Fr. José de Pablo has been appointed by Father General as the World Vice-Ecclesiastical Assistant of the CLC (the Christian Life Community.) This lay movement is present in 76 countries and participates in the spreading of Ignatian spirituality in daily life. Although the movement is independent from the structures of governance and operation of the Society of Jesus, its Ecclesiastical Assistant is the Superior General, currently Father Arturo Sosa. Obviously, the latter has so many matters to deal with that it is therefore perfectly appropriate for him to choose a Jesuit companion to assist him in his responsibilities with the CLC.

After a fairly long period of dialogue and reflection, Father General has asked José de Pablo, a Spanish Jesuit, to become Vice-Ecclesiastical Assistant at the world level. He will not reside in the Curia, as was the case with some of his predecessors, but will continue to work at the Spiritual Centre of the Grotto of St. Ignatius in Manresa, Spain.

In a communiqué issued on 28 July, the CLC World Secretariat emphasised that the main task of the Vice-Assistant will be to accompany the World Executive Council in its discernment and decision-making processes. He will participate, usually remotely, in the meetings of the Executive Council and will have opportunities to visit communities in various countries, if possible, together with members of the Council.

The announcement gives a good overview, in a few lines, of the new context that has contributed to the reflection on the role of the Vice-Ecclesiastical Assistant. “We are all living in a new era; we are convinced that this new era can help us to grow as a lay and Ignatian movement, while it also can help us grow in our collaboration with the life-mission with the Society of Jesus, with which we want to continue to work and explore its development. This new period implies new challenges, learning and searching for new methods of collaboration.”

The conclusion is as follows: “Faced with this new form of collaboration, we are invited to “rethink” ourselves, to put our skills at the service of the construction of this new era. This will require from all of us prayer, listening, dialogue, openness. Let us place this new stage in the hands of the Lord of Life (...) to better collaborate in his mission.”

We asked José de Pablo to share with us how he envisions his adventure of accompaniment of the CLC. Here is what he told us:

“Joy and inner openness, this is the feeling I had when Father General gave me this new mission. My contact with the CLC community has been relatively limited in the past, but I have always felt that the CLC is a good way to live Ignatian Spirituality together.”

My real immersion with the CLC was during the World Assembly in Buenos Aires (2018). My mission at that Assembly was very similar to the one I would like to carry out now. The key is to accompany, facilitate, make possible the spiritual conversation and discernment, to help each person or community to discover and reach what, before God, makes them happier and more complete. This is a task of teamwork, prayer, collaboration and walking together. That is why I feel that it fits very well with living and working in the Centre of Spirituality in Manresa. Here is the cradle of the Spiritual Exercises and it is a meeting point for all of us who live the spirituality of St. Ignatius.”