CLC Latvia ABOUT pre-CLC LATVIA Our situation, needs and hopes

CLC Latvia

ABOUT pre-CLC LATVIA

Our situation, needs and hopes

Look there we are

Confessional environment in Latvia

• Latvia is a multi-confessional country;

• 3 largest by number of believers confessions are :– Catholics– Lutherans– Orthodox

• Ecumenical dialogue is ongoing;

Ecumenism

• People from different confessions participate in retreats, pro-life activities

• The consecration of our new Archbishop took place in Lutheran Cathedral

Some facts about us

• 2 active groups (10 people) meeting for 6 years;

• 2 groups (15 people) meeting about 1 year;• 3 people have SpEx experience;• About 10 people have 8 day retreat

experience;• 6 of us have taken temporary commitment

Our way

• 2004 – first group started;• 2006 – 3 more groups started;• June, 2006 – Fr. Alberto Brito SJ visits us;• 2007 – ongoing formation work;• July, 2008 – our activities approved and

blessed by the Cardinal Janis Pujats;• August, 2008 – Fr. Adolfo Nicholas SJ visits

Latvia;• Autumn, 2008 – about 10 people start in city

Liepaja• Spring, 2010 – Fr. Luke Rodrigues visits Riga

Our way - continued

2004, first group started!

06.2006,Fr.Alberto SJ visit –

new impulse 2007,small group started

08.2008,Fr.Adolfo SJ visit

10 people group started

2007-8,formation going on

1 group left with 2 members

Coming to Europe CLC Assembly

2006, 3 more groups started!

2009,materials received from Germany, UK

2007 – 1 group quit

What we look like

Our community with Fr. Luke and Fr. Algimantas

Our companions

• The Society of Jesus, the Province of Lithuania and Latvia – has initiated first groups, directs retreats, organizes workshops;

• Sisters of Eucharistic Jesus – organizes retreats and events;

• CLC Lithuania – common meetings;• Sisters of Mother Teresa – collaboration with the

youth centre• CLC Germany, CLC England&Wales – helped with

formation materials

Our mission

• Still looking for our well-defined mission;

• BUT involved in different activities in the Church or charity;

• Also, try to live out CLC approach in our families and workplaces

Our activities

Internal activities : preparing formation materials,

working on documents, etc.

Parish: all kind of work

Hospital: Visiting the sick

Catholic literature publishing

Leading prayer groups Helping

Mother Teresa sisters

Our worries are about

• How to involve young people? (most of us are over 50);

• How to initiate new groups? (need guidance of priests or religious);

• How to respond to the current economic situation? (preference for the poor)

Our hopes

• To feel a real sense of a wide community;• To get an advice from more experienced

members;• To get a new insight into the common CLC

vision;• To meet new friends in Christ and

companions for our journey

from

the whole LATVIAN

COMMUNITY!