during difficult times… We sow the seeds and then let God take charge of the harvest.” Marie-Gabrielle shares, “We’ve moved from the idea of ‘we have to create a mission’ to ‘my mission is here, where my feet already are.’ Our daily obligations are not obstacles; they are our mission. It’s liberating and brings delight to daily life, knowing that God is waiting for us there.”
Even the accompanier/group guide experiences personal growth. Fr. André Gagnon, SJ, CVX ecclesiastical assistant and accompanier, says, “I find it wonderful to witness the power of God in people: how they don’t give up but let themselves be led by the Spirit and are transformed day by day.” Brook adds, “CLC’s legacy is one of profound impact, fostering spiritual growth and a sense of community among its members.”
Despite the challenges of our world, Marie-Gabrielle and Michelle remain confident in the fruits of their efforts. As Michelle explains, “We do our part, recognizing our limits, and trust that God will provide.”
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